When it comes to the ABMs (always be marketing) and ABCs of sales (always be closing), we see many different angles on this thought. Like most things in business, there are different approaches to sales. What works best for one company won’t always be the same for the next. But there are also some universal…
It is easy for salespeople to lose hope when the sales pipeline looks bare, especially when hard economic times make every sale seem that much more difficult from open to close. However, effective sales practices are all about creating a solid system and sticking to it, no matter what the general economic climate is like….
There is nothing quite as frustrating and disheartening as operating a business during an economic downturn. Your customers are hesitant, your investors are nervous, your suppliers are under pressure, and everyone is uncertain what the future will bring. Trying to maintain business-driving sales in a downturn economy often feels like trying to empty the ocean…
How well (or not-so-well) your business handles a customer complaint can make or break your success, as well as your company’s reputation. The truth is, even if a customer is legitimately unsatisfied with your product or service, how you handle their complaint could make the difference in whether they continue to be your customer. Unsatisfied…
The first Thursday of each month features a “best of” X5 Management blog. The intent is to showcase and revisit some of our blogs from the past. We hope you enjoy them! When you mention the idea of training or professional development to your team, how do they react to this? Does your team recognize…
With today’s economic uncertainty, training and professional development is more important than ever. Many companies are taking this valuable opportunity to develop their workforce so they can develop soft skills and in turn increase sales and retain their customers with remarkable service. Of course cost can be a barrier for employers – but did you…
As the end of October approaches and the weather changes, businesses are gearing up for a strong finish to 2015 and may already be preparing plans for the coming year. How does your organization approach planning involving your sales and customer service teams? Do you have a strategy to approach important topics involving customer needs…
Have you ever purchased an item on sale? Usually sales items are “final sales”, which means you can’t return the item. We usually can live with this because we saved money or felt that we received a great deal. What if you buy something and have an issue, but discover it was a final sale?…
When was that last time you provided Service above yourself? It was about someone or something else, and you expected nothing in return. I was privileged to be a Rotarian for 14 years. Rotary International is a global organization guided by the concept of “service above self” and it is all about making a meaningful…
The first Thursday of each month features a “best of” X5 Management blog. The intent is to showcase and revisit some of our blogs from the past. We hope you enjoy them! I recently finished reading a book called Unique Ability that is based on a concept by Dan Sullivan. (Dan is the creator/founder of the…
