Articles by Deb Calvert

5 Ways to Stop Making Yourself Miserable in Your Sales Job

Stay in control and make things happen.

Sales work isn’t easy. As a sales coach, I’m sensitive to the inherent struggles of sellers. In an age of economic pressures and empowered buyers, your challenges are significant. It’s difficult and frustrating when you feel you don’t have complete control and the ability to change the circumstances.    There are, however, certain habits and choices you may be making that actually make your job even harder than it has to be. These are things you CAN control. Here are the...Continue reading

By Deb CalvertPosted in Sales & Business Development on December 4, 2014

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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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New Year, New You, New Sales Approach for 2014

Complacency is the enemy of high achievers. Don’t let it be yours.

As 2013 fades into 2014, what are you planning to do differently as a seller in the new year? Nothing? That would be a mistake! The profession of selling is changing rapidly, and you need to up your game if you want to continue being successful in sales. Sellers who stagnate find themselves struggling, often after it's too late. Don't be one of those statistics – the once great seller who can't seem to get back on top. Complacency is the enemy of high achievers. It's much easier to stay on...Continue reading

By Deb CalvertPosted in Sales & Business Development on December 12, 2013

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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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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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Before You Respond, Make Sure You’ve Got the REAL Objection

A Seller’s Guide to Averting Rejection

By Deb Calvert, President, People First Productivity Solutions There are, of course, right ways and wrong ways to respond to buyer objections. This blog post doesn't go into that. Instead, this post focuses on a fundamental first step that most sellers forget when responding to an objection.   Unless you take this critical step, no response to the objection will really be adequate. You’ll lose valuable time and blow “hot air” no matter how eloquent and technically correct...Continue reading

By Deb CalvertPosted in Sales & Business Development on January 7, 2013

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Can You Teach an Old Dog New Tricks?

Six preferred learning styles for adults-Adapt your message for a better response.

By Deb Calvert, President, People First Productivity Solutions It’s been said that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks (I can say that because I’d qualify as an “old dog”). There would be a true statement if it were slightly modified to read, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks the same way that you’d teach a puppy.”   That’s because adults do not learn the same way that children do. Children are like sponges, soaking up...Continue reading

By Deb CalvertPosted in Communication Skills on November 8, 2012

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Crafting Your Own Personal Leadership Philosophy

What It Takes To Be Credible As A Leader

“Stand upright, speak thy thoughts, declare The truth thou hast, that all may share. Be bold. Proclaim it everywhere. They only live who dare.”  - Voltaire   To be effective and inspiring as a leader, you must do what Voltaire describes in this quatrain.  Developing a Personal Leadership Philosophy (PLP) will empower you to declare YOUR truth and stand tall within it, to operate from a position of strength that ennobles you.    It is a common practice in all...Continue reading

By Deb CalvertPosted in Leadership & Teambuilding on January 12, 2014

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Is Your Sales Pitch Working? 6 Steps to Open More Sales

Learn to differentiate yourself from other sellers and develop new customers.

By Deb Calvert, President, People First Productivity Solutions I’ve met and worked with over 10,000 sellers in my career. I can only remember two who truly loved the work of genuine cold-calling. In the past few years, sellers seem to like cold calling even less. That’s because empowered buyers see fewer reasons to accept cold calls. In fact, buyer research says that buyers would prefer not to interact with sellers at any stage of the buying process.   That news is both sobering...Continue reading

By Deb CalvertPosted in Sales & Business Development on April 9, 2013

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