Why Sales Teams Are Struggling to Perform in 2021

Over the last year, 2 dominant themes have surfaced for most businesses; almost regardless of industry.  First is supply chain issues worldwide and the impact on ordering and logistically receiving raw materials and products.  The second is people, in particular, hiring, developing, and retaining staffing.  The global pressure to find not just employees, but good […]

The Formula for GREAT Questions

How do you create a GREAT sales question?  That’s easy…you intentionally structure the question so it shows understanding, a focus on them, and empathy. Over the last several weeks we have been dissecting Walt Whitman’s quote, “Be Curious, Not Judgmental” and how it pertains to Sales Questioning.  As we wrap up this series of blogs, […]

The GOOD Question Killer

Have you ever found yourself in a moment where you incorrectly judged a situation because you chose not to be curious?   Yep, me too.  I have also learned that prejudgment can come at a cost.   I remember a few years back I had a young woman interviewing for a telemarketing position at my old […]

The Impact Value of a Question

When you are preparing to meet with a new client, everyone has their own little rituals they go through prior to that sales conversation.  Some sales professionals take a few minutes to: focus on key points go for a quick walk or sit in the car listening to music to clear their heads,  shake their […]

What is a “Good” Customer Question

Let’s start by identifying what a “Good” customer question is…  A “Good” question is effective at getting information that helps steer the conversation where you want it to go and also shows the recipient that you understand them and/or their goals/challenges. A few weeks back our firm was in the process of selecting a new […]

What is Instinctive Elaboration

This morning I was at my desk working on a “heads down” project.  You know the kind…where you are focused on nothing but the project at hand.  As I was working through a spreadsheet, a colleague of mine stepped in and asked me this question… “Hey Jeff, have you seen the new Justice League movie […]