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Endings and Beginnings
It's mid-December as we confront the end of another sales quarter and calendar year. We see the finish line through the busy Christmas break and final year-end wrap-up. When all things tell you ease it on in, the sales pro in you knows it's time to step up and finish strong with a final kick that will propel you in the new year.
But is there anything special one can do at this point? Yes, here are 3 keys to finishing strong:
1. Set Your Sight on the Prize - Never lose sight of your goal and objectives. You've can calculate your final attainment at this point. Keep it clearly etched in front of you.
2. Sprint to the Finish - No matter the standings, strong finishers give it an extra kick at the end to outrun anyone ahead of them. Ratchet up your step these final sales days and don't let up the pace until year end.
3. Never Give Up - Famous words by Winston Churchill, and other winners who didn't quit. Even in the face of tough circumstances, sales pros don't cave, they suck it up, make no excuses and find a way to get it done.
And looming just weeks away is a new year. Sales pros work the end game while gearing up for new beginnings. Have a great and strong finish, a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year.
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Classical Christmas |
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A Classical Guitar Christmas
For a holday diversion, enjoy hearing MXL's founder/president, Michael Griego, perform on classical guitar at Red Rock Coffee in Mountain View.
Location: Red Rock Coffee, 201 Castro Street, Mountain View, CA
Dates: December 14 and 21, 2010
Time: 7:30pm
Griego will be performing Christmas music from his CD recording, Classical Christmas, a collection of traditional Christmas classics on classical guitar. The arrangements of traditional carols and tunes on classical guitar with intermittent flamenco techniques make for a heart warming and moving musical experience.
This CD is available on CD Baby and Amazon.com. Have a Merry Classical Christmas!
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What "A Players" Do |
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Top Producers vs the Rest
As we consult and train professional sales organizations, it's always interesting to see the wide gap between what top sales producers or "A Players" do compared to the rest of the team, or the "80%ers" as one manager called them.
Top salespeople consistently do the following:
- Refine their own sales pitch/message - no canned script for them
- Work their partner network - constantly nurturing relationships
- Cultivate confidence through competence - they know their stuff
- Work harder than most - can't beat preparation and hard work
The best salespeople find a way to make it happen. The 80%ers may be trying hard but miss the mark. The gap is obvious.
Can an 80%er become an A Player? Of course. All successful salespeople start out with the masses, then start to pull away. If you're a junior rep, watch and mimic your top peers, within reason. If you're a manager, figure out how to capture and replicate best-practice behavior, processes, tactics, strategies, and mindsets.
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3 Sales Objectives |
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Did You Achieve the Top 3 Objectives in 2010?
At the beginning of the year, according to research conducted by CSO Insights, top-of-mind for sales management in 2010 was the following:
- Increase Revenues - 58.7%
- Capture New Accounts - 54.7%
- Increase Sales Effectiveness - 46.3%
How are you doing this year against these goals? The clear top 2 were about growing sales revenue and growing the customer base by adding new accounts. The third goal centers around improving selling effectiveness across the sales organization.
There continues to be a big movement afoot about raising the bar in salesperson quality, enablement with viable playbooks, and overall sales effectiveness. This objective should continue to be a key focus in 2011 as companies move to gain productivity with superior sales teams that are optimized with tools, practices and mindsets.
It's no secret: effective sales teams grow revenue and add new customers. What are you doing to optimize selling effectiveness?
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Wedding Quote |
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My Little Girl
"There's nothing like seeing one's little girl grow up to be passed on to the man of her dreams, a place long ago once held by her Daddy. With joy I step aside and wish blessings on this young couple." - Michael Griego, whose daughter, Lisa, is getting married to Jacob Goodin this Sunday, December 19th.
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