Cold Calling is a CEO Agenda Item

Peter Svenneby Leaders, Sales Managers, Salespeople 1 Comment

Cold Calling is a CEO agenda item.  I have become convinced of this as I work with various companies in a broad variety of businesses.  As leaders of our companies, if we don’t establish the culture of picking up the phone and calling people we don’t know, it just doesn’t happen.
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Prospecting and Selling are Different Things!

Peter Svenneby Sales Managers, Salespeople 5 Comments

Prospecting, (“cold calling”), has been a hot topic with our clients this year.  A few months ago we launched a prospecting crash course to help companies build this essential skill on their teams.  One of the key aha moments in the workshops has occurred when we discuss the idea that Prospecting and Selling are two completely separate processes with different intents, approaches and measures for success. 
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Selling in Today’s World – 3 Imperatives

Peter Svenneby Sales Managers, Salespeople 1 Comment

As 2012 comes to an end, I’ve found our business shifting to accommodate the changes in the business and economic landscapes.  I’m doing a lot more coaching and advising at an executive level.  This combined with my own experience of running a business has brought to light some of the fundamental changes that I’m seeing in selling these days.  Namely, decisions are being made differently.  Decisions are made more slowly, they are made with far more scrutiny, and they require an almost absolute guarantee of a successful outcome (typically short term ROI) before being signed off.  It is harder to sell big complex products and services right now than it has been over the past 15 years.  Here are three “selling” imperatives I’ve found to be important for the companies with whom I’m working:
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