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Ask Commitment Questions
For sales professionals, everywhere.
In keeping with the lifelong practice of asking questions is my lifelong practice of talking about them. Imagine a conversation where YOU really drive the exchange by completing EVERY response you have with a question. Think about it. Even if you answer a question posed by the other person, you keep the volley going with a question of your own. You: “Lobster is my favorite food…what’s yours?”
One of the more challenging types of questions is Commitment Que…
Customer Service Cancellations
For everyone, everywhere
As you might be doing at the start of the new year, I am scouring my expenses looking at what is nice versus necessary and can be cut. As an avid reader, my news subscriptions 
started to add up and I considered how much I read of each publication and I decided to cancel my digital subscriptions to both The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post. The latter could be done via their website and it was a simple process to execute, followed by a confirming email from …
started to add up and I considered how much I read of each publication and I decided to cancel my digital subscriptions to both The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post. The latter could be done via their website and it was a simple process to execute, followed by a confirming email from …Ask Confirming Questions
For sales professionals, everywhere.
The skill of asking questions and deeply listening to the answers is a lifelong practice.
BE in it, don’t rush it, and look to learn.
BE willing to not know everything all the time. 
Asking Confirming Questions takes the unknown away.
When a salesperson shows a customer an item that has a price tag on it, and the salesperson says “This is $#”…and the customer nods, it means what? It means that the customer heard the salesperson and that they can read. It…
This Equals That
For Sales Managers, everywhere
I love Sales Managers, especially selling sales managers. I love that they love to sell and engage with the customer and that they are interested in developing their team members for greater achievement. 
You know that I believe the sketch is the Holy Grail for the salesperson and the customer. Those salespeople who sketch and take notes during the interaction and gather great data that they use in their sales presentation have a higher close ratio, higher ave…
Happy New Year
For everyone, everywhere.
I started this with platitudes and fluff and yawned at my own puffery….and hit erase.
Let’s keep it simple.
Here’s to closing 2018 with lessons learned and accomplishments celebrated and to looking to 2019 with wonder, enthusiasm, courage, focus, and clarity…and with the energy to execute to actions needed for achievement.
Wishing you all the very best as you build a year to remember.
Now, go sell something.
oxo,
Jody
Ask Questions vs. Just Answer Them
For sales professionals, everywhere.
When I roleplay/practice with salespeople and play the part of the salesperson as a way of demonstrating the behavior I want them to follow, I am very conscious of my intention and behavior in the interaction: I am focused on what they are saying, use voice and body match, listen deeply and reframe their words and recreate their emotion, and ask more questions in response to what they say. These are all teachable actions and they all require repeated practic…
“Helpful” is Not an Outcome
For sales professionals, everywhere
I had a great call today with the sales leadership of Interiors Home in PA. We have been working together for a couple of years and discussing how to break some habits and create new, more effective ones. One of the actions we were discussing I have mentioned 
before: Sales managers interrupting sales/customer interactions on the sales floor to help the salesperson to overcome concerns and to help them to close the sale (or get the appointment).
before: Sales managers interrupting sales/customer interactions on the sales floor to help the salesperson to overcome concerns and to help them to close the sale (or get the appointment).Today we dis…
You Won’t Win Them All
For sales professionals, everywhere
And you don’t have to win them all.
You want to win them all, will do your best to win them all, and sometimes obstacles will arise that will prevent that from happening.
There is ALWAYS something to learn that can be improved, eliminated, or adjusted.
You want to engage so that THEY feel heard and fully expressed and so that YOU can accomplish something - the sale today or to forward the sale today.
And when you fail to produce a result, look to see if…
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