Sticks and stones may break your bones, but it’s not true that words will never hurt you — particularly if you’re trying to close a sale. Using the wrong language can be off-putting and costly. Fortunately, the opposite is also true. Language choices that make you sound confident, relatable and trustworthy can seal the deal.…

Always be closing. ABC. The sales mantra made popular by 1992’s Glengarry Glen Ross might seem like great advice. But in reality, trying to close too early will reduce your percentage of successful closes and leave you with a lot of missed opportunities. Confirming the sale before the close — or trial closing, as it’s also called…

ROI. It's a term most are familiar with, but very few can agree on. Marketers think it's one thing, salespeople think it's something else and C-levels think it's another thing entirely. Why do so many companies struggle with agreeing on simple things like terminology? Why does there appear to be so much disharmony among marketing,…

That sinking feeling in your stomach when you realize you’ve made a mistake is never pleasant. Many people go straight to panic mode. But what if — instead of beating yourself up and bracing to lose business over your sales mistake — you could end up with a solidified relationship and customers who like you even…

When selling your company's products or services, knowing how to handle the dreaded but inevitable “no” is essential to success. Your first step? Figuring out what the prospect really means — because when it comes to sales, no doesn't always mean no. In fact, it most often means: “I think it’s too expensive.” “I don’t have the authority…

Base image by Allison McDonald (Creative Commons) How would you answer if you received an email asking, “What’s the biggest discount you can give me?” 10%? 15? 20? Depending on your margins, all of those might be an option, but the best answer is often 0.   That’s right: 0%.   Discounting should be a last resort, not…

How would you feel if a salesperson said, “I can give you this great deal right now, but if you have to go think about it or talk to someone else, I’m not going to be able to make this offer”? If you’re like most people, you’d think, “Wait, how can that deal be good…