I have some friends who genuinely believe that there will never be "enough."That makes me sad.When we consider the topic of "fill," it's imperative that we keep context. If we're about growth, we certainly want to continue to "fill" the pipeline, the activity level, the relationship map, the "aha" moment bucket for our clients, etc etc.Keeping context around "good enough" is important, too.If we get a little better each day, w […]

Neil Peart is arguably one of the greatest rock drummers on Earth. As the drummer for Rush he creates a wall of sound from his fortress of drums. Neil -- recognized as one of the best in the world at what he does and having a very successful 30 year career -- decided he could get even better as chronicled in "Rush:Beyond the Lighted Stage."To get better, he did a few things. First he enlisted a coach, Freddie Gruber. As seen in the video clip below, Neil and Freddie call out […]

As mentioned in my last post, January is a time for reflection. But for some of your salespeople it's a time of: "Oh man! I've been so focused on closing business by year end, the top of my funnel is in dire straits!"By the end of this post, you will have gained some coaching tips on how to work with these folks.Before we dive in, I ask that you mentally rate your sales team when it comes to initiating new opportunities, whether they are with new clients or existing […]

One of our foundational principles is: "Intent counts more than technique."  I personally think this one is the most important.  Our intent communicates so much.  It's not just having the right intent; you also have to believe in it… strongly!Having the right intent (one that's Win/Win) AND believing in it is compelling!When we are excited about bringing value to those we serve, when we're confident, when we exude these thi […]

An important principle to keep in mind is "how you sell is a sample of how you solve problems." By clarifying your intent to help your client make the best business decision, whether they select you or not, will help you to become regarded as a trusted advisor who brings real value to the table.Trust can help to increase the flow of meaningful information so that you gain a strong understanding of the opportunity, the resources they are able to commit to the project and their […]

"The secret of your future is hidden in your daily routine." – Mike MurdockRisky to quote a televangelist, especially one I haven't researched much, but in our context, this thought rings true.Malcolm Gladwell talks about how 10,000 hours of preparation and repetition/practice becomes the line determining where one reaches a performance level that makes them an "outlier." (From his book Outliers).When we think in terms of "fill," and what it […]

Happy New Year, sales leaders! I hope you and yours had a wonderful holiday season.January is often a time for reflection. In the spirit of "reflection season," I thought it might be a good time to share our thoughts on the number of sales opportunities your people should manage at any one point in time. After reading, you should be in a position to decide if your current strategy in this area makes sense or not.A lot of us came from the school of "sales is a numbers gam […]

The 5 Golden Questions (named such because they turn measurable data into gold… money) are a valuable tool.  Measurable data (evidence) is the foundation to building/discovering impact. Another word for impact is return. When the return is greater than the required investment… clients tend to buy (invest)!  A few steps here… but well worth the effort! We all know the value of a strong ROI (Return on Investment).In case you don't k […]

If you are skillful and have sufficient time, you can often resolve client yellow lights by helping the client see more effective ways to get what they want or avoid what they don't want. Sufficient time can sometimes be a problem with clients with strongly held beliefs and/or with people with strong personalities who dismiss even discussing alternative viewpoints.They may say things like: We'd never do that. That's a complete non-starter. That's not an option. […]