A Life You Love: Sales Tips with Jennifer Fisher

Episode 103 - Why Your Sales Opportunities Are Falling ApartThroughout my sales career, there have been many moments where I was certain that my prospects were going to sign on the dotted line to close the deal.  And then, the deal fell through.I began to analyze each instance and realized that there had been signs that these deals were going awry all along – which I missed. Over time, I learned how to recognize these clues, and became adept at circumventing the sale from going down the drain.Selling is like walking through a minefield. Take one wrong step, and your deal can blow up in your face. Great salespeople know how to navigate this minefield and successfully move sales opportunities to closure. While there are many reasons why a sales opportunity can fall apart, I'm going to talk through some common traps that can explain many lost deals.Stepping into any of these traps can significantly reduce your odds of moving a deal forward and closing the sale.Let's connect on LinkedIn

Episode 102 - The Importance of Being a Partner Instead of a VendorWhen you think about your role in sales, are you a vendor selling a product to your clients and prospects? Or are you a partner, a trusted advisor who consults, offers expertise, and helps your clients and prospects achieve their goals through strategic alignment?It's easy to be hyper-focused on your funnel and net profit as a business leader. It's an inescapable reality and what ultimately drives entrepreneurs and corporations alike. But, in a world that's ruled by customer experience, simply jamming leads through your sales engine isn't enough. In fact, it's far from it.Business leaders have to think beyond dollar-to-dollar transactions and truly get to know their customers from the inside out. For those who want to survive and thrive in the modern B2B economy, it's crucial to graduate from being a mere vendor to being an indispensable, value-driving partner. Let's connect on LinkedIn

Episode #101 The Importance of Pre-Call PlanningEffective pre-call planning helps salespeople convert more prospects, yet many salespeople either don't do pre-call planning, or they don't do it well. And if you're a manager, you can win more deals by coaching them in these key pre-call planning skills.Successfully conducting a call can be a tricky process to navigate. On one hand, you can't script your call. You don't want to come off as too nervous to deviate from some rigidly defined course you've set for the conversation. On the other, you can't just wing it. A sales call isn't an appropriate forum for trying to practice your improv skills.No, neither of those options will help your case. That's why you have to strike a delicate middle ground between the two, and that comes from comprehensive, calculated preparation.Let's connect on LinkedIn

Episode 100 - Sales Inspiration and Motivation (feat. Stacy Mayer)I have a very special episode for you today as I celebrate my 100th episode of A Life You Love podcast. Amazing! And I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate than with my good friend, executive coach, and promotion strategist, Stacy Mayer. I started this podcast during the pandemic to escape all the negative news about covid and focus on something I was passionate about – sales! My amazing executive coach Stacy Mayer encouraged me to showcase my thought leadership on a podcast. Stacy told me to find something I was passionate about and start a podcast. After thinking long and hard, I told Stacy that I don't have anything I'm passionate enough about to start a podcast. The only thing I get truly excited and passionate about is sales and my work at WorldStrides. And to think, here I am 100 episodes later, still having a blast sharing sales tips and tricks on a Life You Love podcast. Especially when 90% of podcasts don't make it past episode 3 and of the 10% who make it past 3 episodes, 90% of them don't make it past 20 episodes. Unbelievable!!! Thank you to all my listeners who have supported me on this journey. I couldn't do it without any of you!Stacy inspired me to start this podcast and she continues to inspire me to this day and coaches me always to be reaching for more. You don't want to miss one moment of this fun and inspiring podcast that will leave you reaching for more in your sales careers!Let's connect on LinkedIn

Episode #99 - Assessing the Readiness to .....In my last few podcast episodes, I've talked about how to build success through prospecting, having sales courage to succeed, how to work through a sales slump, and nurturing a prospect for the win. And now in today's episode, I'm going to discuss assessing the readiness to…. move forward, schedule a meeting, and even assessing the readiness to buy! Let's connect on LinkedIn

Episode 98 - Just AskIn today's episode, I'm going to focus on asking: asking for the business, asking for the appointment, asking to meet over a virtual coffee – just plain asking! Are you the type of person that sits back and just hopes things work out and you get what you want? Do you cross your fingers and hope your prospect or client buys from you? Do you call or email a prospect or client and hope you hear back? Come on now, hope is not a strategy. Just like, episode number 93 on building success through prospecting, you need to have a plan and you need to put the effort in. No different than your overall sales strategy. And at the end of the day, you need to ask - ask for the business, ask for the next step. Just ASK.Let's connect on LinkedIn

Episode 97 - Women Paving the Way in Technical Sales (feat Shari Begun)I am excited to have Shari Begun as a special guest on this week's A Life You Love Podcast. Shari is the Vice President of IOT and Consumer Sales at Renesas Electronics. She is recognized as an ROI-driven Sales Executive with global experience across multiple countries, leading sales strategies focused on large multinational Tier 1 customers and penetrating new and emerging markets. Shari brings a deep understanding of multi-level, complex sales cycle management processes and builds world-class sales organizations.Let's connect on LinkedIn

Episode #96 - Nurturing a Prospect for the WinLead generation has more and more moved away from a transactional activity or generating single events for sales reps, to initiating and maintaining a relationship that leads the buyer to the best choice (ultimately your product or service).Implementing an effective lead nurturing strategy can have a huge impact on your prospecting activities. The process of nurturing your leads involves purposefully engaging your prospects by offering them relevant information, supporting them in any way they need, and maintaining a sense of delight throughout every stage of the buyer's journey. Let's connect on LinkedIn

Episode #95 - How To Work Through a Sales SlumpSo you're in a slump. It happens to all of us and it'll happen numerous times throughout your career. One minute we're hitting home runs out of the park, and the next minute, we're swinging and missing - every time. A sales slump is especially unfortunate because making sales is how you make your living. If you're not making any sales, you're not making any money. Frustration, disappointment, nervousness, and confusion are all symptoms of a sales slump. When you're “in the slump” you may feel like the cosmos have aligned just to deny you deal after deal. However, a slump isn't the result of supernatural forces. You can shake it off and get back to your A-game!Let's connect on LinkedIn

Episode 94 - Having Sales Courage to SucceedThinking through the skillset you need to prospect, close, listen, handle objections, storytelling, and improvising – I would say that the number one trait sales professionals need is COURAGE!You need courage to pick up the phone and make that phone call when prospecting. Courage to put yourself out there and possibly get rejected, over and over again. Courage to keep going even after you stumble, stutter, and maybe say the wrong things. Courage to be able to improvise when the unexpected happens, you're flustered, sweating and your face becomes red – all things that have happened to me too!Let's connect on LinkedIn

As we are halfway through February, most of us have already had our kickoff's, we've got quotas and budget numbers that we need to hit, and we need to be heads down prospecting!  And we all know how no one likes to prospect. Sales reps continue to dream of a world where new business just happens to find it's way to each of us. Our phones are ringing off the hook with inbound new business – what a beautiful world. But then it's time to wake up from that dream and get to work. It's time to pick up the phone and make outbound prospecting calls. Outbound prospecting calls is a fast, cost-effective, and powerful part of the B2B sales process. A prospecting strategy is essential for B2B. Let's connect on LinkedIn

Episode #92 Meet Alfred - Sales Automation for the WinMartin Martinez, founder and CEO of Meet Alfred. An Australian serial entrepreneur with multiple successful exits, Martin Martinez created Meet Alfred to scratch his own itch of trying to automate daily tasks on Linkedin.  Since launching Meet Alfred in November 2017 (formally known as Leonard), Martin assembled an incredible team of software engineers and support personnel that's led them to become one of the largest automation products in the market.  MeetAlfred is a LinkedIn automation tool that offers campaign management, analytics, CRM, team management, and social media scheduling services.Let's connect on LinkedIn

For stellar sales reps, their approach to work goes much further than hitting their number each month. If you're ready to knock your sales career out of the park, it's time to put yourself in the mindset of an entrepreneur, managing your sales market the same way you would manage a business.First, let's talk about what it means to think like an entrepreneur as a sales rep. Whether you manage a specific territory, customer account, or service, there is likely a segment of your company's business that you are responsible for when it comes to generating revenue. That's a big responsibility, especially in a competitive landscape, but I know you're up for the challenge.As the business owner of your territory, your attention should be on more than just your monthly quota. You should have a solid understanding of your target market, how current and world events may be impacting your industry and customer.Let's connect on LinkedIn

Episode #90I am excited to have Andie Jewett as a special guest on this week's A Life You Love Podcast. Andie Jewett has been in the marketing/advertising industry for over 12 years. Now at AMP Agency, she oversees business development. Andie is passionate about using storytelling in the sales process, and she has exceeded growth targets YOY, contributing to AMP's growth over the past years. You do not want to miss this episode.You can connect with Andie on LinkedInLet's connect on LinkedIn

Episode #89 - Bouncing Back from Sales BurnoutOften there comes a point in sales when you feel emotionally drained and stuck at a single place with no hopes to move ahead. You feel engulfed with negativity. Even simple sales tasks feel like a dramatic undertaking.  You aren't able to focus.You don't have enough energy to be consistently productive. Suddenly the sales quota that you were able to achieve earlier now seems like an albatross around the neck.Well, these are all the classic signs of “Sales Burnout”. Let's connect on LinkedIn

Episode 88: Mastering the Sales MindsetMany people think that being successful in sales means being extroverted, pushy and loud. Or that you need to innately be a great public speaker and presenter. But the truth is that traits like these will only get you so far. You might make a few sales or land a coveted job – but from there, you'll need to develop the mindset of a successful salesperson. It's only the power of mindset that will propel you toward sustainable growth in sales. Keep in mind that the salesperson mentality isn't just for traditional, cold-calling, hard-selling salespeople. If you're an entrepreneur, freelancer, investor or one of many other professions that relies on networking, learning how to adopt the sales mindset is essential to building your career and growing your revenue streams.Let's connect on LinkedIn

Today's opportunities are won through a series of steps. In most cases, the deal journey path will twist and turn, potentially reversing course at times. When sales reps follow a linear sales process blindly through the journey, they can end up lost.A pivot mindset keeps sales reps on track, equipping them to move deals forward with the best next action. Sales pivoting is key to maintaining alignment with the buyer and across the multiple influencers in the buying organization.Sales Reps need a new toolset, skillset, and mindset to execute modern opportunity management. This all starts with an adaptive methodology based on pivots.The best answer to when you should pivot your sale strategy is when it becomes necessary. As to how to do it, pivoting requires careful planning and deliberate execution.Let's connect on LinkedIn

Sales Trends in 2023As I dive into this week's anniversary episode, I'm going to discuss a few sales trends that will be front and center in 2023.We're not the same people we were a year ago. Back then, we thought that the pandemic was the biggest challenge we had to face. Today, we're staggering over the abyss of the upcoming economic recession.Right now, we're going through what might be the last days of calm before the storm. Yet, nonetheless, we haven't been staying still for the whole year.In 2022, we saw an unprecedented number of emerging trends making their way into sales: the rise of AI, the increasing importance of creative sales, the automation of various sales processes, and more.If you missed your opportunity to be the first mover and shaker in 2022, here comes another chance to revamp your sales strategy and keep your goals on track and afloat. This time, it's a must.2023 is forecasted to be a tough year, but those who come prepared will have it significantly easier than those that don't.Sales Trends:Creativity is the new sales hackImplement value-based sellingSocial selling is essentialCustomer success over customer supportRelationship building associated with proper customer successBring your teams closer togetherMulti-channel, personalized experiencesLet's connect on LinkedIn

As I sit here today recording the last podcast episode of 2022, I'm excited to be coming up on my 2-year anniversary of hosting A Life You Love: Sales Tips with Jennifer Fisher and I want to say a huge thank you to all my listeners who have supported me throughout the last 2 years. I'm very humbled by the support and amazing feedback I've received – thank you, thank you, thank you!As I reflect on this past year, I want to take the time to highlight a few of my top episodes from 2022. The first one is The Art of Discovery Questions, Episode 65Next up is my episode on A Beginner's Mindset, Episode 51Lastly, I want to showcase my episode on Creating a Sales Movement, Episode 66As I close this week's podcast, I want to thank all of you, my awesome listeners for an amazing 2022. I hope you have a Happy New Year and I look forward to all that 2023 has in store.Let's connect on LinkedIn

How to Stop Being an Order TakerWhat makes someone a good seller? Is it their ability to prospect, how they can deliver a sales pitch, or being a master at the upsell?All of these traits and more can make you a better salesperson. When it comes to professional development for salespeople it can also be helpful to discuss traits that can hinder your growth, which is what we are discussing today.One-way salespeople can strive to be more effective sellers is to avoid falling into the trap of being an order taker.In sales, an order taker is someone who addresses customer inquiries (also known as orders) but does not proactively engage in activities that would increase sales, such as finding new prospects or upselling to existing customers.Now you may be wondering, what's so bad about being an order taker? Ultimately it depends on your role, and where you want to take it.For example, those who work in retail environments can approach their sales role as more of an order taker. In this role, the salesperson is not responsible for generating new leads — they are responsible for giving the customers who do approach their business a positive experience to land the sale. Ultimately in this scenario, the customer is driving the conversation.On the other hand, if you work in B2B sales, being an order taker is not the approach you want to take. If you are comfortable sitting back and hoping all of your customers magically find you and are ready to buy on the spot, then go for it. But in the real world, especially in today's business environment where competition is stiff and most buyers are somewhere between 57 to 90% through their decision-making process before they engage with sales reps, chances are you don't have time to sit back and take orders.Sales professionals who are able to remain effective despite market fluctuations and other challenges are often considered order-getters or makers because they create orders and opportunities by taking initiative to facilitate the sales process.Think about the difference between Order Taker vs. Order GetterIf you want to be an order-getter instead of an order-taker,1. Be intentional with your prospecting efforts.2. Focus on customer relationship building to influence the sale.3. Keep your customers coming back for more.Being an effective salesperson who generates new business for their company's bottom line requires working smarter and being proactive. Salespeople's job is to influence the sale. It's not to be an order taker. It's not to react to whatever the prospect says or demands. That's order-taking. Here are my three tips to stop being an order taker:1.      Prospect, prospect, prospect – you must continually bring in new opportunities to fill up your sales funnel2.      Start influencing the sale 3.      Consult and become a trusted advisorIt's time we start taking more stock of the influence we have in the sale. Salespeople are not paid to be order takers. We're paid to influence the sale, to provide information, insight, support, guidance, and advice that increases the opportunity for the buyer to choose our solution over the competition or the status quo.Let's put an end to order-taking and earn our keep by being powerful, knowledge-driven influencers. It's what we're paid for.Let's connect on LinkedIn

As the world of sales continues to change and evolve, so has the number of sales tactics and various technologies to help teams close new business and retain current business.Many of the old-school sales tactics don't always necessarily work and having too many new ones in place can also cause challenges.It's a tough world for salespeople, especially in B2B. But there is also a wealth of knowledge and techniques out there that will help sales teams achieve success and reach their goals.While it is easy to be inundated with information, thanks to the internet and the thousands of sales gurus saying different things — there is still one sales tactic that every salesperson should still master: relationship selling.Here are a few stats in the B2B space that stood out to me:82% of B2B decision-makers think sales reps are unprepared.In B2B, 68% of opportunities are lost because of indifference or perceived apathy by the sales rep.According to Gallop, only 46% of customers said vendors deliver on what was promised.Yikes, that's not good.Those kinds of stats show why focusing on relationship selling and generally showing an interest in more than “just the sale” is important.Plus, with all the tools and sales technology it can be distracting for the sales rep and make it seem that those items are enough alone to win business.Here are my three tips for building strong relationships:1.      Authenticity is key – be authentic!2.      Engage in active listening – really listen to what your clients and potential clients have to say.3.      Do not fake it until you make it – be yourself It just makes sense, building positive working relationships will be key to closing a new deal, retaining current customers for the long haul, and developing trust that can lead to new referrals.Let's connect on LinkedIn

Shruti is the former CoFounder-CEO of Wingman (now Wingman by Clari), which is an actionable conversation intelligence platform that unlocks insights from every sales interaction. As the founder of Wingman, Shruti was also their first salesperson who sold their first million dollars in revenue single-handedly. Despite being an outsider to the SaaS ecosystem and to the US, Shruti has managed to successfully scale the business, been selected to the prestigious YCombinator program, raised funding, and hired a team of 40+ talented folks. Connect with Shruti on LinkedInLet's connect on LinkedIn

Just Have Conversations to Close More Business (feat. Kevin Snow)The co-host of the top 100 Apple Podcast, Growth Mode; COO of Success Champions, and the owner of Time On Target, Kevin Snow is a sales expert and a serious technology geek who knows how to help his clients take their automation game to the next level.Part entrepreneur, part salesperson, part networker, part technology master, and part Star Wars fan…Connect with Kevin Snow on LinkedIn, Time On Target, and Sales Success ChampionsLet's connect on LinkedIn

How to Get Motivated & Build Your Personal Brand (feat: Donnie Boivin)Donnie Boivin is a motivational speaker, author, podcaster, businessman, and coach that helps to change the game in mindset and success. His book “How to be a success champion: Business Strategy for Badasses” is a story of his own life that has inspired thousands to get out of their own way and go for it. Donnie Boivin has launched his career, from being a corporal in the US marine corps and spent over 2 decades mastering sales and marketing to becoming a Founder and CEO of the Success Champions family of companies. Success Champion Consulting, Growth Mode Podcast, Success Champion Magazine, the Badass Business Summit, Success Champion Networking, and an award-winning professional. And you know what – he's an all-around nice guy!Donnie is opening up Champions 90 to all my listeners:It's a 90-day business development challenge.5 activities to get you dialed in and doing the things that will grow your business and it's free.No catch, No Upsell, No WebinarIf you are up for the challenge, sign up hereConnect with Donnie on LinkedIn

Leveraging the Skill of Influencing to Win Business (feat Douglas Cole)I'm excited to have Douglas Cole as a guest this week on A Life You Love. Douglas is the author of The Sales MBA published this past summer where he focuses on the skill of influencing as well as the mindset advantage – what best-in-class sales professionals understand about likeability, mutuality, and objectivity, and how to use these qualities to supercharge your success.Douglas ColeThe Sales MBA

How to Grow Your Pipeline Faster and Easier (feat Jamie Shanks)Jamie Shanks is a global innovator of social selling, pioneering a method of B2B selling in the digital landscape that no one has implemented before. Jamie co-founded and operated Sales for Life, the largest sales training agency in the world.Over the past decade, Jamie and his team have trained and mentored over half a million sales professionals in social selling and smarter prospecting.And now he's automating smarter prospecting signals to help salespeople even more. He's committed to making your pipeline growth easier, faster, and possible with the help of Relationship Signals.Jamie ShanksPipeline Signals

Episode #77 - Harry Spaight, Selling with DignityHarry Spaight brings the energy and passion to this amazing interview. His mission is to serve others and sell with dignity.Selling With Dignity takes a different approach. Instead of viewing people as numbers and machines, salespeople can be dignified in their approach. Selling is an honorable profession when it is done right. When sellers feel they are valuable and have integrity and respect, this opens the door for better conversations and eventually relationships. Listen on for a great interview!You can connect with Harry at http://www.harryspaight.comAnd on LinkedIn

Episode #76 - Maximize Results through NetworkingI'm sure you have heard it before. Going to networking events is a great way to make new connections.But guess what? If you don't learn the proper social skills or understand how to make the most of them, then you are missing out on something crucial!Sure, networking events have their pros and cons. But ultimately, they put you in a position to build rapport with like-minded individuals and offer the chance to increase your spheres of influence. So why not go?Before you do, ensure you know how to maximize your time and capitalize on its benefits. 1. Be clear about your goals and desired outcomes2. Arrive ahead of time3. Talk to people and meet new people4. Become a card collector rather than a card giver5. Identify the event organizer6. Be approachable7. Be inclusive8. Facilitate introductions9. Have fun and be yourself10. Have a structured follow-up plan that worksBuilding relationships is important to getting ahead both professionally and personally. And knowing how to network and communicate with others at conferences and events effectively is vital to making this happen. You must plan your time wisely and know how you can be of value to others to benefit from the opportunities being presented.Thank you so much for listening to, A Life You Love: Sales Tips with Jennifer Fisher – I look forward to continuing the conversation next week.Now go LIVE, the sales life you love!

Episode #75 - Secret Nuggets in Lost OpportunitiesWant to increase your probability of sales success?  “Lost” prospects may be the key!  Many salespeople hit the ‘delete' key on former prospects and focus on new prospects. Big mistake!  These former prospects can make great future customers. To increase your sales – earn business again from prospects you've “lost” over the years.1.       Make sure you're going after the “right” opportunity in the first place and that your prospect fits your Ideal Customer Profile.2.       Reach back out to your prospect to understand why you lost.3.       Reflect on your own actions to see if you could have done something differently. A lot of good can come out of a lost opportunity, even though it's dismaying. Proper feedback channels can go a long way in turning lost opportunities into a potential jumping board to better ones. Thank you so much for listening to, A Life You Love: Sales Tips with Jennifer Fisher – I look forward to continuing the conversation next week.Now go LIVE, the sales life you love!

Episode #74 - Offer Value Through EducationIn today's episode, I will talk about “education” to help build client relationships and drive revenue. This technique varies slightly from the value-based method in that instead of discovering what will make your offer valuable to the customer, you allow them to discover it for themselves by helping them become more informed.By focusing your efforts on providing insight into your product or the market itself, you not only increase your client's interest in the product but also their trust in you as a reputable voice within the industry.In fact, salespeople who ask the right informative questions, and who teach their customers by providing unique perspectives on the businesses they're selling to, often outperform their counterparts who are utilizing different sales approaches.Education-Based Selling is the process of making your prospects better and more informed customers.By investing time and energy in making your customers more intelligent, you simultaneously build trust and make them more interested in your offer.Remember that to do this properly, you must know more than your customers. Otherwise, you'll scare them away.Some Benefits of Client EducationIt establishes you as an authorityIt allows you to stand out from the competitionIt provides an unbiased, trustworthy viewProviding valuable information to clients is a strategy that pays huge long-term dividends in terms of client trust, engagement, and ultimately growth in your business.The education of clients helps them to save time and money, boosts their personal brands within their organizations, and provides them with a trusted business partner and reliable ally when needed.Thank you so much for listening to, A Life You Love: Sales Tips with Jennifer Fisher – I look forward to continuing the conversation next week.Now go LIVE, the sales life you love!

Episode #73 Bradley RiceI am really excited about today's podcast. Bradley Rice is a guest today discussing his path to success and his passion and mission to help other people land salesforce jobs.Bradley has worked in the Tech Ecosystem for over 10 years and became one of the highest-paid Tech professionals in the world making $225,000 working just 20 hours per week. With sales skills and an entrepreneurial mindset, he started his own business Talent Stacker as a service to put others on the same path. He's committed to giving back and offering free advice to help people develop their personal brand and tips to showcase their brand on LinkedIn.Connect with Brad on LinkedInTalent StackerThank you so much for listening to, A Life You Love: Sales Tips with Jennifer Fisher – I look forward to continuing the conversation next week.Now go LIVE, the sales life you love!

Episode #72 - The Wizard of Oz In this podcast I'm going to showcase best practices in navigating difficult and challenging situations while helping your team pivot and keep moving forward, all with the help from our favorite characters from The Wizard of Oz.Wizard of Oz has always been a fascinating movie for me truly showcasing friendships, friendships among a very diverse group of people, yet they care for and help each other through some very difficult situations. And it shows resilience, strength, and character. The perfect story to use for leadership and navigating challenging situations. First, I'll cover learning to leverage your most precious internal resources through difficult situations just as Dorothy and her friends had to do.Secondly, I'll discuss focusing on what you can control to have a bigger impact on your teamLastly, how to inspire your team to support each other through uncertainty using compassion, heart, courage, attitude, and humor.Thank you so much for listening to, A Life You Love: Sales Tips with Jennifer Fisher – I look forward to continuing the conversation next week.Now go LIVE, the sales life you love!Let's connect on LinkedIn

Episode #71 - Why are your sales opportunities falling apart?Selling is like walking through a minefield. Take one wrong step, and your deal can blow up in your face. Great salespeople know how to navigate this minefield and successfully move sales opportunities to closure. While there are many reasons why a sales opportunity can fall apart, below are some common traps that explain many lost deals. Stepping into any one of these traps can significantly reduce your odds of moving a deal forward and closing the sale.Trap #1: You didn't build a strong relationship with the buyer.Trap #2: You didn't qualify the buyer.Trap #3: You failed to uncover an important problem.Trap #4: You didn't explore the impact of the problem with the buyer.Trap #5: You failed to connect your products and services to the buyer's needs.Another trap is that the conversation focuses on priceSure, every client aims to keep the price low, but it shouldn't be their only interest.If a lead is constantly talking about price instead of benefits and value, you are probably talking to the wrong person. Many purchasing or sourcing people often take the lead during negotiations with their main focus on price. If you don't have access to the department they are purchasing for, this deal is primed to fall apart at any moment.Another important trap: Ignoring the existence of competitionWe are very much focused on presenting our “unique” solutions, addressing pain points and proof of the return on investment. While things may be running smoothly, we neglect that there could be competition. It then hits us by surprise later in the sales cycle when the deal gets postponed or lost because of other competitive offerings. Before you know it, it's “Game over”.As I wrap up this week's podcast, here are my 3 tips to help you save your opportunities and move them to a closed-won status:1.       Don't underestimate the power of effective discovery questions. You need to dig deep.2.       Don't be an order taker. Set yourself up as a consultant and trusted advisor.3.       Qualify your lead early in the sales process and make sure they align with your ideal customer profile.As sales professionals, we spend too much time and resources nurturing leads to let them slip away. Fire up your sales spidey senses and improve your sales process by catching these signs or traps that indicate your deal is falling apart. Challenge yourself to become proficient at launching a rescue counterattack. You will be a better sales rep with a greater closing ratio for your efforts. Thank you so much for listening to, A Life You Love: Sales Tips with Jennifer Fisher – I look forward to continuing the conversation next week.Now go LIVE, the sales life you love!Let's connect on LinkedIn! 

Episode #70 - Prospecting EmailsFirst off, What is a sales prospecting email?Email prospecting is the process of identifying, researching, and qualifying for cold emails. It's a way of ensuring that you're emailing people who fit your product or service.Email outreach also gives you valuable info that you can use to personalize current and future messages. It's one way to find people (or prospects) that would make great customers. Email prospecting is similar to cold calling.So what is the main goal of prospecting emails? Getting recipients to respond, so you can start building a relationship.Amazing prospecting emails all share a few traits. You need an eye-catching subject line to convince a reader to open the email, and you need a personalized message inside with an actionable call to action. To know if you're on the right track, you also need a solid way to capture and evaluate how your emails are performing.First off, you'll want a strong email subject lineThe difference between a good subject line and a bad one is the difference between an initial email that's read and one that's ignored.Talk like a real person. If a subject line sounds like spam, it will be treated as spam. Be careful not to use any of these words or phrases that often trigger a spam filter.Be on a first-name basis. When possible, personalize your subject line with the prospect's name, company name, or both.Keep the subject line nice and short. Email readers are more likely to pay attention to a subject line that's short and to the point.Next, you'll want to create an engaging email bodyMake it personal. At a minimum, the body of an email should include the prospect's first name, job title, and company. But a good prospecting email should also touch on specific details of the recipient's life.Tell recipients what's in it for them. When it comes to your pitch, don't focus on how your product or service works. Instead, use the classic marketer (what's in it for me) model. Make your pitch all about how that product can work for the prospect and their company.Hit the word-count sweet spot. The body of the email, much like the subject line, shouldn't be too long. But you also don't want it to be so short that the reader doesn't have all of the information. The key is finding that perfect “Goldilocks” length that fits between two extremes.According to Prospect.io's study specifically on cold sales emails, the highest response rate was generated from emails with approximately 300 words.As I wrap up this week's podcast, here are my 3 tips to send a prospecting email:1.       Blend your prospecting email with a phone call – the one-two punch2.       Always use a short subject line; approximately 4 words.3.       Tailor your messages to your prospectsSubtle changes make all the difference in your emails. The best prospecting emails are researched, customized, and part of a well-designed attraction campaign. Give your prospecting emails a makeover with these suggestions to start seeing dramatic differences in buyer response rates and increases in your sales results.Thank you so much for listening to, A Life You Love: Sales Tips with Jennifer Fisher – I look forward to continuing the conversation next week.Let's connect on LinkedIn

Episode #69 - Pain Point DiscoveryEver spent time with a prospect who didn't buy? Of course, you have.Selling to people who can't or won't buy is a huge drain on your sales productivity, budget, and team.The top two percenters of sales teams need to spend time with prospects who need your help, want your help, and are willing to work with you to solve their problems.If your prospects don't have pain points, they have no need. And without need, there's no hope for a sale. It's up to salespeople to ask effective sales questions and uncover pain points as quickly as possible.If you really want to make your prospects happy, don't pitch solutions based on guesswork. Take the time to talk to prospects and ask open-ended questions and actively listen to the responses. By focusing on pain point discovery, you'll learn more and your product will improve.To provide true value to your prospects, start by asking the right questions to help streamline your pain point discovery progress and get more out of your conversations.First off, Avoid AssumptionsWhether you realize it or not, your preconceived notions influence your interaction with prospects. For example, if you assume your prospect's primary pain point is poor time management you may ask questions differently, inadvertently leading the conversation. As a result, you won't gather new information or insight into where your prospect could actually use your assistance.Next, Actively ListenIn everyday conversation, it's not uncommon for friends to interrupt one another with random thoughts or related stories. It's how we make connections. I do this a lot; my friends and family will probably say I do it too much! But when you're trying to discover a prospect's pain points, interrupting is counterproductive. Rather than talking, actively listen to what your prospect is telling you. Make your connection by asking insightful follow-up questions. The more you engage and show you care about the problem, the more your prospect will be willing to share — and the more you'll learn.Now you want to Find the Common ThreadWhile certain problems will prove unique to specific prospects, many will be more universal. As you identify these trends, adjust your marketing strategies, and re-evaluate product offerings to address these common pain points and make customers happier across the board.Now, once you identify pain, you can determine how to solve it for your prospect. This is an incredible tool to leverage as a salesperson since you can become a solution-provider rather than a product-seller. Here are a few tips to start positioning yourself in this way:1. Use your prospect's language when talking about pain2. Find out who's empowered to solve the pain3. Identify additional key stakeholders as early as possible.4. Frame your offering to reflect the prospect's dilemma.As I wrap up this week's podcast, here are my 3 tips to dig deep in pain point discovery:1.       Avoid assumptions: start every conversation as a learning opportunity for you.2.       Use your prospect's language when talking about their pain.3.       Dig deeper by asking “why”I'll leave you with a quote from Dan Storey, author of Next Level Persuasion, “In sales, we only ever really ask one of two fundamental types of questions: Discovery or Positioning, and discovery comes before positioning.”Thank you so much for listening to, A Life You Love: Sales Tips with Jennifer Fisher – I look forward to continuing the conversation next week.Now go LIVE, the sales life you love!Let's connect on LinkedIn

Episode #68 - Mastering the Sales ConversationAs a sales rep, you're well experienced in the art of conversation. In a sense, every conversation is selling something, an opinion, suggestion, story, or idea. Salespeople require the skills to make this happen more than anyone. But outside of being charming and putting customers at ease, there are ways you can subtly sell more than you ever thought possible through the right conversational strategies. Having the right talking points can lead to referrals, important connections, and a strong bond with your brand.What is a Sales Conversation?Before jumping into some of the skills for better sales conversations, let's take a moment to define what a sales conversation is.Sales conversations are an ongoing dialogue that takes place between the primary sales rep, the client, and internal stakeholders from both organizations. It typically takes place over a series of in-person or virtual meetings and communications. The purpose of a sales conversation is to explore the client's needs and determine the best solution for them. During a sales conversation, the sales rep is responsible for building a deep understanding of the customer's needs and consistently positioning their solution in a meaningful and differentiated manner to add value and build momentum to the close the sale.Conversation, like anything else, is a skill you can improve with time. The best way to start having better conversations as a sales rep is to understand its fundamental rulesFor a conversation to take place, conditions have to be met. At least two people have to be willing to speak and actively engage. If not, you end up with a one-sided conversation or nothing at all. Those conditions are ensured by the rules of conversation. If any of these rules are not met, the conversation won't be worth participating in for either person. According to Time Magazine, these are the 5 fundamental rules of conversation:Put yourself at easePut others at easeWeave in all partiesEstablish shared interestsActively pursue your ownWith the high-level definition and goals of a sales conversation in mind and an understanding of how to start one, we can now we can move forward with a deeper exploration of the skillsets that will enhance your conversations with customers and prospects.1. Presence2. Relating3. Questioning4. Listening5. Positioning6. CheckingThese skill sets will allow you to create a dialogue; understand prospect needs, priorities, and perspectives; and close profitable business.As I wrap up this week's podcast, here are my 3 tips to effectively manage your sales conversations:1.       Trust is the foundation of sales conversations2.       Put yourself and others at ease3.       Make sure to weave in others who are part of the conversation. Don't let anyone feel left out.Most people's sales conversations could be better. Not a little better, significantly better. At the end of the day, you want your prospect to feel like they are having a conversation with you at the local coffee shop and not in an FBI interrogation being asked questions left and right. Practice these skills and I know you'll see an improvement.--------------------------------Thank you so much for listening to, A Life You Love: Sales Tips with Jennifer Fisher – I look forward to continuing the conversation next week.Now go LIVE, the sales life you love! Let's connect on LinkedIn

Episode #67 - The Awkward SilenceIn today's episode, I'm going to talk about that awkward silence that happens when you're on a sales call. Whether you just delivered the price or handled an objection.The conversation is flowing smoothly, and then -- it stops. You don't say anything. Your client or prospect doesn't say anything. You clear your throat. They scratch their knee. Your smile is getting strained. They look at the clock.You're smack dab in the middle of a very ... awkward ... silence.This is bad news during a first date or a job interview. But in sales, awkward silences are actually good -- that is, if you know how to use them to your advantage. The golden rule of using silence as a sales weapon? Embrace it.Consider that it only takes four seconds for people to become uncomfortable with silence. So next time you're tempted to break the silence, remember it probably hasn't been very long, so keep quiet.Still not convinced that zipping your lips is the way to go when a conversational lull hits? Consider the following positive outcomes of awkward silences and the negative ramifications of breaking them.Silence allows time for prospects to comprehend your offer.Silence communicates genuine interest.Silence helps salespeople stand their ground.Silence prompts buyers to reveal their true needs and concerns.Since today's sales process is all about the prospect and their needs, it's important for them to understand key points about your product or service to ensure it's the right fit for them.Author and public speaking expert Andrii Sedniev says pausing before and after critical points in your speech will emphasize important information, pique your audience's interest, and give you a moment to catch your breath. It's tempting to ramble on about important points in your presentation but give them space and you'll increase their impact.Don't be afraid of silence on sales calls -- use it to your advantage. With a little practice, this technique will become second nature.Silence can also work to help on your end too by giving you a chance to think through your response before answering. Silence is one of the best tactics you can bring to the table in a negotiation. The ambiguity of it can leave your customer wondering if you are showing confidence, expressing dissatisfaction, or feeling uncertainty and doubt. When someone on the other side presents an offer, don't respond. Take time to think while you wait for their response. Likely, several painful and awkward moments will follow. This is not the time to stare blankly at them, however. Use body language to stay connected. Smile, write something in your notes, get comfortable and wait. They just might increase their offer without you ever saying a word.As I wrap up this week's podcast, here are my 3 tips for leaning into the awkward silence:1.       Embrace it2.       Use silence as a negotiating advantage3.       Silence isn't a bad thing; it could simply mean that your client or prospect is thinking through your offerSometimes the best thing to say is nothing at all. Silence is an incredibly underrated and underused tactic in sales. It is a powerful tool that can help you gain more information, take control of a wayward discussion, better contemplate your answers, and deliver better pitches.Thank you for listening to A Life You Love: Sales Tips with Jennifer Fisher. Let's connect on LinkedIn.

Episode 66 - Creating a Sales MovementLet me ask you – why is there still a stigma associated with the word “Sales”? And why is there still a negative association with the sales professional?When you ask people, including salespeople, their perception of a sales professional, you'll still hear reference to the “sleazy car salesperson” – a profession ranked only second to politicians in the least respected jobs according to a Global News Report from 2018.Even though I've been in sales for over 30 years, it's disappointing that this negative perception of salespeople still exists, and the needle hasn't moved much.What do sales professionals have to do to change this perception?It's simpler than you think.The good news is that the demand is very high for sales professionals with no immediate signs of it slowing down.Professional Sales is ranked as one of the U.S. 7 most in-demand future-proof jobs, according to a recent study. 90% of commercial sales professionals believe sales is a good job. 70% of sales professionals would recommend a job in sales to family or friends considering a new career.But in order to change this sales stigma, we need to ask ourselves:What do other career professionals, like accountants, engineers, human resource practitioners, teachers, lawyers, and doctors, do to earn respect and trust?They simply ask questions to learn more about a person/business situation, and then they prescribe solutions and recommendations.Which is exactly what sales professionals do.If we want to change the stigma associated with sales and sales professionals, we need to be creating a sales movement.Could it be because there is a certain reputation ascribed to salespeople, a certain stigma, that makes so many want to run a mile at the thought of actually being perceived as a salesperson?Step up ‘the Snake Oil' seller…Back in the 1800s, the US was busy building the First Continental Railroad and a lot of Chinese laborers were employed. These laborers brought a product with them from home which they used to reduce inflammation – it was made of oil from the Chinese Watersnake. Allegedly they shared the oil with their American co-workers who were suitably impressed and wished to replicate it. Unfortunately, Chinese Water snakes are not common in the US and so people made an ointment out of whatever they could and called it Snake Oil, which was not Snake Oil and they tried to pass it off as legit. …and thus began the story of ‘the Snake Oil' seller.Traveling salespeople move from town to town selling their wares to a gullible market by claiming miraculous benefits and cures. Of course, by the time the oil was found to be of absolutely no use, the salespeople were long gone. Changing the Face of SalesThe internet has made experts out of everyone and it's much easier to ‘shop around for both products and services.You and Your sales team (however large or small that may be) need to be representatives and ambassadors of your company – they must be conversant with the product(s) that's a given BUT they must also be fully ‘bought in' to the company's mission and brand values. It's time to start treating sales as a profession that people working in can be proud of. Everyone can sell if they are given the right tools and information to do so.As I wrap up this week's podcast, here are my 3 tips to create a sales movementEnsure your team understands (and uses) the softer, customer-centric sales approachesFocus on corporate social responsibility goals within your companyEnsure your entire business is structured towards creating an excellent customer journeyLinkedIn

Episode #65 - The Art of Discovery QuestionsIn sales, it's normal to spend hours rehearsing for an upcoming demo and fine-tuning the deck. But when it comes to the discovery call, many of us assume we can wing it. Well, think again. You'll need a set of discovery questions planned out before the call.It's strange because the discovery call is how we uncover critical information early in the sales cycle. Details like use cases and a prospect's fit for our solution help us prioritize our deals. The risk of doing it poorly or not at all is getting stuck in “the land of no decision” with the deal and your quota on the line. You can try dragging both across the finish, but even the best salesperson can't persuade a prospect to buy a solution and use it if it's not a good fit.That's why it's so important to ask the right discovery questions at this crucial step in the sales process.We all love winning business, right? Closing calls are sexy. They're the calls where a deal gets moved across the finish line, contracts get signed, and commission checks go right into your pocket.To get there, however, you'll first need to take your prospect through the entire sales process — beginning with a discovery call.A discovery call helps you gather information about the prospect by directly talking to them and asking them questions. Such information includes the prospect's objectives, priorities, and pain points. With discovery calls, you can see whether you and the prospect are a fit for each other. Then you can decide whether you want to sell to them and how. It's the first step in the sales qualification process.In many cases, the discovery call is the most important step in the sales process. It sets the tone for the entire relationship, both pre-and post-sale. Either you'll be able to establish a relationship, or you'll be stuck playing catch up.You could have deals that would normally be relatively standard, but because you didn't dive deep in discovery, they ended up being unduly complex. The importance of the discovery call can't be overstated.The main purpose of a discovery call is to determine whether you and your potential buyer are a good fit. In layman's terms, it's an interview to understand your buyers' pain points, goals, and priorities so you can effectively sell to them.I consider the discovery call the most important conversation in the entire sales process. It sets the pace of your deal and determines how everything else unfolds in the sales process.If you carry it out correctly, you'll form a trusted advisor relationship with your prospect.If you, do it wrongly, your prospect will ditch you and pick the next available option. Discovery calls are crucial for sales professionals to understand the details of a prospect's situation. Luckily, most prospects are okay with participating in a discovery call, as long as it's not an interrogation.Here are some benefits of the discovery call.1. Prospects will better understand your business and product.2. You will have a chance to show you're invested in their success.3. This is your opportunity to gauge your chances of winning their business.By investing time and energy in creating a great discovery call, you'll know for sure whether your prospect is a good or poor fit for your product or service. This will ensure you only spend time on the prospects who are more likely to close, allowing you to exceed your quota and become a standout performer on your team.Thank you so much for listening to, A Life You Love: Sales Tips with Jennifer Fisher – I look forward to continuing the conversation next week.Now go LIVE, the sales life you love! 

Episode #64 - Team SellingIn sales, as in life, communication is everything. However, things get a little more complicated than that when you introduce entire teams into the mix. That's why in this week's episode I'd like to talk about team selling and the tactics you can use as a team to build a pipeline and expand your company base. Teams have strengths that isolated individuals don't, and I'm going to show you exactly how to leverage them to close even the most complicated deals. Drop that “lone wolf” mentality. You'll win more sales with the pack. So, what is Team selling?Team selling is when you work with two or more people from any unit within your organization to win business. Team selling is a collaborative approach where you develop a sales strategy involving two or more team members working together. The goal is to utilize each team member's talents and skills to maximize sales. Team selling is about effective communication that leads to successful collaboration in sales, which is either between team members or between different departments at your company. With team selling, you're 200% more likely to close deals. And get this: The entire team doesn't have to convene at every step in the sales journey. Just one group meeting with prospects boosts the chances your team will win.For this approach, a sales rep will use the help of another member of their team. Their collective skills in analyzing a prospect's pain points help them develop the best solution for specific challenges. When an organization sets out to win an account or a sale, there will be two or more people involved. These people will be deployed according to their specialization. The upside is getting a better chance of closing a deal since there will be a pooling of resources and skills. Here are six times when you want to use team selling.·       It's a complex sale: When deals are multi-faceted or multi-layered, they're better handled by a team (usually spearheaded by the salesperson who has the most frequent and intimate communication with buyers).·       It's the big one: Pull together a selling team when your target is an account five or more times larger than you're used to pursuing. Don't go it alone: Get management – who might have already sold to clients this size – involved early to uncover obstacles and identify the best resources to tap to win the substantially bigger account.·       It's perplexing: Every salesperson struggles with a sale from time to time. But when a salesperson hits a roadblock with a deal – a stop, not just a stall – it's probably a good time to call a team of colleagues or leaders. Fellow salespeople might have insight or experience that can open the opportunity.Adding a trusted colleague to a call or getting another person involved with the proposal or presentation can help unlock the door.·       You want to add leverage: Many sales will move forward if you give buyers access to the C-level. Prospects will feel like they're getting special treatment or a better deal when an executive attends the meeting, shares valuable information, and offers to be a resource.·       You want to speed up the sale: When salespeople want to close a deal sooner than their prospect does, team selling can help expedite the sale without setting an artificial deadline or putting too much pressure on a prospect with a laissez-faire attitude.Teams must be working toward the same goal, and understand the reward for reaching it, all the time. Sure, the goal might always be to close the deal, but agreed-upon shorter-term goals that move the team toward the ultimate goal will keep everyone on track.As I wrap up this week's podcast, here are my 3 tips to utiliz

Episode 63 - Crucial Elements of a SaleThe field of sales may use multiple mediums to achieve the same results. Sales processes both share crucial features that allow them to be successful. Closing the deal requires the salesperson to know how to interact with the buyer and determine what they want and how their product or service provides it. A viable sales process uses this to show the potential buyer what he or she is getting in terms of benefits or usability.However, crafting a sales process that converts isn't simple. In this episode, I'm going to showcase the crucial elements of sales.As a good reminder, and we've all heard this before: If we want to sell, we should listen more than we talk.Some sales trainers say customers should do 80% of the talking, some say 70%. This leaves 20% to 30% of the talking to the salesperson. Stick within these percentages to allow ample time for prospects and customers to say what they want or need to say.One of the most crucial elements of sales is prospectingBefore you can sell anything, you need to identify your ideal customer profile, do outreach to this customer persona to learn about their challenges and goals - knowing what to look for and where to dig is key. This process involves identifying potential leads through social media, existing networks, customer referrals, and outbound calls and emails.  There is no “easy button” to prospecting. You have to put in the work. Prospecting is key to a healthy pipeline, opportunities, and wins. You always have to be filling the top of the funnel to succeed.Documented Discovery process is another crucial element.Discovery is a critical part of the sales process, whereby the sales rep is asking questions and documenting the answers from the prospect. This information should be referred to throughout the sales process. As the sales cycle proceeds or even gets off track, the rep can refer back to those details to show their true understanding of the prospect and their end goals.  As I wrap up this week's podcast, here are my 3 tips to focus on the crucial elements of a sale:1.       Prospecting. I will argue this is the most crucial element in your sales process. If you don't keep the top of your funnel full of qualified prospects, you'll have a hard time winning business.2.       Documented Discovery: you cannot skip this step. You have to understand where your prospect is at right now. Why did they choose to take your call? What are their pain points? And many other areas to dig deep.3.       Selling is a passion to help solve problems for your prospects and clients I'm going to leave you with a quote from saleshacker.com:“The questions you ask are more important than the things you could ever say.”Thank you so much for listening to, A Life You Love: Sales Tips with Jennifer Fisher – I look forward to continuing the conversation next week.Now go LIVE, the sales life you love!Let's connect on LinkedIn!

Episode #62 - Effective Sales PresentationsAn effective sales presentation tells a compelling story, highlights your value proposition, and aligns with your audience's needs and desires. It ends with a strong call-to-action and leads prospects to your differentiators instead of leading with them.When it comes to building an effective sales presentation, no one-size-fits-all sales deck exists.Every sales presentation you deliver to a prospect should be personalized and tailored just for them. Successful selling today is about establishing yourself as a trusted advisor. Cookie-cutter messages won't do that. So how should you get started?Hate the thought of doing sales presentations? You're not alone. But the best reps have sales presentations down pat, even if it's not their favorite activity.The best sales reps know that when done right, sales presentations are a high-earning skill.Preparation and practice are key to successful sales presentations. But there's so much more to a great presentation than well-designed slides or new research. The heart of a great sales presentation is the relationship between you and your customer, and that's built on unique insights focused on your potential customer's challenges and needs.When you focus on helping, rather than pitching, your sales presentation is more likely to be a hit. That's a win-win for you and your customer.As I wrap up this week's podcast, here are my 3 tips to effective sales presentations:1.       Know ahead of time what your prospect wants or needs. 2.       Use “insight selling” during your presentation to showcase trends in the industry.3.       Ask questions during the presentations to engage with your prospect and keep the presentation conversational.An effective sales presentation tells a compelling story, highlights your value proposition, and aligns with your audience's needs and desires. I'm going to leave you with a quote from Harvey Mackay, a 7-time New York Times best-selling author of over 15 books, including Swim with the Sharks with Being Eaten Alive.“You don't need a big close, as many sales reps believe. You risk losing your customer when you save all the good stuff for the end. Keep the customer actively involved throughout your presentation, and watch your results improve.”Thank you so much for listening to, A Life You Love: Sales Tips with Jennifer Fisher – I look forward to continuing the conversation next week.Now go LIVE, the sales life you love!Let's connect on LinkedIn and let me know other topics you'd like to hear.

Episode #61 - Communicating your Value PropositionI just came back from attending one of my first client-focused conferences in 2 years – The Forum on Education Abroad. Oh, my goodness – such a good time. This was the first conference in 2 years for almost everyone and man was it great to see so many people! So many hugs and laughter. The conference was good for the soul on so many levels. It also made me think about my company's value proposition and how it differs from so many of my competitors who were all at the conference.In the age of the internet, your customers have more options than ever before. Long gone are the days when people visited the hardware store, grocery store, or insurance agent in town to buy what they need. Google now puts dozens of your competitors in the palm of your customer's hand.If you don't make it clear why customers should choose you over those competitors, they'll either buy from the competitor who best communicates their value or make a choice based on price alone. So how do you stand out from the competition? Capture your customers' attention? And drive sales based on your value rather than your pricing? The answer is that you define and communicate your unique value proposition.A value proposition is a short, memorable statement that quickly communicates why customers should buy from you instead of your competitor. An effective value proposition will highlight the benefit that most resonates with your customer. Ideally, this will also be a benefit your competitors aren't advertising—which is what makes it a unique value proposition.Communicating the right value proposition is critical if you want to advertise effectively, attract customers, and drive sales. Remember: Your value proposition has to actually speak to your customers' goals or problems. This is critical, so don't just guess what your target audience wants to hear—ask them! As I wrap up this week's podcast, here are my 3 tips to successfully communicate your value:1.       Identify your target audience and buyer personas2.       Speak to the needs of your target audience3.       Train your team to say and use your value proposition everywhereI'm going to leave you with a quote from Neil Patel. Neil is a New York Times Bestselling author. The Wall Street Journal calls him a top influencer on the web and Forbes says he is one of the top 10 marketers – definitely someone we should pay attention to:“Your value proposition is an answer to the question: ‘Why should I buy from you and not your competitor?'”Thank you so much for listening to, A Life You Love: Sales Tips with Jennifer Fisher – I look forward to continuing the conversation next week.Now go LIVE, the sales life you love!Connect with me on LinkedIn and let me know how you communicate your unique value proposition!

Episode #60 - Business NetworkingIn today's episode, I'm going to discuss business networking: what it is and what it means. Business networking is the process of establishing a mutually beneficial relationship with other business people and potential clients or customers. Business networking benefits are the intangible gains made by communicating with other professionals in or relating to your industry.To reap the rewards of a network, it is important to understand what business networking benefits you can gain and how they can help your business to boost sales, increase efficiency and morale, and build awareness of your brand.So, What Is Business Networking?Business networking is a term that refers to meeting other business people, potential suppliers, or other professionals who have business experiences—to help you grow your business. Networking gives you a pool of experts that range from competitors to clients and allows you to offer something to them, hopefully in exchange for their services, advice, knowledge, or contacts.Developing relationships in a business setting and offering assistance to others does more than give you potential clients or generate referrals. Networking assists you in identifying opportunities for partnerships, joint ventures, or new areas of expansion for your business.Here are my 3 tips to prosper at networking: 1.       Just like in sales, it's more important to “listen” than to be the one doing all the talking.2.       Prepare ice breakers and conversational pieces ahead of time 3.       Find professional networking events to attend (either in-person or virtually) that align with your goals and/or your industry.I'm going to leave you with a quote from Bob Burg, Hall of Fame Speaker and Best Selling Author, “The successful networkers I know, the ones receiving tons of referrals and feeling truly happy about themselves, continually put the other person's needs ahead of their own." Thank you so much for listening to, A Life You Love: Sales Tips with Jennifer Fisher – I look forward to continuing the conversation next week.Now go LIVE, the sales life you love!Let's connect on LinkedIn!

Episode #59 - The Attitude of SuccessWhat makes some people very successful in sales? What are their thought patterns which make them super successful? As the cliche holds successful people don't do different things they just do things differently.What attitudes do you have right now? How are they preventing you from being successful? Do you believe it's possible for you to succeed in this world? Do you believe in yourself enough to bet on yourself? Do you have the grit and commitment to keep going when the world conspires against you? Do you have a dedication to hard work? Are you dedicated to a lifetime of personal growth and learning? These are the attitudes that form the foundation upon which success can be built. Without them, it won't happen.Where do you stand with each of these attitudes?I'm going to leave you with a quote from Helen Keller:“Your success and happiness lie within you.”Thank you for listening to A Life You Love: Sales Tips with Jennifer Fisher. Would love to hear your thoughts on the podcast. Please consider leaving a review here Let's connect on LinkedIn

Episode #58 - The Power of the Follow UpIn today's episode, I'm going to talk about the power of the follow-up. Most of your business's prospective customers will not buy from you instantly. You cannot simply introduce someone to your products or services once and expect that they will go the rest of the way by themselves. Unfortunately, this simply isn't true.The first point of contact is important, of course. You never get a second chance to make a first impression. But many salespeople and marketers make the mistake of crafting a perfect sales email, holding a great meeting, running a fantastic product demo, and then sitting back and doing nothing.If you're guilty of this, you might need to perfect your sales follow-ups. Read on to learn how to do this, and why it matters.What is a follow-up in sales?A sales follow-up is what you do after your initial pitch to encourage the prospective customer to take action. Sales follow-ups can be conducted in a number of ways — the most common methods are telephone and email.Mastering your sales follow-up is a critical skill for sales reps, however, many don't follow up enough.According to a study by Brevet, 80% of sales require an average of five follow-ups in order to close the deal. However, 44% of sales reps follow up with a prospect only once before giving up. After four follow-ups, 94% of salespeople have given up.That's an awful lot of potential sales that are never being closed, and potential revenue that is being left on the table.Reticence over following up is understandable. Salespeople are very aware that their profession can carry a reputation for being pushy or aggressive. You don't want to be seen as annoying or not taking the hint, so you simply stop following up.However, do you know the number one reason why a prospect won't get back to you? It's not because they aren't interested, it's because they are busy. Decision-makers have a lot of conflicting priorities to juggle and many different demands on their time. According to Harvard Business Review, professionals have on average over 200 emails in their inbox at any one time.In other words, they're (probably) not ignoring you because they don't want what you have to offer. You just need to be tenacious to get their attention because they have a lot going on. For Sales Follow-Up Techniques1. Use a variety of follow-up methods.2. Space it out.3. Provide value with each follow-up.4. Always define the next steps.5. And when following up with emails, Subject lines matter.6. Keep it brief.7. Know when to stop.Don't Be Afraid of Follow-upsMany salespeople are afraid of the follow-up stage of the sales process. This is because they fear annoying the prospect, being seen as a spammer, or even losing a potential sale due to following up too much.So, as I close this week's podcast, here are my 3 tips to follow up successfully:1.       Think of unique ways of following up with your prospects2.       Always add value with each and every follow-up3.       Space out your follow-up – use the right cadence for your industry.I'm going to leave you with a quote from Michelle Moore, author of Selling Simplified:“Not following up with your prospects is the same as filling up your bathtub without first putting the stopper in the drain”.Let's connect on LinkedIn and please leave a review here. 

Episode 57 - Julie Hansen Using Video to Build RelationshipsI have a special treat today for all my listeners – Julie Hansen!Julie helps sales teams successfully present, connect, and communicate with customers in virtual or hybrid environments.  Julie is the author Look Me In The Eye: Using Video to Build Relationships with Customers, Partners, & Teams, which was named the Top Sales Book of 2021, and the creator of the Selling On Video Master Class.In addition to an award-winning sales career, Julie worked as a professional actor performing in over 75 plays, commercials, movies, and television shows, including HBO's Sex & the City.Connect with Julie on LinkedIn or through her website at https://juliehansen.live/

Episode 56 - Tips for ProspectingAs we are halfway through February, most of us have already had our kickoffs, we've got quotas and budget numbers that we need to hit, and we need to be heads down prospecting!  And we all know how no one likes to prospect. Sales reps continue to dream of a world where new business just happens to find its way to each of us. Our phones are ringing off the hook with inbound new business – what a beautiful world. But then it's time to wake up from that dream and get to work. It's time to pick up the phone and make outbound prospecting calls. Outbound prospecting calls are a fast, cost-effective, and powerful part of the B2B sales process. A prospecting strategy is essential for B2B. You've probably heard that prospecting calls are dead. You've probably been told that in the age of outbound email, social selling, and other modern B2B lead generation techniques, there's no place for it.Outbound phone calls have been around for over 100 years and guess what? It's not going anywhere. Most of the people who claim outbound calling doesn't work aren't doing it correctly or just plain don't want to do it. If you put the effort in and get it right, it can be the most powerful weapon in your B2B sales arsenal. Outbound calling success comes down to the work you put in before you pick up the phone. The better you plan, the more likely you are to win. Define your outbound call objectives. Unfortunately, “smile and dial” isn't a proper cold calling strategy. Before you pick up that phone, you need to sit down and plan. What do you want to achieve from your cold calls? Are you looking to book a meeting? Invite the prospect to attend a webinar? Persuade them to view a live demo of your product?And also take some time to define your call-to-action or CTA before each call. Outbound calls are just phase one of a multi-stage sales process. Your goal might just be to move the prospect onto the next stage – and that's ok! Once you understand where you want the conversation to go, the route becomes much clearer. Next, build a highly targeted prospect list: Being generic will get you nowhere. You need to build a laser-targeted prospect list, focusing on an extremely narrow slice of the market.And in order to do this, identify your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP)This is the single most important thing when creating an outbound call strategy. If you're speaking to the wrong people, everything else will fall to pieces.   The benefits of a precise ideal customer profile are high-quality leads, better outbound targets, greater efficiency, and consequently, more revenue - this all results in a more motivated, confident sales team. So, take your time and get it right!Provide value and resourcesResources to help provide support to your prospect, resources to help solve a challenge, etc. This is a great way to become a trusted advisor. The focus should always be on your prospect. It's not about you. If you continue to share valuable resources with them and ask for nothing in return at this moment, you are building credibility – which will go a long way when they are ready to move forward.And as you share valuable resources, use what I like to call, your “client voice”. You don't want to say how amazing you and your products are, but if you use your client voice, you're sharing that your clients like these resources and find them valuable. An example of this is “many of my clients in this industry find these data trends helpful when building out their strategic plans”. As you can see, it's about the client and the prospect – not about me!3x3 ResearchOnce you have your list, use the 3x3 methodology to research your client. 3 things in 3 minutes. You don't want to go down a rabbit hole for hours doing research. You don't need to know every

Episode 55 - Megan Scott on AuthenticityI am excited to share this week's podcast with all of you. My guest today is a former colleague and passionate sales professional with a focus on helping others through authenticity in the sales process.Megan Scott is a Growth Specialist at HubSpot where her focus is helping businesses create delightful customer experiences.Megan is passionate about authenticity in a human-centric sales process. Over 10 years, she has sold into industries including international education, video software, and CRM tech. Megan's not afraid to make moves – whether across the US to cities, sight unseen, or around the world for study and adventure, she leaps into learning and believes that excellent communication grows from an excellent understanding of oneself and the people at the core of every decision. Megan would love to connect with you on LinkedIn Please reach out!As always, I love hearing feedback and topic suggestions from you. Please reach out to me via LinkedIn to continue the conversation.

Episode 54 - Adaptability Intelligence (AQ)Over the last 2 years, people will tell you that they have adapted to change in how we live our lives now, especially with covid. People have made lifestyle changes to help protect themselves and keep their families safe. On a macro level, this makes sense. Covid forced us into these lifestyle changes. But on a micro-level, how do you handle change? What if your company is implementing a new CRM system? What if your sales process is changing and you have to learn a new methodology? Many people may say that they can handle change well, they'll even say this in job interviews. But are you really adaptable to change?This is where the adaptability quotient comes in, or AQ for short. The way we work, live, and relate to one another is fundamentally shifting. Extraordinary technological advancements in automation and artificial intelligence, disruptive innovation, and globalization have resulted in an unprecedented rate of change. In the business world, leaders are constantly having to rethink how their organizations create value and stay relevant in an uncertain environment. In addition, the future of work is rapidly changing. The expiration date of employee skills is being shortened by technological advancements, so much so that a typical business competency is relevant for approximately 4 years, which is down from 30 years in 1984 – wow! The World Economic Forum estimates 65% of jobs that currently exist will no longer exist by the time today's grade school children enter the workforce. Crazy, right?So, what is the adaptability quotient? AQ is the ability to determine what's relevant, to forget obsolete knowledge, overcome challenges, and adjust to change in real-time. Those with a high AQ demonstrate the following behaviors:·       Open-mindedness: they actively work on managing their unconscious biases to remain open to possibilities.·       They actively seek to view situations from the perspectives of others.·       They prioritize developing new skills and continually invest in their own learning to better prepare themselves for an uncertain future.From IQ to EQ to now AQThank you for listening to A Life You Love! Connect with me on LinkedIn and let me know how you strengthen your AQ.

Episode 53 - Building Good Habits in SalesI just came back from an exciting week at my company's One WorldStrides EDGE conference to kickoff 2022. Almost 700 employees attended from 5 countries – such an amazing and inspiring time. The word EDGE in the conference name stands for Education, Diversity, Growth, and Experiences which is the backbone of what we do in developing study abroad and educational travel experiences. This conference felt so good for my soul. Just the ability to see so many of our teammates in person, laughing and bonding together. We listened to a fabulous keynote address from Erica Dhawan on connectional intelligence, product showcases highlighting all of the divisions at WorldStrides, a conference hall with all of our ERG booths, we hopped on buses for an educational tour of DC (mimicking our middle and high school programs) and finished off the conference with an International Gala. We had food stations from all of the world and met Jufu – who is the new sponsor of our Gap year programs. All in all, a terrific time and so glad we were able to come together in person for this very special 2022 kickoff.Now that we're back from the conference, it made me think about good habits in sales that each of us needs to exemplify in order to be successful in 2022.The difference between an average salesperson and a good one is staggering. Average reps hit their quota – most of the time – while good ones don't just consistently hit, they have blow-out months and quarters. Good sales reps earn their prospects' admiration, loyalty, and referrals. They skillfully handle objections and preemptively surface concerns to make them disappear. A good salesperson has more to offer customers and prospects than an exciting pitch – they're enthusiastic individuals with resilience and they take the time to get to know their customers' needs, show empathy, and deal in a product in confidence. They also know how to handle rejection and learn from both their most successful deals and ones lost.A few of these characteristics include being delightful. A positive first impression is important in establishing a professional relationship. As a salesperson, you should have a well-put-together appearance and an inviting demeanor.Good salespeople are enthusiastic. They will put the work in even when it gets tough. Being motivated to get the job done shows that you are passionate. While friendliness is a good trait, you have to let your customers know you're prepared too. Customers want to make deals with salespeople who are dependable, fact-driven, and likely to ask questions and deliver the answers they're looking for. Salespeople also need to be resilient, attentive, and thorough. Sales numbers can vary from time to time, but that doesn't deter a good salesperson. Instead of getting discouraged, you'll rethink your game plan and get back to work. Salespeople understand that each customer has different needs. Actively listening to their pain points can help you create a deal they'll value. They are also an expert in what they're selling. Demonstrating that you're knowledgeable makes you more reputable in the eyes of customers. Let me know  how you build good habits in sales - message me on LinkedIn