Colleen’s Blog

Getting sales calls returned is almost always on a salesperson's mind.

A bad apple spoils the bunch? Not so fast. I often hear one of these familiar whines: "Colleen, it's different around here..." "Colleen, what you need to know about our market is..." "Colleen, it's unique here..."

You've probably heard some of the buzz around leading with fear.

Sales leaders spend a great deal of time talking to managers on how to be effective coaches. However, it’s important for salespeople to realize that they need to be coachable as well.

Years ago, I was at a large gathering of CEOs: all sharp thinkers who want to see their companies grow. While I'd been invited to address their forum to talk about the sales process, what many of them really wanted to ask me about afterwards was where they fit in that process. Specifically: do CEOs need to get involved in selling, and if so, when?

The key to faster sales is extremely obvious, yet also counterintuitive.

“Follow every step of this bulletproof routine every day and you’re sure to become a high performer in sales.” That, my friend, is terrible advice. And yet that kind of guidance keeps getting spread around as though it’s the plain truth—when, in fact, it’s just…well…bull-sourced fertilizer!

When salespeople are stuck or in a slump, many of them tend to...wait. That’s right. Far too many sellers just wait for things to get better.

A lack of speed kills sales. We live in an "on-demand" world. Your favourite show or movie is available on Netflix at the click of a button. Your closest family and friends are all "in your pocket" and a quick text away. This "on-demand" culture isn't limited to entertainment. It translates to the business world as well.

I recently watched a presentation that underscored the best practices of top performers. In particular, one topic they highlighted was morning routines and how top performers had a strict morning routine. For example, they wake up at 4am, work out, have their coffee, make their calls, and check their emails.