Sales Gravy: Jeb Blount

Your prospects deal with an inbox that is completely overwhelmed by making instant, split-second decisions to Open, Delete, or Save for emails for later. Because of this your prospecting email must stand-out from all of the noise and be compelling enough to get opened. This means you have to catch your prospect's attention in just a split second. The email the subject line is, by far, the most important element in getting their attention and your email opened. Sadly, though, most prospecting email subject lines neither stand-out nor are compelling. Most, in fact, scream - "Delete me." Test your email subject lines free at http://www.yesware.com/salesgravy

Has a competitor used negative sales tactics to beat you and derail your customer relationships? I've been there and it is incredibly frustrating. In this episode I'm going to share with you how I've handled these situations and overcome negative competitors. Get more resources at http://www.JebBlount.com

I work with thousands of sales professionals each year in workshops, full scale trainings, and boot camps. We usually start the sessions by asking the participants about their biggest sales challenge. You probably won't be surprised that the #1 challenge we hear is time. As in, "I don't have enough time to get to it all and I'm completely overwhelmed." So how do you cope with being time starved, frustrated, and overwhelmed? How can you possibly get it call done? In this episode I'm going to share a time management secret that absolutely works. Get more valuable tips at http://www.Jeb123.com

Salespeople are constantly sending emails asking me how they can close more business. My advice rarely has anything to do with closing techniques which, in my opinion, are almost always too little too late. In this episode we'll discuss the most important step in the sales process that, when executed correctly will, immediately boost your closing ratio. Get more free sales tips at http://www.JebBlount.com

Prospects are so crazy busy that as soon as you leave or hang up the phone they have already forgotten about you and moved on to the next pressing issue on their to-do list. If you don't have a firm date set on their calendar for the next time you will meet, it will be difficult, if not impossible to get that commitment once you are out of sight and mind. Get more winning tips at http://www.JebBlount.com

Salespeople and sales leaders seem to be on constant lookout for big ideas that will give them the winning edge. Perhaps you are one of them, combing the latest books, webinars, blogs, podcasts, and social media in search of the silver bullet that will get you into a prospect's door, help you nail your presentation, or win a hard-to-close deal. While you are chasing the next big thing there is something you must never forget: The brutal reality is the little things, more often than not, make or break a sale (and your career). Get insider tips on sales at http://www.JebBlount.com

I don't remember where I found the eleven words that changed my sales career. I think I may have stumbled on them in a newsletter or magazine I subscribed to back when newsletters were mailed rather than emailed. What I do remember is the words instantly resonated with me. I cut the blurb out of the newsletter and taped it over my desk where I would see it each day. It was always the last thing I looked at before I hit the streets to go on my sales calls. Those words became my mantra. They kept me focused and they made me rich. (Get more free resources at http://www.JebBlount.com)

Five of the world's top sales and leadership experts debunk myths and lies that are holding you back in your sales career. Featuring Anthony Iannarino, Jeb Blount, Mike Weinberg, Miles Austin, and Mark Hunter. These experts discuss prospecting and cold calling, building deeper relationships, aligning the sales process and the buying process, leveraging sales technology, how to avoid discounting to get higher profit deals, and closing techniques that really work. You'll want to share this with your entire sales team. #VSK15 is sponsored by OmniJoin Secure Web Conferencing. Get a free test drive of OmniJoin at http://omnijoin.com/salesgravy Get more from Jeb Blount at http://www.jebblount.com

In sales, it pays to keep your secrets close and your mouth closed when it comes to the deals you are working on. In many cases I won't even discuss the details of my potential deals with people on my team because I am concerned that they may unwittingly allow something to slip that could sink my deal. It pays to be vigilant, even a bit paranoid, when it comes to your most sensitive information. (Get more resources to help you grow your sales career at http://www.jebblount.com)

There are only three questions that really matter this year.That's it. The answers to these question will determine where you stand when you look back at this same time next year. Will you raise your hands in victory or be left sitting on a big pile of should-have-dones and regret for the year you wasted? (Get Jeb's free 26 page Goal Planning Guide at http://www.freegoalsheet.com)

There are three words you should never use in sales. Most salespeople say them without thinking - without considering the consequences. Yet these three words cause sales conversations to abruptly shut down and deals to stall. (Hire Jeb to speak at your next sales meeting or conference - call at 1-888-360-2249 for more information.)

When managed poorly Holidays wreck productivity. Customers are on vacation, some businesses shut down completely, prospects put off decisions, and in many cases, with all of the many distractions, your head isn't in the game. With all of these variables, more than ever, it is critical to have a concrete plan in advance for activity. The brutal fact is it is harder to sell during the holidays and you basically have two choices: give up and give in or get focused.

If you've ever played baseball or softball or watched your kids play, you've no doubt witnessed a player chasing a wild pitch. The awkward swing of the bat, swishing through thin air, in most cases leaves the player off-balance and embarrassed. It is sometimes funny to watch but mostly the fans, coaches, and players just echo a collective groan and wonder why in the world the player swing at that pitch. It is no different is sales. Each day salespeople waste time, energy, and emotion swinging at ugly deals. Deals that are unprofitable, unqualified, not in the buying window, don't have a budget, don't have an identified decision maker, or, because of incumbent contracts, don't have the ability to buy. Get 14 days secure web conferencing free from OmniJoin at http://omnijoin.com/salesgravy

There is no doubt that gatekeepers can be a pain, especially when they refuse to give you basic information. When you hit a wall the Salespeople, help salespeople hack is an awesome secret weapon. It has worked for me time and again when I've had a hard time getting to the right people in prospective accounts. Keep hackers out of your demos and presentations (http://www.omnijoin.com/salesgravy)

Sometimes you only get one shot with a prospect. An inconvenient truth is sales is you need your prospects more than they need you. Top earners get this. They understand that each time they make contact with a prospect whether that contact is planned or an unexpected surprise that it is a precious moment of truth. This is why top performers are always ready. When they answer the phone they are ready. When they make a call, they are ready. When they walk in a door, they are ready. No matter the time of day, situation, where, when, or how, they are ready to engage, ready to ask questions, ready to present, ready to close, ready to deal with objections, ready to sell.