Jim Marshall

It's no secret that the dynamics of professional selling are changing and ever-evolving, particularly with the proliferation of virtual selling, LinkedIn, social media, etc. What remains, however, is that selling is still a high-rejection business.

By now (we hope!), you've already completed your sales forecasting for 2024 and are well on your way to laying the groundwork for a wildly successful year. Sometimes, however, many companies still struggle with gathering the pertinent information they need to accurately gauge the effectiveness of their selling and business development efforts.

If you're reading this article, chances are you're already a successful business owner, entrepreneur, manager or salesperson. Perhaps you're coming off a great year and are determined to maintain that momentum. Or you're establishing/revising your game plan to attain new revenue or income heights.

New Year’s Day…Martin Luther King Jr. Day…Valentine’s Day…Super Bowl…President’s Day…St. Patrick’s Day…Passover…Easter…Kentucky Derby…Mother’s Day…Indy 500…Memorial Day…Father’s Day…July 4th…Labor Day…Halloween…(tick, tick, tick…). If you’re like most of us, you’re wondering: Where has the year gone?

Whether you’re new in sales or a well-established professional, one of the hardest tasks everyone faces is securing new business leads. What’s even harder is ensuring those leads are qualified rather than those who might express mild interest in your product or service.
 
Mastering this aspect of your career is key to grow as a business development professional. You can prospect, cold-call, email and text all day long, but one of the surest (and easiest!) ways to grow your book of business is with referrals and introductions. Three effective best practices to get qualified referrals will help you step up your game and uncover a path to new levels of success.

In working with thousands of sales professionals in hundreds of organizations down through the years, our message to each of them has been simple: You're a consultant, so behave like one. That means asking the right questions – then asking more questions – until you fully understand your buyer's needs in achieving their desired outcome.

If you're a football fan, we sincerely hope that your favorite team – NFL, college, high school, etc. – is off to a good start to the season. Similarly, we also hope your year-to-date sales projections, revenue goals and business plans are on track to meet or exceed your expectations.

By now, I'm guessing that your kids are in their classrooms ("Yay!"), the older ones have returned to campus and the digits on your credit cards are ground down to the nub after the back-to-school sales.

Trust is the cornerstone of successful relationships in your business and personal life. Building trust with your team, clients, and customers is essential for long-term success as a manager, business owner, or salesperson.

But sometimes, it can feel like you're fighting an uphill battle just to get an employee, prospect, or vendor to speak the same language as you, let alone build a solid foundation for the trust and mutual respect required to do business together.

Creating an effective 30-second commercial is a small act that can significantly impact your ability to connect meaningfully with your customers and prospects. In the fast-paced world of sales, capturing the attention of potential customers and delivering a compelling message within a short timeframe is essential.