The functions are becoming more and more similar in what they demand, and that demand is to build solid foundations and grow long term relationships. Unifying these functions gives organizations the ability to focus resources and time on driving the next dollar as opposed to artificially valuing one set of dollars over another. And, when driving that next dollar is the organizational goal, long term relationship building becomes important for every individual in the organizat

This is the conundrum that all good sellers find themselves in early in a sales cycle. We need conversations, but we have not yet earned the right to have them, and buyers want presentations because they feel more comfortable in those settings.

The bottom line is that much of our communication is non-verbal. We have heard this line of reasoning before, but how many of us take the time to think about what that means for our calls, and our presentations, and our meetings. Most of the time we spend preparing for client interactions revolves around what we will say, and what we will show the client. But a very small portion of what the client will remember from the interaction will have anything to do with what we say o

Think of your client as a cat. If the string is sitting still on the table, they won’t care at all, but as soon as the string starts to move, they will want to pounce on it. Human brains are interested in things that change and move, as well as things that need to be figured out. Both of those can be used to your advantage.

Understanding what drives and motivates your buyer as a human being separate from their organization can help you identify and speak to the right set of incentives, but even if you don’t fully understand your buyer, simply thinking about things from your buyers perspective will help you resonate more with them.

The more the buyer talks about their problems, and their desired outcomes, the more likely they are to get frustrated, angry, hopeful, or excited, and all are good.

The trick is to remember that the presentation is not the slides. The story that you tell is the presentation, and the slides are just one iteration in aiding that presentation.

Telling someone you are an expert makes it more likely that they will listen to you. This is so straightforward that it almost feels like it is not worth mentioning. But so many people don’t take advantage of the device, that it certainly is worth discussing.

Sellers must be patient and impatient all at once. Sellers must have a routine, and be flexible all at once.

Nothing the buyer has done is permanent, and the only thing you can do to make the situation better is to limit your reaction.

Remember that discovery is not about selling. It is not about solving problems, and it is certainly not about your solutions.

If your questions are generic, invasive, robotic, or overly simple, you are telling the client that the conversation will not add value

While building a relationship, positivity is important, and while closing a deal, connecting the solution to the pain is important.

“You have to sell the bucket before you fill the bucket”

If the client doesn’t buy into the frame you set, it just won’t matter how well you pitch your solutions, you aren’t likely to get very far.

There is a huge disconnect between what a buyer in the modern business environment needs and what sellers are talking about.

Sales is not a logical process; it's not about logic, differentiators, and solutions, it’s about problems, emotions, and desired outcomes.

Referrals are incredibly valuable and many many salespeople either don’t ask for them or don’t ask for them enough.

Rejection is often, simply, the client giving their brain's subconscious gatekeeper unlimited power to see off distractions.

Each interaction with a client is a chance to tell a story. Great, creative storytelling is grounded in a foundation of good technique.