Rainmaking Conversations

Rainmaking Conversations
Author: Mike Schultz
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 294
Release: 2011-03-29
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 0470922230

Conversations make or break everything in sales. Every conversation you have is an opportunity to find new prospects, win new customers, and increase sales. Rainmaking Conversations provides a proven system for leading masterful conversations that fill the pipeline, secure new deals, and maximize the potential of your account. Rainmaking Conversations offers a research-based, field-tested, and practical selling approach that will help you master the art of the sales conversation. This proven system revolves around the acronym RAIN, which stands for Rapport, Aspirations and Afflictions, Impact, and New Reality. You'll learn how to ask your prospects and clients the right questions, and help them set the agenda for success. Armed with the knowledge of the markets you serve, the common needs of prospects, and how your products and services can help, you can become a trusted advisor to your clients during and after the sale. With the RAIN system, you'll be able to: Build rapport and trust from the first contact Create conversations with prospects, referral sources, and clients using the telephone, email, and mail Uncover the real need behind client challenges Make the case for improved business impact and return on investment (ROI) for your prospects Understand and communicate your value proposition Apply the 16 principles of influence in sales Overcome and prevent all types of objections, including money Craft profitable solutions and close the deal The world-class RAIN SellingSM methodology has helped tens of thousands of people lead powerful sales conversations and achieve breakthrough sales performance. Start bridging the gap between "hello" and profitable relationships today.

Insight Selling

Insight Selling
Author: Mike Schultz
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 263
Release: 2014-04-30
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1118875060

What do winners of major sales do differently than the sellers who almost won, but ultimately came in second place? Mike Schultz and John Doerr, bestselling authors and world-renowned sales experts, set out to find the answer. They studied more than 700 business-to-business purchases made by buyers who represented a total of $3.1 billion in annual purchasing power. When they compared the winners to the second-place finishers, they found surprising results. Not only do sales winners sell differently, they sell radically differently, than the second-place finishers. In recent years, buyers have increasingly seen products and services as replaceable. You might think this would mean that the sale goes to the lowest bidder. Not true! A new breed of seller—the insight seller—is winning the sale with strong prices and margins even in the face of increasing competition and commoditization. In Insight Selling, Schultz and Doerr share the surprising results of their research on what sales winners do differently, and outline exactly what you need to do to transform yourself and your team into insight sellers. They introduce a simple three-level model based on what buyers say tip the scales in favor of the winners: Level 1 "Connect." Winners connect the dots between customer needs and company solutions, while also connecting with buyers as people. Level 2 "Convince." Winners convince buyers that they can achieve maximum return, that the risks are acceptable, and that the seller is the best choice among all options. Level 3 "Collaborate." Winners collaborate with buyers by bringing new ideas to the table, delivering new ideas and insights, and working with buyers as a team. They also found that much of the popular and current advice given to sellers can damage sales results. Insight Selling is both a strategic and tactical guide that will separate the good advice from the bad, and teach you how to put the three levels of selling to work to inspire buyers, influence their agendas, and maximize value. If you want to find yourself and your team in the winner's circle more often, this book is a must-read.

Virtual Selling

Virtual Selling
Author: Jeb Blount
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 407
Release: 2020-07-28
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1119742714

And just like that, everything changed . . . A global pandemic. Panic. Social distancing. Working from home. In a heartbeat, we went from happy hours to virtual happy hours. From conferences to virtual conferences. From selling to virtual selling. To remain competitive, sales and business professionals were required to shift the way they engaged prospects and customers. Overnight, virtual selling became the new normal. Now, it is here to stay. Virtual selling can be challenging. It's more difficult to make human to human connections. It's natural to feel intimidated by technology and digital tools. Few of us haven't felt the wave of insecurity the instant a video camera is pointed in our direction. Yet, virtual selling is powerful because it allows you to engage more prospects and customers, in less time, at a lower cost, while reducing the sales cycle. Virtual Selling is the definitive guide to leveraging video-based technology and virtual communication channels to engage prospects, advance pipeline opportunities, and seal the deal. You'll learn a complete system for blending video, phone, text, live chat, social media, and direct messaging into your sales process to increase productivity and reduce sales cycles. Jeb Blount, one of the most celebrated sales trainers of our generation, teaches you: How to leverage human psychology to gain more influence on video calls The seven technical elements of impactful video sales calls The five human elements of highly effective video sales calls How to overcome your fear of the camera and always be video ready How to deliver engaging and impactful virtual demos and presentations Powerful video messaging strategies for engaging hard to reach stakeholders The Four-Step Video Prospecting Framework The Five-Step Telephone Prospecting Framework The LDA Method for handling telephone prospecting objections Advanced email prospecting strategies and frameworks How to leverage text messaging for prospecting and down pipeline communication The law of familiarity and how it takes the friction out of virtual selling The 5C's of Social Selling Why it is imperative to become proficient with reactive and proactive chat Strategies for direct messaging – the "Swiss Army Knife" of virtual selling How to leverage a blended virtual/physical selling approach to close deals faster As you dive into these powerful insights, and with each new chapter, you'll gain greater and greater confidence in your ability to effectively engage prospects and customers through virtual communication channels. And, with this newfound confidence, your success and income will soar. Following in the footsteps of his blockbuster bestsellers People Buy You, Fanatical Prospecting, Sales EQ, Objections, and Inked, Jeb Blount's Virtual Selling puts the same strategies employed by his clients—a who's who of the world's most prestigious organizations—right into your hands.

Professional Services Marketing

Professional Services Marketing
Author: Mike Schultz
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 373
Release: 2013-06-04
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1118604342

A proven approach to revenue-generating marketing and client development Professional Services Marketing is a fully field-tested and research-based approach to marketing and client development for professional services firms. The book, now in its Second Edition, covers five key areas that are critical for firms that want to grow and become more profitable: creating a marketing and growth strategy; establishing a brand and reputation; implementing a marketing communications program; executing lead generation strategies; and developing business by winning new clients. You will also read real-world case studies that illustrate major points, as well as quotes and stories from well-respected professionals in the industry. The Second Edition features new research and updates throughout, including new chapters on social media and online marketing, as well as new case studies and interviews Authors Mike Schultz and John E. Doerr are the coauthors of the Wall Street Journal and Inc. Magazine bestseller Rainmaking Conversations and Professional Services Marketing; Lee W. Frederiksen is coauthor of Online Marketing for Professional Services Will be widely promoted via multiple online routes and direct mail marketing Firms of any size can use this proven approach to marketing and client development to attract new clients and grow their professional service businesses.

Not Today

Not Today
Author: Erica Schultz
Publisher: BenBella Books
Total Pages: 224
Release: 2021-06-15
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1953295339

When their five-year-old son fought for his life, business leaders Erica and Mike Schultz learned a new way to live, work, and succeed—discovering how to achieve extreme productivity with heart and purpose. Ari Schultz was an extraordinary baby, beginning life in a pitched battle against heart disease. The same year, his parents launched their business, and they had to keep it going strong, even while living full-time at the hospital for months on end. For the next five years, Erica and Mike Schultz learned how to balance the demands of their jobs, commuting to the hospital, and spending time with their growing family—along the way, noting the tricks and techniques that allowed them to get work done, even while living in the cardiac ICU and later through heartbreaking loss. After reflection and recovery, Mike and Erica codified their method of coping and working, and set out to study the work habits of extremely productive people. They discovered what extremely productive people do differently than everyone else, and went on to create The Productivity Code—a new approach to productivity that has helped tens of thousands of people manage their time for greatest effectiveness, fulfillment, and happiness. Now, Erica and Mike reveal the 9 Habits of Extreme Productivity along with easy-to-apply techniques, including: • How to stay focused—and positive—even in difficult times • Clearly defining your motivations through written goals and four-three-four planning • Helpful hacks to stop procrastinating • How to disrupt unproductive thought cycles and break bad habits for good • Changing your mindset to prioritize time doing things you love • Setting boundaries and saying no to tasks that don't serve you • Tricks to become impossible to distract • Working in powerful planned "sprints" to get in the zone • Finding ways to refuel your mental and physical energy • Resetting and correcting when you've gone off course Interweaving their son's poignant story with effective productivity and happiness strategies, Not Today shows how anyone can better manage their time—while living a more energetic and meaningful life.

Social Selling Mastery

Social Selling Mastery
Author: Jamie Shanks
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 224
Release: 2016-08-15
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1119280869

A concrete framework for engaging today's buyer and building relationships Social Selling Mastery provides a key resource for sales and marketing professionals seeking a better way to connect with today's customer. Author Jamie Shanks has personally built Social Selling solutions in nearly every industry, and in this book, he shows you how to capture the mindshare of business leadership and turn relationships into sales. The key is to reach the buyer where they're conducting due diligence—online. The challenge is then to strike the right balance, and be seen as a helpful resource that can guide the buyer toward their ideal solution. This book presents a concrete Social Selling curriculum that teaches you everything you need to know in order to leverage the new business environment into top sales figures. Beginning with the big picture and gradually honing the focus, you'll learn the techniques that will change your entire approach to the buyer. Social Selling is not social media marketing. It's a different approach, more one-to-one rather than one-to-many. It's these personal relationships that build revenue, and this book helps you master the methods today's business demands. Reach and engage customers online Provide value and insight into the buying process Learn more effective Social Selling tactics Develop the relationships that lead to sales Today's buyers are engaging sales professionals much later in the buying process, but 74 percent of deals go to the sales professional who was first to engage the buyer and provide helpful insight. The sales community has realized the need for change—top performers have already leveraged Social Selling as a means of engagement, but many more are stuck doing "random acts of social," unsure of how to proceed. Social Selling Mastery provides a bridge across the skills gap, with essential guidance on selling to the modern buyer.

Sales EQ

Sales EQ
Author: Jeb Blount
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 327
Release: 2017-03-20
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1119312574

The New Psychology of Selling The sales profession is in the midst of a perfect storm. Buyers have more power—more information, more at stake, and more control over the sales process—than any time in history. Technology is bringing disruptive change at an ever-increasing pace, creating fear and uncertainty that leaves buyers clinging to the status quo. Deteriorating attention spans have made it difficult to get buyers to sit still long enough to “challenge,” “teach,” “help,” give “insight,” or sell “value.” And a relentless onslaught of “me-too” competitors have made differentiating on the attributes of products, services, or even price more difficult than ever. Legions of salespeople and their leaders are coming face to face with a cold hard truth: what once gave salespeople a competitive edge—controlling the sales process, command of product knowledge, an arsenal of technology, and a great pitch—are no longer guarantees of success. Yet this is where the vast majority of the roughly $20 billion spent each year on sales training goes. It’s no wonder many companies are seeing 50 percent or more of their salespeople miss quota. Yet, in this new paradigm, an elite group of top 1 percent sales professionals are crushing it. In our age of technology where information is ubiquitous and buyer attention spans are fleeting, these superstars have learned how to leverage a new psychology of selling—Sales EQ—to keep prospects engaged, create true competitive differentiation, as well as shape and influence buying decisions. These top earners are acutely aware that the experience of buying from them is far more important than products, prices, features, and solutions. In Sales EQ, Jeb Blount takes you on an unprecedented journey into the behaviors, techniques, and secrets of the highest earning salespeople in every industry and field. You’ll learn: How to answer the 5 Most Important Questions in Sales to make it virtually impossible for prospects to say no How to master 7 People Principles that will give you the power to influence anyone to do almost anything How to shape and align the 3 Processes of Sales to lock out competitors and shorten the sales cycle How to Flip the Buyer Script to gain complete control of the sales conversation How to Disrupt Expectations to pull buyers towards you, direct their attention, and keep them engaged How to leverage Non-Complementary Behavior to eliminate resistance, conflict, and objections How to employ the Bridge Technique to gain the micro-commitments and next steps you need to keep your deals from stalling How to tame Irrational Buyers, shake them out of their comfort zone, and shape the decision making process How to measure and increase you own Sales EQ using the 15 Sales Specific Emotional Intelligence Markers And so much more! Sales EQ begins where The Challenger Sale, Strategic Selling, and Spin Selling leave off. It addresses the human relationship gap in the modern sales process at a time when sales organizations are failing because many salespeople have never been taught the human skills required to effectively engage buyers at the emotional level. Jeb Blount makes a compelling case that sales specific emotional intelligence (Sales EQ) is more essential to success than education, experience, industry awareness, product knowledge, skills, or raw IQ; and, sales professionals who invest in developing and improving Sales EQ gain a decisive competitive advantage in the hyper-competitive global marketplace. Sales EQ arms salespeople and sales leaders with the tools to identify their most important sales specific emotional intelligence developmental needs along with strategies, techniques, and frameworks for reaching ultra-high performance and earnings, regardless of sales process, industry, deal complexity, role (inside or outside), product or service (B2B or B2C).

Sales Differentiation

Sales Differentiation
Author: Lee B. Salz
Publisher: HarperChristian + ORM
Total Pages: 209
Release: 2018-09-18
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 0814439918

"If we don't drop our price, we will lose the deal." That's the desperate cry from salespeople as they try to win deals in competitive marketplaces. While the easy answer is to lower the price, the company sacrifices margin--oftentimes unnecessarily. To win deals at the prices you want,the strategy needed is differentiation. Most executives think marketing is the sole source of differentiation. But what about the sales function of the company? This commonly neglected differentiation opportunity provides a multitude of ways to stand out from the competition. This groundbreaking book teaches you how to develop those strategies. In Sales Differentiation, sales management strategist, Lee B. Salz presents nineteen easy-to-implement concepts to help salespeople win deals while protecting margins. These concepts apply to any salesperson in any industry and are based on the foundation that "how you sell, not just what you sell, differentiates you." The strategies are presented in easy-to-understand stories and can quickly be put into practice. Divided into two sections, the "what you sell" chapters help salespeople: Recognize that the expression "we are the best" causes differentiation to backfire. Avoid the introspective question that frustrates salespeople and ask the right question to fire them up. Understand what their true differentiators are and how to effectively position them with buyers. Find differentiators in every nook and cranny of the company using the six components of the "Sales Differentiation Universe." Create strategies to position differentiators so buyers see value in them. The "how you sell" section teaches salespeople how to provide meaningful value to buyers and differentiate themselves in every stage of the sales process. This section helps salespeople: Develop strategies to engage buyers and turn buyer objections into sales differentiation opportunities. Shape buyer decision criteria around differentiators. Turn a commoditized Request for Proposal (RFP) process into a differentiation opportunity. Use a buyer request for references as a way to stand out from the competition. Leverage the irrefutable, most powerful differentiator...themselves. Whether you've been selling for twenty years or are new to sales, the tools you learn in Sales Differentiation will help you knock-out the competition, build profitable new relationships, and win deals at the prices you want.