Managing and Motivating a Talented and Driven Sales Team Isn’t Easy

Roberta Lewis smartPRENEUR Blog Series

Managing and motivating a seasoned sales force isn’t an easy feat by any means.  The more successful a salesperson becomes, the more difficult it becomes to motivate and get them to participate in regular programs and incentives.  In fact, the top performers are the salespeople you'll need to spend the most time managing.  The top sales performers are typically the ...

3 Guiding Principles for Anyone in Sales

Jason Sayen smartPRENEUR Blog Series

I’ve spent 27 years in Sales selling high-end Consumer Electronics and have attended countless “sales training” and “seminars”.  While I learned a lot of tips and tricks at those events, the core of my success can be boiled down to these three principles People buy from people - Relationships matter more than most salespeople realize.   One of the most fundamental ...

Creative Compensation and Incentive Plans are Important for Productivity and Profits

Roberta Lewis smartPRENEUR Blog Series

Money Does Not Equal Motivation I learned early in my retail sales management career that money and other motivational incentives do not motivate all people the same.  In fact, what motivates one person does not necessarily motivate the next.  The reason for creating incentive plans and bonuses is to raise productivity, shorten downtime, increase billable hours, increase profits, and stimulate ...

The Buck Stops Here!

Roberta Lewis smartPRENEUR Blog Series

Listening to, Hearing and Empowering Your Managers Growing A Business In my past, I grew within a specialty retail business from an accounting clerk upward, to accounting manager, office manager, general manager, vice president, and then to the organization’s president within a twenty-year period. During my tenure, our staff count went from around thirty to over two hundred.  I learned ...

Beyond Grassroots and Word-of-mouth Sales & Marketing Strategy

Roberta Lewis smartPRENEUR Blog Series

Most small business owners start building their businesses with word-of-mouth referrals. As they immediately step on the monthly sales treadmill, they are constantly working to exceed the previous month's sales or previous year's comp numbers, quickly recognizing that there is little time for planning.  While the ongoing, all-consuming process of managing what I deem “business already sold” to completion, open ...

Overcoming Objections and Closing, Part 2

Mark Cichowski smartPRENEUR Blog Series

Here are few a typical objection scenarios. “I want to think about it”. Just be sincere and non-confrontational and ask, “may I ask what specifically you would like to think about?” You’ll find that many people will tell you what’s holding them back. It’s then more likely to be an objection rather than an excuse. “I need to ask my partner, ...

Overcoming Objections and Closing, Part 1

Mark Cichowski smartPRENEUR Blog Series

Let’s get a saying out of the way that you may have heard before: ABC or Always Be Closing. As illustrated in prior blogs, asking great qualifying questions, truly listening to the buying prospect, answering their questions and concerns and taking them down a path that satisfies their wants and needs is the smoothest way a “close” occurs. With that said, there ...

Selling Under the Influence – How do YOU work with various Communication Styles?

Mark Cichowski smartPRENEUR Blog Series

Every personality is not absolute. People can reflect three styles, but typically not the fourth. Refer to the grid below. An Analyst personality may also have traits from a Driver or Relater, but less likely an Expressor. A Driver may have traits of an Analyst and Expressor, but less likely warm and fuzzy Relater traits. Perhaps sometimes, but not their core. Opposite styles ...

Selling Under the Influence – Influence Buying Behaviors of Communication Styles

Mark Cichowski smartPRENEUR Blog Series

In the last blog, we identified style traits. Let’s look at how to work with those traits. Communication Style: The Driver - Result Driven - Confrontation No Problem  Be direct and to the point, quick & concise  Be businesslike, avoid ‘fuzzy’ conversations  Provide well thought-out recommendations  Stick with tasks and results  Avoid stories, too many opinions and surprises  Present a ...