Mark Mcgraw

If we were to make a list of all of the hiring mistakes that people have made through their careers, I can promise you I've made every one of them. Having led sales teams for over 20 years, I think I've fallen into all of the traps of hiring mistakes. Over the last several years, we've identified a lot of the reasons why people don't succeed on the job and the reasons that managers hire them in the first place.

Whether we're in sales or management, this simple Sandler rule is insanely powerful.

David Sandler reminded us that selling is really just a game.

I'm a lifetime learner. If you're one too, you get it. We never stop growing. We're always searching for a better, new way to do something. To make sure that you get the most out of every learning experience, I wrote down my system for attending a workshop. The next time you attend a conference or seminar, use these tips to walk out the door with even more takeaways.

I'm asked often by managers, "How do I motivate my people?" While I always appreciate the question, it's really the wrong question to ask. The reason being is that if we have to motivate our people as managers, we're working too hard. The reality is that the best people don't need motivation, inspiration yes but not motivation.

I hear a lot of complaints from sales management that sales cycles are getting longer and it has become more difficult to predict when deals close. Is it at all possible that sales people contribute or in some cases actually cause longer sales cycles?

“You can follow the prospect’s plan and feed your ego. Or, you can follow your own plans and feed your family—but you can’t do both. The choice is yours.”

A sales template is defined as the step by step set of interactions you want your prospect to go through because it will give you (the salesperson) a clear competitive advantage or otherwise increase the chances of you winning the business.

Almost everyone in business—owners, CEOs, presidents, VPs, managers, and department heads—wants to be perceived as leaders not only by those who report to them, but also by those to whom they report. Salespeople, too, want to be viewed as leaders by their peers and customers. But, what makes one a leader?

I made this statement about the fact that it's not what we sell that makes us different, it's how we sell it. Although he had heard that Sandler rule before, he was taken back and asked me to repeat it several times. What he began to understand was that to differentiate ourselves in selling situations we often look at the features and benefits of what we're selling. 

It’s a generally accepted notion that acquiring a new customer is more expensive than retaining an existing customer.

Add to that fact a sluggish economy where businesses are scrutinizing budgets and considering alternative suppliers, and it’s easy to understand why it’s important to have a customer retention strategy in place. After all, current customers (as well as past customers) have already demonstrated that they want and are willing to pay for your products and services. It makes good sense to hold on to them. Doing so is crucial to the growth and success of your business.