Sue Barrett
12 sales trends for 2013
Sue Barrett shares her research on the 12 sales trends that businesses should expect to see this year including thinking about corporate responsibility and looking after the customer experience.
Using meditation to become a master of sales
What do empathy, compassion and benevolence have to do with salespeople and leaders? Different studies around the world have confirmed that these are critical qualities of highly successful people, teams, companies and communities. Here’s how training can help you hone these important traits.
Why planning is pivotal to the sales process
We’re used to making plans for things that are important to us. We plan our social lives, our family gatherings and we have business plans. Despite this, many people don’t consider planning a part of selling. Here are 3 components a sales plan needs to have the best chance to be successful.
How to act ethically in sales and procurement
Ethical procurement practices and choices surrounding sourcing and distribution activities can have a dramatic effect on a company’s reputation and sales revenue. Here’s some expert advice for how to manage yours more effectively, for the sake of your brand.
Are sales skills relevant to everyone?
Most people choose a field to work on, apply and develop their skills and live happily ever after. The surprise comes when they realise that they need to also learn how to sell their services and capabilities.
How modelling good behaviour is good for business
As leaders, we want our businesses’ to be healthy and successful, but for it to be so we need our people to be healthy and successful as well. Here’s how to model good behaviours in your organisation.
Does sales have a place in the academic landscape?
Today’s sales environment is so complex that the skills required to be successful are at the standard of high level University qualifications. Despite this, sales hasn’t had a place in the academic agenda; only a few papers here and there. That is, until now.
How to coach salespeople to improved performance
The sales profession is skillful, with many technical and interpersonal abilities needing to be continuously developed. Despite this, most salespeople are expected to work out how to be effective on their own. Here’s how a coaching culture will improve the performance of your sales team.
How to develop sales skills on a budget
Finding the time to take your sales team out of the field to train them can be problematic, as can accessing quality, customised content and quality trainers at an affordable price. Use these clever tips to create a continuous learning environment in your business.
Social media and its impact on the sales process
Social media has contributed to the democratisation of information and, armed with this information, customers are demanding different things from sales people and companies. This phenomenon is known as ‘Social Sales’, and businesses need to get acquainted with it if they’re to keep up.
12 sales trends you can’t ignore in 2012
Social, economic and political tensions bring uncertainty, with many businesses wondering what to expect and how to align their sales efforts moving forward. Here’s a guide to 12 sales trends that will change how businesses sell and buy.
New age sales: Why the hard sell is outdated
Desperate times call for desperate measures, which is why one expert suspects the ‘hard sell’ is making a comeback in business, despite the fact it’s a well and truly outdated sales method.
Sharing via collaboration software: Five business benefits
We’ve come a long way since the shared calendar; more and more businesses are finding that sharing information, connecting, communicating and collaborating in secure online environments can be very profitable.
Success: The four vital life and business skills
At the core of communication, leadership, selling or any relationship where you want to achieve a fair exchange of value, lies four vital life skills. As simple as they sound, they take a lifetime to master.
Expert tips for overcoming call reluctance
Do you hesitate when it comes time to self promote yourself or prospect for new opportunities? This phenomenon is known as call reluctance, and can be damaging to small businesses.
How to define and avoid client objections
A client objection can be a real knock to the ego, and if not handled correctly can see the end of a good client relationship. Here’s some expert advice for dealing professionally with objections.
Get down to the bottom line with 3 sales essentials
Everyone in a business is responsible for selling some aspect of it, responsibility doesn’t just lie with the sales team. This is why business owners must ensure every employee has access to the resources and skills needed to boost bottom line results.
Developing salespeople for your business
Is it possible to train people to be effective salespeople or do we have to look for the naturals? What does it take to be an elite sales performer and can anyone learn how to sell well?