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McKinsey Consulting conducted research into brand messaging for companies in the B2B space and the results were interesting. Upon analyzing the themes and topics on which a valid sample of Fortune 500 B2B companies communicated their brand messages, McKinsey identified 13 different themes – for example, low pricing, social responsibility, innovation, etc.

This post is about how to behave differently when meeting prospects in a cold call situation vs. a warm lead. For the past nearly 9 years we've been fortunate that business has come to us. Recently, we made a decision about increasing our growth rate and that required some different methods to generating sales. We just could no longer rely on business coming to us - "warm leads" and instead had to begin prospecting..."cold calling", that is. This experience was both humbling and revealing, as it surfaced the importance of standing out from the competition.

When in a sales meeting with a good prospect, what can you say that convinces the buyer you are the one for the job? What statements can you make that build confidence in your buyer about you and/or that puts some doubt in your buyer’s mind about the competition? Having strong marketing statements ready to help “seal the deal” or to overcome an objection are critical to separating you from the competition and closing the sale.

The internet is a fantastic medium for generating business, but many sales leads generated through online marketing are closed offline in a more traditional sales process, particularly for companies providing services. While ecommerce has continued to spread its wings, it only makes sense for some businesses to close sales completely online. So, this article is about how to respond to leads generated through online marketing so you set yourself up to turn them into closed business.

People don’t like to be sold – they do like to buy. Consequently, I never recommend selling something to someone who either doesn’t need it and/or won’t get value from it. One of my sales and marketing theories is this – someone sells something when the need intersects with awareness. That is, when the need develops and the prospect is aware that your product or service might satisfy that need, you have a chance to make a sale. Conversely, if there’s no legitimate need, there’s no sale; and if the prospect with the need is not aware of your product or service, you won’t make the sale.

Ever heard the saying “you never get a second chance to make a first impression”? That’s because studies have shown people begin to form strong opinions about you in 7-20 seconds and make up their minds about you in about 30 seconds.

Social media has become a marketing game-changer. In B2B selling, LinkedIn (LI) has emerged as a must-have in your sales repertoire. Several books have been written about social media and using LI in your sales/marketing efforts, and it wouldn’t be difficult to write another one right here. Instead, this article focuses just on LI as a sales tool, and includes the 5 things you can use that will improve your sales.

What do buyers value most about salespeople? What annoys them the most about salespeople? If you knew the answers to these questions, you’d probably become a better salesperson. Well, some of those answers are in this article.

The national sales closing rate is around 27% - WOW. When you think about all the time and money spent meeting with prospects, studying the prospect’s situation and developing proposals, to only convert slightly more than 1 out of 4 is a problem. Clearly, most salespeople aren’t adept in their closing skills.

Clearly one of the most challenging elements of sales is getting in front of qualified leads. A great salesperson with terrific selling skills won’t succeed without a steady diet of qualified prospects with whom to speak. One of the most often overlooked lead generation opportunities is your existing customers, and this article is about how to systematically identify qualified leads from your current customer base.