Dealing With Slacker Prospects Without Sounding Like a Pathetic, Needy Salesperson

We've talked a lot on this blog about how to deal with prospects that never call you back. One thing we haven't talked about? How to do that without sounding like a pathetic, needy salesperson. Yikes, that is definitely something I want to avoid! Thankfully, today sales expert Jill Konrath shares how you can deal with slacker prospects without the neediness.

Ever had an interested prospect who really liked your stuff, but then never followed through? That's exactly why Jerry wrote me this email.

The logical next step is for us to review parts for the prospect to see if we're a possible fit. My problem is many of them tell me that they'll send over the specs for us to review but then never do it.

I'd like to either call or email them back after a week or two to remind them. However, I don't want to sound like I'm begging.

Any suggestions on how best to handle this type of situation to keep things moving forward with the client AND avoid my sounding like a pathetic, needy salesperson?

Here are some of my thoughts...

After they agree to send the drawings, say something like this: "Great. I look forward to getting them. And, based on my experience working with other crazy-busy people like you, after we hang up the phone one of two things will happen ....

1. You'll go get the drawings right away so you don't forget ... or
2. You'll immediately get back to work on another project and totally forget. Am I right?

(Pause ... he will laugh and agree.)

Then say, "So how do you want me to handle this situation. You know I'm going to keep bugging you till I get them."

When you call back 2 weeks later AND 3 weeks later, you can say, "Hey. Me again calling to bug you about those drawings. We can't get you the pricing without them. And, as I mentioned in our earlier conversations, we've helped other firms reduce their costs by 23.6%."

Have fun with it. Tell him what you're going to do and enjoy it. Pretend it's your brother (or other relative) who was supposed to do something for you but keeps forgetting. And don't worry about sounding pathetic.

Now that's just one approach. What would you suggest?

Want to learn more about these fresh strategies for selling to crazy-busy prospects? To get four FREE sales-accelerating tools and download two chapters of SNAP Selling, visit www.SnapSelling.com or email jill@snapselling.com

Are Your Prospects Suffering from Frazzled Customer Syndrome?

Everyone is busy, busy, busy - and that makes selling even more difficult. You need to cater to those busy, frazzled customers to really succeed. Today, in an excerpt from her new book, SNAP Selling, sales expert Jill Konrath tells you how.

Many of the people you're calling on today suffer from a severe case of Frazzled Customer Syndrome. This debilitating condition is brought on by excessive workloads, 24/7 availability, information overload, lack of sleep, and job-related stress.

You likely encounter these individuals on a daily basis. They're good people who are doing their best to survive in a crazy-busy workplace.

Their calendars are overflowing and they're constantly falling behind, but they feel powerless to stop the unrelenting, escalating demands on their time.

Their frantic pace is both exhausting and exhilarating. They can barely focus on important tasks because their days are filled with interruptions, distractions, and constantly changing activities.

One minute they're working on a document. The next, they're checking e-mail, text-messaging, responding to a customer, or doing research online. This frenetic multitasking fools them into thinking they're accomplishing a lot, but in reality they're doing very little.

The result? More work, unmet obligations, unfinished projects, and chronic feelings of underachievement.

To make matters worse, they don't see an end in sight. Instead, they deal with constant downsizings and reorganizations and rapidly move from job to job, never really mastering their current one—all the while wondering if they're next on the chopping block.

Their personal life is just as frenetic, as they juggle work commitments, family, and personal time until they crash in front of the TV every evening. It's no wonder they don't have time for you.

Recognizing the Symptoms

How do you know when you're dealing with customers who suffer from Frazzled Customer Syndrome? Typically they:

* Have a "net it out" mentality. These impatient, time-starved people want you to get to the bottom line right away. If you don't, they're immediately dismissive.

* Get easily distracted. Even when they're interested in what you have to say, their attention spans are short. They feel compelled to multitask whenever humanly possible.

* Forget quickly. Because of their excessive flitting from task to task, much of what they commit to never makes it into their long-term memory.

* Demand a lot. They expect you to jump through hoops to fulfill their requests, yet when it's time for them to take action, they move like molasses.

* Suffer from "analysis paralysis." Faced with lots of change, multiple acceptable options, and the lack of time for thorough research, they appear overwhelmed, and nothing makes sense to them.

* Withdraw from contact. When they're buried under other priorities, they don't have any news to report or they have bad news—or go silent altogether.

Frazzled Customer Syndrome makes your job so much harder. Dealing with overwhelmed people is completely different from working with calm, rational people who have time to analyze their situation and study multiple options before moving ahead. But those people are no longer the norm.

To make matters worse, using traditional sales strategies actually creates insurmountable obstacles that can derail your sales efforts.

Your hot prospects fizzle or flame out. They politely (or sometimes not so politely) tell you that their priorities have changed, the budget has dried up or they have too much on their plate right now.

In most cases, your attempts to get them back on track are futile. They tell you to call back next month, but before long that becomes "next quarter," and then, "next year."

They just want to get rid of you. It's not personal. They just can't handle even one more item on their to-do list.

But it doesn't have to be this way. By mastering the SNAP Rules, you can change how your prospects react to you.

Remember to: (1) Keep it Simple; (2) Be iNvaluable; (3) Always Align and (4) Raise Priorities. When you do that, frazzled prospects will want to work with you. And, they'll rely on your guidance and advice when they make decisions.

Want to learn more about these fresh strategies for selling to crazy-busy prospects? To get four FREE sales-accelerating tools and download two chapters of SNAP Selling, visit www.SnapSelling.com or email jill@snapselling.com

Put an End to This HUGE Time Waster

How are you using technology to further your business? Are you using social media to your advantage, like we talked about yesterday? What about programs to help you with your research? Today sales expert Jill Konrath tells you how to save time and money with technology.

OMG. That's exactly what I said when I saw the CSO Insights statistic that says that sales teams are spending over 20% of their time researching -- and that it's only getting worse. That's one full day ever single week.

And the truth is, they NEED that customer information in order to do their jobs. Today's prospects suffer no fools. If you want to get into see them, you need to do this research for multiple reasons:

--Find decision maker's names on company sites, LinkedIn or elsewhere.
--Locate potential points of entry within bigger companies.
--Identify trigger events that create dissatisfaction with the status quo.
--Learn what's happening, so you sound intelligent about their company.
--Strategize the best possible approach.

So we know it's essential. We know it eats up tons of time. We know that all the information is available online.

But why in the world are salespeople still doing it the "old fashioned way," one time-intensive search after another that's filled with tons of irrelevant information that then has to been sifted through.

What a colossal waste of time -- especially when there are excellent and affordable resources that can automate this process: (note - this is not a paid promo; it is my opinion only.)

--SalesView from InsideView
--iSell from Avention
--Companies & Executives from DowJones
--Hoovers (I love their Near Here iphone app)

Yes, you have to pay a monthly fee for these resources. But what is your time worth? And isn't it much better spent figuring out how to USE the data versus gathering it?
If you're a boss, wake up to this horrible, but necessary time-suck in your organization and get your salespeople some help.

If you're a seller, don't wait for your boss to pay for it. Invest in these resources yourself. The payback is tremendous.

Jill Konrath, author of SNAP SELLING and Selling to Big Companies, helps sellers crack into new accounts, speed up sales cycles and win big contracts. She is a frequent speaker at annual sales meetings and conferences. To get four FREE sales-accelerating tools and download two chapters of SNAP Selling, visit www.SnapSelling.com

Why asking "What's your budget?" can hurt your sales

Shortly after my last newsletter went out, I got an email from Lauren. She liked my article, but was frustrated because she couldn't easily Tweet about it. Now that may not be one bit important to you, but check out what happened next.

Lauren's email continued: Unless I'm missing something, you don't have that capability enabled which I'm *very* surprised about. You are considering social networks when doing this, right? If not, we're more than open to speak with you about how we could help you.

I was impressed. She'd spotted a potential opportunity for her business and immediately followed up on it. Plus, her message made it clear that I was lagging behind where I should have been.

The only thing she didn't know was if it was important to me. It was. I wrote back:

Thanks for your note! And, I am guilty as charged. My email service provider does have social media capabilities, but I haven't started using them yet. It's time to get on it!

I also need to get my blog social media friendly. I don't have anyone working on that right now. It's a small project, but a necessary one. Interested?

Of course, she was. She asked, "What's your budget for this?"

That's exactly what traditional sales training tells you to ask. To find out if you're dealing with a qualified buyer, you're supposed make sure they have money in their budget for your product or service.

It was the wrong question to ask!

Suddenly all the progress Lauren was making came to a screeching halt. I didn't have any money in the budget. Nor could I respond intelligently to her question since I didn't have a clue how much time and effort it took to accomplish the task.

Yet I was a qualified buyer. I had money to spend; it just wasn't allocated to improving my social media presence.

When I told Lauren I was stumped, she was surprised at my reaction. After all, it was a fair question to ask from her perspective. Knowing my budget, she could propose a solution that would fit within it.

But in the end, that wouldn't be the right thing - for her or me.

Still confused? Let's say your car is making some worrisome noises. One day in the parking lot, an automotive specialist hears it and approaches you.

He says, "Your car is really idling roughly. With the way it's sounding, I'm not sure if you'll make it to your business meetings next week. Have you thought about getting it fixed?"

Of course, this captures your attention. You respond, "Yeah, I am a little worried. What's happening? What are your thoughts?"

He asks, "What's your budget?"

Is that really what you want to hear?

Of course not. You don't know what's wrong. You don't know how much parts and labor cost. You just want the darn thing running so you can work.

And even if you don't have any money in the budget, you'll find some if it's important.

You'd much rather hear him say, "Mmm. Let me take a better look and give you a recommendation. I'll need to ask you some questions."

Then I bet you'd love him to come back to you with a couple of options. The first one would show you what it would take to solve the immediate problem, while the second would focus on upcoming needs or additional ideas.

Here's the deal.

The "What's your budget?" question only works for planned purchases.

When Lauren contacted me, I was interested. And, I was willing to spend the money if I felt it was a good business decision.

That's just like the 90% or more of the prospects you deal with on a regular basis. They still haven't decided if they're going to change from their status quo. They don't have money in the budget for new investments.

In short, they haven't yet made that critical Second Decision that I describe in my new book, SNAP Selling.

How you deal with prospects who've already decided to change is fundamentally different from how you deal with those who could be tempted, but haven't yet committed to taking action. Remember that next time you're worried about the budget!

Jill Konrath, author of Selling to Big Companies and founder of the Sales Shebang, is a frequent speaker at national sales meetings and industry events. For more articles like this, visit www.SellingtoBigCompanies.com. Sign up for the newsletter and get a bonus Sales Call Planning Guide.

How to Attract Your Prospect's Attention via Email...and then Lose It

Email prospecting is growing in popularity, and we think using it in combination with phone prospecting and face-to-face meetings is one of the best ways to grow your business in 2010. The problem is, you can't just send an email with a snappy subject line and forget about the rest of it. Every part of your email prospecting needs to be direct and focused on the customer. Take this story from sales expert Jill Konrath to heart when working on your email prospecting.

The subject line of his email caught my attention right away: "Hi Jill, was hoping we may be able to help each other."

His message continued in that theme. It was gracious, non-pretentious and curiosity-evoking. He pulled me in...

Hi Jill I was hoping we may be able to help each other. We're currently first level contacts on Linkedin and I hope you don't mind my reaching out to you.

I'm interested in exploring mutually beneficial business alliances with you which may allow us to help each other build more business. And, I'd like to offer you 20% of the gross margin of any business you refer to me. Or, if this would be a conflict of interest, I'd be glad to make a donation in your name to your favorite charity.

He then went on to explain the details of how that would work (which was unnecessary since I can do the math) and gave me a short overview of his company.

And then he totally blew it when he said:

Now that was my pitch :) If you have a product or service that I can help you sell, please let me know. I'd be glad to partner with you to help you sell your products or services to our client base if it looks like a good fit.

Excuse me! I thought he was writing me a personal note. When I realized it was a canned email and he hadn't ever bothered looking at my website, I deleted him as fast as I could.

I'm sure he thought he was being nice. I thought he was stupid. Don't make the same mistakes in your email prospecting.

Jill Konrath, author of Selling to Big Companies and founder of the Sales Shebang, is a frequent speaker at national sales meetings and industry events. For more articles like this, visit www.SellingtoBigCompanies.com. Sign up for the newsletter and get a bonus Sales Call Planning Guide.

The Power of Silence

"If you're like most sellers, silence drives you nuts," says sales expert Jill Konrath. "When you're talking with a prospective customer and there's a brief lull in the discussion, I bet you jump right in to fill it. Research shows that the average salesperson, after asking a question, waits no more than 2-3 seconds before rephrasing the question, answering it themselves or moving on to another topic. And my experience shows that normal sellers have NO idea that they're doing this." Does this sound like you? Read on!

Let me ask you a question: What is the one single thing that you or your company could do in the upcoming 12 months that would dramatically impact your sales?

(one thousand one ... one thousand two .. one thousand three)

I mean, if you really thought about it, what's causing you the most trouble in your sales efforts?

(one thousand one ... one thousand two ... one thousand three)

I've been studying a lot about the challenges that salespeople are struggling with these days. They're really having trouble getting their foot in the door of big companies. Once they're in, it's really difficult to get people to change from the status quo. And, because of today's business climate, corporate decision makers are so risk averse.

Are you finding that to be the case? Which of those issues are causing you the most frustration?

(one thousand one ... one thousand two ... one thousand three)

Have you thought about how you could make it easier for you? I mean, like what kinds of marketing initiatives you could undertake?

(one thousand one ... one thousand two ... one thousand three)

Okay. I'll stop now. Hopefully you got my point about the continual rephrasing and butting in that sellers do after they ask a question.

What I really wanted to point out is what was lost because of the lack of silence.

Here's the 1st question again: "What is the one single thing that you or your company could do in the upcoming 12 months that would dramatically impact your sales?"

That's a provocative question. Decision makers can't answer it with a simple pat answer.

It makes them stop and think, "Hmmmm. What would that one thing be? New offerings? More calls? Additional money in our marketing budget? Which would have the most impact?"

That's what you want them to do. Then when they answer you'll learn a whole lot about what's going on in their organization, what the big challenges are, the decision maker's perspective on the issues and solutions and so much more.

But they can't think of all that in just two or three seconds.

They need much longer to ponder the question, to play around with it in their mind and to sort through their options.

In fact, research shows they need 8-10 seconds to formulate the start of their answer. And once they get talking, they think of more ideas.

When you cut them off at only 2-3 seconds, you lose in more ways than you can imagine.

--You don't get the benefit of your good question. You never learn all the good stuff they could be telling you if you'd just kept your mouth shut a little longer.

--When you don't learn all this info, it's so much harder to sell anything because you don't know how your offering can make the biggest difference to your customer.

--Besides that, your customer thinks that you're self-serving and only interested in achieving your own objectives. (Isn't that what you think when people keep cutting you off?)

--You don't establish a positive relationship with the person, so they really don't want to meet with you again.

And all this happens because you don't know how to count beyond three.

The value of silence in selling is rarely talked about. Mostly people focus on what they're going to say.

Instead, I suggest that you try a bit more silence. Ask a question, lean back and start counting to yourself. Start at one thousand one and keep right on going.

If you hit one thousand ten and still don't have a response, then you can rephrase or interject something. But not before. At first you'll be absolutely miserable doing this. (This is the voice of experience talking!) Nothing will seem harder. You'll be squirming and dying to jump in.

Don't do it! Keep counting silently to yourself.

Your prospective customers will start talking. You'll learn a whole lot more. You'll strengthen your relationships. They'll think you're smarter, more credible and more caring.

Jill Konrath, author of Selling to Big Companies and founder of the Sales Shebang, is a frequent speaker at national sales meetings and industry events. For more articles like this, visit www.SellingtoBigCompanies.com. Sign up for the newsletter and get a bonus Sales Call Planning Guide.

Which Toxic Sales Assets Do You Need to Dump Today?

It's not enough to work harder these days - you also have to work smarter. One way to work smarter is to take a step back to examine your sales skills - what works for you, and what doesn't. Sales expert and author Jill Konrath recently wrote a piece about toxic sales assets that many people have, yet don't realize. Keep an eye out for these during your self-assessment, and you'll be working smarter in no time.

Here are just a few of the toxic sales assets Konrath sees every day.

--Winging It: Failing to adequately prepare for sales calls is enough to get you dismissed or deleted immediately by time-sensitive decision makers.

--Diarrhea of the Mouth: If you're doing the majority of the talking, you're negatively impacting your credibility and connection with your customers.

--Inadequate Knowledge: Today's buyers have no tolerance for sellers who refuse to "pay the price of admission" and haven't researched their organization.

--Product/Service Dumps: The people you're calling on don't care about your offering. Period. If that's your focus, they'll tune you out in no time flat.

--Too Much Too Quick: When you rush the sales or give too much data in one meeting, your prospect gets overwhelmed and pulls back from you.

None of us are immune from screwing up! The key is to be ruthless in analyzing your sales assets. What worked for you in the past may no longer be effective. In fact, it may have actually turned into a toxic sales asset that needs to be removed from your portfolio.

After every call, analyze what worked and where you ran into trouble. Be on the lookout for toxic behaviors that cause your customers to throw up objections, tell you they're not interested or choose another company to work with.

Hanging onto those toxic sales assets of dubious value could lead to lost opportunities, a major meltdown in your pipeline and potentially, the demise of your sales career.

No one is going to bail you out! Dump those toxic sales assets today. Your ability to replace ineffective sales skills with new ones is essential for your ongoing success.

Jill Konrath, author of Selling to Big Companies, helps sellers crack into corporate accounts, shorten sales cycles and win big contracts. She is a frequent speaker at annual sales meetings and association events. Visit http://www.SellingtoBigCompanies.com.

Cold Calling Bloopers: How a Quick-Witted Seller Saved the Day

I love this story from Jill Konrath's Selling to Big Companies blog:

"Cold calling is tough," says Konrath. "We all struggle with it. That's why I laughed today when I talked with Sara, who works for a New York-based PR firm. She'd just seen my new video clips where I'm speaking about the challenges of connecting with corporate decision makers. Sara understood exactly what I was talking about!"

That's when she told me her story:

I was calling a major media outlet to "pitch" one of our clients. Of course, I got voice mail. About half way through my message, my mind went totally blank. So I hung up.

As soon as my memory returned, I recalled the client and picked up exactly where I left off ...

"Hi. This is Sara calling again. We must have gotten disconnected. As I was saying..."

Now that's quick thinking!

For more great tips, stories, and articles visit Jill Konrath's blog at http://www.sellingtobigcompanies.blogs.com/

Need help...

Getting your foot in the door?

Establishing value?

Persuading prospects?

Then you'll want to get on this complimentary one-hour teleconference onWednesday, Aug 20 featuring cold-calling Top Dog Leslie Buterin, the Ultimate Sales Chick Brooke Green, and author of Metaphorically Selling Anne Miller. These ladies really know their stuff and they'll share their secrets with you. The call is sponsored by our friend Jill Konrath, founder of the Sales Shebang sales conference for women. Get all the details here.

Sales Lessons from the School of Hard Knocks

This week we've been sharing some lessons learned by Jill Konrath of Selling to Big Companies. These are fun stories, and not so fun sales lessons learned at the School of Hard Knocks. Here's lesson #3:

How to Cut the Crap

At another company, I walked in and told the receptionist that I wanted to speak to the person who made copier decisions. After a quick check with the boss, she escorted me into his office.

"Sit down," he said gruffly. "You've got 5 minutes. Talk."

"If you're busy, I'll come back," I said, trying to be gracious.

"Nope," he stated. "5 minutes. Tell me why I should buy your product. Your 5 minutes is starting now."

I mumbled. I stumbled. I tried to engage him in conversation. I tried to explain that I needed more time. He wasn't one bit interested. After 5 minutes, he arose and said, "Your time is up. You can leave now."

That ticked me off. I told him he was rude and obnoxious. Then I turned and stormed out of his office, shouting back at him, "I'll never sell you a Xerox machine. You don't deserve to work with Xerox."

I know it's hard to believe, but I really did lose my cool. And I'm also sure that guy never wanted to work with Xerox again. But he had a point. I couldn't concisely state why he should listen to me.

I wanted to build a relationship and warm up the call. That made me feel better. He was a busy man who chose to use his time judiciously. I didn't respect his needs. After that cold-calling disaster, I learned to net it out. That lesson is even more important today than it was years ago.

"The School of Hard Knocks can be brutal," says Konrath. "Every time you're knocked down or out, you have to make a choice about how to react. Are you going to get up again? Will you learn from the situation? The hardest thing in the world is to look at your own complicity in the situation,yet that is where the maximum growth is for you and ultimately, the key to your long-term sales success."

Jill Konrath, author of Selling to Big Companies, helps sellers crack into corporate accounts, shorten sales cycles and win big contracts. She is a frequent speaker at national sales meetings and association events. Learn more at http://www.sellingtobigcompanies.com/

The SalesDog blog will be quiet tomorrow while we celebrate Independence Day with our families. Happy 4th of July!

More Sales Lessons from the School of Hard Knocks

Recently, Jill Konrath of Selling to Big Companies talked about her three biggest sales lessons gleaned from her early days in the School of Hard Knocks. Yesterday we posted her first lesson when she learned how to overcome the fear to make her first cold calls. Today we bring you a lesson she learned from:

The Screaming Assistant

One of the prospects I uncovered while cold-calling was Trussbilt and my main contact was Tinsey, a very articulate woman who told me she was in charge of the copier decision. Shortly after our first meeting, I read a book that said salespeople should only work with the top dogs - not their underlings.

Since my contact was an administrative assistant, I realized I needed to rectify the situation immediately. I called Mr. Big directly and set up a time to meet. Then I prepared like crazy to ensure I did a great job.

Unfortunately, I never had a chance to capitalize on this opportunity. Tinsey came to the lobby to escort her boss' visitor to his office. When she saw me, she demanded to know why I was there.

"I'm here to see Mr. Big," I replied, suddenly not so sure if the tactic I'd taken was appropriate. I was right. She proceeded to yell at me like I've never been yelled at before.

I was appalled. Mortified. And suddenly very light-headed and shaky. I fainted dead away right there in the middle of the lobby.

As you can imagine, I never did business with Tinsey or Trussbilt. But I sure did learn that once you're working with someone it's never appropriate to go around them without their knowledge. They'll get mad. Furious. It's a normal human reaction.

Today, to ensure my ability to work with whomever I want in an account, I always tell prospects, "Usually when I'm working with clients, I need to talk with the VP of Sales, Regional Sales Directors and sometimes even Marketing." Doing it this way prevents the people problems that can derail your sales efforts.

Join us tomorrow for Lesson #3: how to cut the crap.

Jill Konrath, author of Selling to Big Companies, helps sellers crack into corporate accounts, shorten sales cycles and win big contracts. She is a frequent speaker at national sales meetings and association events. Learn more at http://www.sellingtobigcompanies.com/

Hard-Earned Sales Lessons from the School of Hard Knocks

Yesterday's quote got me thinking about learning from past mistakes. We all know we've made them, but would we really be willing to admit to them? I don't think many would!

That's what makes this story from sales trainer Jill Konrath of Selling to Big Companies so great - she's detailed her three biggest selling blunders from when she was just starting out, and then explains what she learned from each.

Lesson #1: Sometimes you gotta sing

After finishing the Xerox training program, I was assigned to follow Jim Farrell for several weeks to learn the ropes. But the day finally came when I was sent out on my own.

At 9 a.m., I pulled up in front of Quality Products to begin my cold calls. But I couldn't get out. I was terrified and tongue-tied, convinced that my sales career was over before it even began. After nearly 30 minutes of being paralyzed in my seat, a song wiggled its way into my mind: "I Have Confidence" from the movie, The Sound of Music.

I started singing to myself, quietly at first, then louder and louder. I was particularly enamored with the refrain, "I have confidence in confidence alone, and as you can see, I have confidence in me."

I really didn't believe the words, but they got me moving off my "stuckness." I pulled out my cold call plan that I'd studiously prepared the night before and reviewed it. I practiced my opening lines again and again. Then I got out of the car and went it. By the end of the day, I'd made over 20 cold calls and uncovered some potential prospects.

Over the years, I've been confronted with many tough situations that I didn't know how to handle because I lacked the requisite knowledge or experience. I've learned that you can't know everything before you start. And I've also learned that "movement" is key to discovering the answers.

Join us again tomorrow for Lesson #2 about reaching higher level decision-makers.

Jill Konrath, author of Selling to Big Companies, helps sellers crack into corporate accounts, shorten sales cycles and win big contracts. She is a frequent speaker at national sales meetings and association events. Learn more at http://www.sellingtobigcompanies.com/

Want to Become a Sales Superstar?

Our friend, the bestselling author and sales expert, Paul McCord, has a new book out today called SuperStar Selling: 12 Keys to Becoming a Sales Superstar. I encourage you to check it out especially if you're ready to take your career to the next level.

When you buy your copy today at Amazon -- today only -- you will also get over $2,500 worth of bonuses. You can check out your bonuses here.

Here's what people are saying about SuperStar Selling:

"Think top sellers are born, not made? If so, you'll learn otherwise in this straight-shooting book by Paul McCord. He takes the mystique out of their stellar results and shows you exactly what top producers do differently than the Average Joe. Best of all, he shows you how you can replicate their achievements, capitalize on your personal strengths and take charge of your success." - Jill Konrath, best-selling author, Selling to Big Companies
"Paul McCord has written the most complete sales bible for aspiring sales superstars I've ever read! His 12 Keys will become your "Ten Commandments" to both a far more profitable career and fulfilling life!" - Dave Anderson, best-selling author, How to Deal with Difficult Customers
"If you're tired of chasing, pursuing, and begging for sales, read this book immediately. Paul McCord knows what it takes to become a sales superstar and knows how to make you one too. I know because I've seen him do it for countless salespeople firsthand." - Frank Rumbauskas, NY Times Bestselling Author, Never Cold Call Again
SuperStar Selling is the REAL DEAL.

Get real guidance.

Change your career forever.

Buy your copy NOW.
Once you have bought your copy from Amazon, go to: http://www.thetwelvekeys.com/html/register.html to claim all of your bonuses.

SalesDog Quick Tip

It's the beginning of a brand new year. If you're like most salespeople, you've probably made a resolution to work harder to achieve your goals. While we encourage you to do this, we also want to stress that working smarter is even better than working longer. You'll work smarter using this quick tip from sales expert Jill Konrath.

"Always debrief your sales calls," says Konrath. "This is the only way you can get better."

Ask yourself:

• What went well?
• Where did I run into problems?
• What could I do next time to get even better results?

Implement this strategy, and you'll get more effective results.

Today's tip comes from Jill Konrath, Chief Sales Officer of Selling to Big Companies.

Sales Lessons from Dancing with the Stars

Jill Konrath of Selling to Big Companies proves that sales lessons can be found everywhere - even in the popular reality show Dancing with the Stars.

What can you learn from a Spice Girl, a NASCAR driver and Marie Osmond? Find out at http://sellingtobigcompanies.blogs.com/. Have some fun learning and here's hoping your favorite contestant wins!

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You'll save $300 when you register by Oct. 23 for the Sales Shebang - a conference for women who sell.

Spend two days learning from the smartest, savviest women in sales. Imagine getting their career-accelerating inspiration and expert insights and gaining the practical knowledge you need to become a sales superstar!

Jill Konrath, our long time business partner and founder of Selling To Big Companies, has put together this one-of-a-kind learning and networking event called the Sales Shebang. Jill has assembled an impressive group of renowned women sales experts to participate in this important conference.

You will learn how to:

• Capture lucrative new accounts
• Accelerate your sales cycle.
• Create value for your customers.
• Catapult past your competitors.
• Do all this without going crazy!

Plus the connections you make will be worth their weight in gold!

Whether you're an experienced sales pro, entrepreneur, newly hired salesperson or a sales executive, you'll learn practical new sales strategies, expand your thinking, and enrich your spirit. You owe it to yourself to attend this one-of-a-kind event. Don't miss this chance to save $300 when you register by Oct. 23. Learn more now.

Attention Women in Sales!

We recently learned about a special sales conference for women and thought you would want to know about it. One of our long-time contributors, Jill Konrath of Selling to Big Companies, has put it together. It's called the Sales Shebang. You can click here to learn more.

Get Naked to Boost Sales

Is walking into a sales meeting "naked" the dress-for-success fashion statement of the future? "Absolutely," says Jill Konrath, one of 50 sales experts featured in Top Dog Sales Secrets.

"Salespeople frequently rely heavily on brochures, samples and PowerPoints," Konrath says. "They hide inside those tools as if they were suits of armor. Leave them behind," she advises. "By walking into a sales call stark raving naked, in a manner of speaking, they focus on the prospect's business and engage in a real discussion with the customer instead of a pitch meeting. The result is almost always increased sales."

Konrath's "naked-selling" technique is just one of the 80 sales lessons in Top Dog Sales Secrets, authored by 50 renowned sales leaders, consultants and high-powered corporate trainers. Click here to buy it now.