The Center for Sales Strategy Blog

We're tackling a crucial aspect of sales that's as important as your morning coffee: sealing more deals.

To close more opportunities, it's critical that we limit or completely remove as many objections during the presentation as possible. One way to do that is to remove the surprises. Surprises are great for a birthday party, but they can be devastating during a business meeting.

A good salesperson knows that success starts with making connections, building rapport, and creating a positive space.

Short and irritable prospects make it difficult to have any meaningful conversation and make your job much harder than it needs to be. 

Building rapport and making connections doesn't have to take long, and it's well worth the investment. Let's look at some simple techniques that you can use to improve a prospect's mindset so they're more comfortable and open to hearing what you have to offer.

There’s a whole lot more to recruiting the right person for your team than just matching resumes to job descriptions. It’s about cultivating experiences and creating an impression that goes beyond a mere transaction.

In today’s candidate-led job market, your company's reputation matters—a lot. Many of the people who have the power to influence your reputation are those you’re recruiting. It's not just about the role you’re filling anymore; it's also about building relationships.

But why should you really care?

Crafting a robust professional brand is paramount, particularly for sales professionals and leaders alike.

As a coach, I work closely with individuals at various stages of their careers, digging into their past and current experiences to understand the challenges they face and the solutions they bring to the table.

Through these discussions, I gain insights into their passions and aspirations, shaping their professional identity.

In the “old days” (5 years ago), hiring a new employee meant meeting them in person, shaking their hand, and conducting a live interview.

Today, that’s not always possible.

For many, remote and hybrid models are becoming the norm, which means leaders must adapt their recruitment strategies to meet the unique challenges and opportunities these environments present.

Here’s how leaders can fine-tune their approach to attract and assess top talent effectively.

According to the 5th Annual Media Sales Report, a staggering 81% of sales managers indicated that meeting their targets has become harder compared to the previous year.

While the goals may not be out of reach, the path to success requires concerted effort. This doesn't mean that the goals are not achievable. It just means that our work is cut out for us. 

The challenges faced by sales leaders are multifaceted, but the insights from this report offer a roadmap for navigating the path ahead.

Congratulations! You’ve just made an amazing new hire with talent, experience, and skills who aligns well with you, your team, and your organizational culture.

With all that in place, it’s safe to assume that all will be smooth sailing toward a future of success, right? Unfortunately, things don’t always turn out as we assume.

Nearly a third of new employees leave within 90 days of getting hired.

However according to a Gallup report, employees with a positive onboarding experience are almost three times as likely to feel prepared and supported in their role.

Sealing the deal is the ultimate goal of any business negotiation, but the path to get there is often fraught with obstacles and delays.

Striking while the iron is hot can make all the difference. Closing a lucrative deal within a tight one-month timeline might seem like an impossible feat. However, with the right mindset, preparation, and tactics, it's a challenge that can be conquered.

Here are some effective strategies for closing a business deal in a short timeframe.

Most of us have set goals to start and end this year strong. For many, this involves a vow to be better at self-care. I will…eat in a more healthful manner, exercise consistently, meditate, take yoga breaks, get massages, facials, pedicures… fill in the blank.

But it all boils down to better self-care. We have all been under increasing stress in the past four years, and psychologists are emphasizing self-care as a way to combat added stress.

What about professional self-care?

Right now, most coaches and leaders are looking blank and thinking, what is professional self-care? Professional self-care is about to become a hot button for you.

In order to coach and be present for your team in the best way possible, you need to take care of yourself. How?

Your salespeople are more like athletes. They are always in a constant struggle to outperform rivals and meet set goals. Salespeople, just like athletes, encounter setbacks like pressure to perform and rejection in their day-to-day work.

Given the similarities, a sales team can benefit from coaching the same way athletes do. For salespersons, coaching can help refine critical skills like negotiation, communication, confidence, and decision-making.

Discover how coaching helped transform average athletes into super-talented individuals so you understand the value of coaching.