Welcome to The Sales Association
Our members see an intrinsic value in "association" with professional colleagues.Membership DemographicsOur members are experienced:53% - 11+ years in the sales profession 47% - Director, Vice...
View ArticleYour Post Here
We're pleased to announce The Sales Association has launched this blog. We're even more pleased to announce that we're not the experts – you are. So, rather than re-invent the wheel, we're offering the...
View ArticleInsatiably Curious
by Jeff GoldbergInsatiable curiosity is a characteristic that the best salespeople have in common. The most important part of the sales process is the questioning phase, so you either have to be...
View Article5 Secrets for Asking for a Referral - Do What Bill Did
By Julie HansenI bought a new phone last week. I had no intention of buying a new phone. I simply wanted Verizon to please, PLEASE fix my Blackberry so that it would ring every time I received a call....
View Article6 Small Town Sensibilities to Boost B2B Social Media Impact
by Kathy TitoWhat are the methods behind the followers?As more of our B2B colleagues jump into the social media pool, we quickly begin to see who is making a splash, while others tread water or stay on...
View ArticleBANT is Bunk!
by Bill BarrI keep hearing that some sales organizations expect their marketing department to “qualify” their leads with Budget, Authority, Need and Timeframe (BANT). So Marketing sets up a call...
View ArticleIs Consultative Selling Relevant?
by Marcia GaugerQuestion: Over the years, I have adopted what I consider to be a consultative approach to selling. Lately, I’ve left meetings feeling a little “unfinished.” I spend so much time asking...
View ArticleI'm Calling Because. . .
by Paul DonehueMost people agree that when making outbound prospecting calls we only have a few seconds to make an impression on our prospects... and hopefully it will be a good one!Consider the fact...
View ArticleIndustry Trade Shows: Pot of Gold or Money Pit?
by Michael F. BourkeAre you stuck in the tradeshow rut, spending most of your time chatting to your neighboring exhibitor, catching up on your voicemails and wondering if there are potential leads...
View ArticleQuick Ideas For Sales Meetings
by Marcia GaugerConducting concise skill-building activities at sales meetings (whether online or face-to-face) is a terrific way to enhance abilities and share best practices. Consider assigning...
View ArticleSell the “Product of Your Product” to Differentiate Yourself From a Commodity
by Marcia GaugerQuestion:I hear talk about stressing value to differentiate products and services, but how does that apply to commodities? From the customer’s perspective, the products we sell are...
View ArticlePull Out The Stops – To Gain Commitments!
by Marcia GaugerQuestion:I finished presenting a proposal & pricing for a fairly large project that I am about to undertake. I have a verbal commitment from my customer, now what should I do in...
View ArticleHelp! I Need To Develop New Business – Now What?
by Marcia GaugerQuestion:Over the years, I have been fortunate to have enough new business development in my current customer base. However, I am to the point that I have reached my potential within...
View ArticleWhy Telemarketing Remains the Unsung Hero of Lead Generation
By Kathy TitoDenise Clancey is a true luminary in the field of telesales and telemarketing. She is the former Vice President of Telesales & Customer Service at Lotus Development, a subsidiary of...
View ArticleJust Making More Calls Doesn’t Guarantee Sales Success
by Susan A. EnnsDo you find that there are just not enough hours in a day? Are you working long hours, making call after call, but you still don’t sell enough to even come close to reaching quota? If...
View ArticleDefine it or Deny It – What’s the Problem With the Word “Sales”?
How you feel about the word “sales” largely depends on the culture of your organization. Companies that are driven by sales vision and leadership tend to embrace and reward the sales role. More...
View ArticleAre You Prepared to Undo Doubt?
Question: Lately, new potential customers have requested references from me early in the sales process. When and how is the best way to approach this?It’s important to understand why your customers are...
View ArticleCold Calling Lives
If you are anything like me, you are sick and tired of hearing reports that cold calling is dead, especially when as part of your role you are required to cold call. I know, I know, management provides...
View ArticleOde to The Salespeople Customers Can’t Wait To Meet…
Salespeople– Help me think differently, help me be better at what I do. Do that and you will be adding value to my role – anything else and you are like everyone else.Salespeople- Be generous! Go where...
View ArticleMake a This Year's Resolution
I'm as guilty as any of the tendency to write off December as much of a high achievement month, instead focusing on my goals starting the new year.But I'm trying something different this year. Right...
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