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November 5, 2013
Are You a Pushy Salesperson?
Don’t let your fear of being pushy compromise your effectiveness.
There’s a fine line between assertive and aggressive when you are a seller. Most sales people err on the side of caution because they want to avoid being thought of as the stereotypical, pushy seller. I suppose that’s why one of the most common questions I hear in sales coaching and training is “won’t I seem too pushy?”
While I appreciate the sentiment and understand how no one wants to be THAT salesperson, this has become an exaggerated fear. As such, it is severely...Continue reading
By Deb CalvertPosted in Sales & Business Development on November 5, 2013
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October 13, 2013
The Weight of Your Words
Your words have weight. That’s why you should wait to speak them.
As a senior-level manager, your words are weightier than they used to be. When you speak, people listen and respond. This is both a blessing and a curse.
Of course, it’s helpful that your words (backed by your authority) are taken seriously and compel action. But there’s another side of the coin to consider. Do people sometimes put more stock in what you say than what you intended?
This can happen when you forget your role and speak casually about almost any topic. I recently...Continue reading
By Deb CalvertPosted in Leadership & Teambuilding on October 13, 2013
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September 5, 2013
Value, Value Added and Value Creation
Empowered buyers appreciate sellers who deliver value-Be that seller.
It used to be enough for a seller to deliver on the value that mattered most to the buyer. If a buyer expressed a preference for “made in the USA” and the seller had products manufactured in America, the value was recognized and the solution was sufficient. As competitive pressures increased, marketers began adding value to incentivize buyers. In addition to meeting preferences like “made in America,” companies began offering added value, everything from the old S&H Green...Continue reading
By Deb CalvertPosted in Sales & Business Development on September 5, 2013
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September 2, 2013
What Matters More: the Right Results or the Right Way?
Use This Decision Model As A Way To Think About Your Job
As a front-line supervisor, your job was to deliver results. You were measured by and rewarded for performance. No matter what job function you were managing, your priority was to get the job done on time, under budget and in accordance with the quality standards set.
As you ascend the career ladder, you have increasingly greater degrees of responsibility for results. Once upon a time, your accountability as a crew foreman was to make sure the 6-8 members of your crew performed. That’s...Continue reading
By Deb CalvertPosted in Management on September 2, 2013
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August 20, 2013
What Is World Class Customer Service?
10 “Must Haves” That Buyer’s Expect From Your Sales Force
Professional sellers know that it’s both easy to do and imperative not to do. Taking a customer for granted and assuming current customers will always be customers is short-sighted and irresponsible in selling. When customers begin to feel unappreciated, as if they are just one of many and only as valuable as their last order… It’s then that customer dissatisfaction can lead to customer attrition.
Keeping customers starts with keeping customers satisfied.
But top...Continue reading
By Deb CalvertPosted in Sales & Business Development on August 20, 2013
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August 11, 2013
Leadership Presence: 3 Behaviors People Gravitate Toward
Do You Show Up As a Leader?
When people ask me how they can make others see them as a leader, I think of the classic children’s story The Emperor’s New Clothes. That’s the one where the vain emperor is duped into believing his clothing has been woven from the finest (invisible!) fabrics and threads. He proudly parades through town wearing these elegant new (invisible!) clothes, unaware that he is wearing absolutely nothing.
Being a leader is often misunderstood in this same way. People mistakenly believe if...Continue reading
By Deb CalvertPosted in Leadership & Teambuilding on August 11, 2013
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July 30, 2013
Market Share: Getting (and Keeping) Your Piece of the Pie
What will you do when faced with new competition?
For any type of product in any given market area, there’s a limit to how much business there is to go around. That total number is the “whole pie.” It’s determined by the buyers in your market area, by the demand for the product you sell.
Let’s say you sell haircuts. You and every other salon, barber shop and beauty parlor in your zip code are competing for the limited number of customers who will get haircuts each week. That number of total haircuts represents...Continue reading
By Deb CalvertPosted in Sales & Business Development on July 30, 2013
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July 25, 2013
Deb Calvert
President, People First Productivity Solutions
Deb Calvert
President
People First Productivity Solutions
Biography
Deb Calvert, author of the DISCOVER Questions™ book series, founded People First Productivity Solutions in 2006 to help businesses build organizational strength by putting people first. The PFPS focus is to boost company productivity through people development. This work includes leadership program design and facilitation, strategic planning with senior managers, team effectiveness work and executive...Continue reading
By Deb CalvertPosted in Leadership on July 25, 2013
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July 14, 2013
Are You a Manager or Are You a Leader? 23 Distinctions
Identifying the differences between what a manager does and what a leader does.
By Deb Calvert, President, People First Productivity Solutions
Your job title is meant to be an indication of the role you play in your organization. Supervisor, Manager, Director, VP, GM and C-suite titles signify differing levels of responsibility and authority. Climbing the ladder usually includes a progression through titles like these.
But there’s another role that people in these jobs often adopt. It’s a role that is not bestowed by title. In fact, sometimes this role is...Continue reading
By Deb CalvertPosted in Leadership & Teambuilding on July 14, 2013
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June 18, 2013
10 Surefire Ways to Get More Callbacks from Your Sales Prospects
If buyers avoid your calls, your process may be part of the problem.
By Deb Calvert, President, People First Productivity Solutions
It's not your imagination. It isn't only you. There isn't some new problem with your product, your company, or even your sales process. What's changed, for you and virtually every other seller, is your buyer. All buyers are immensely more empowered than they have ever been at any other time in history. In fact, buyers are so empowered that many don't even realize when and why they need sellers. That's why they avoid your...Continue reading
By Deb CalvertPosted in Sales & Business Development on June 18, 2013
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