Short Attention Span Sales

Note: Click here to provide input on YOUR sales challenges.Earlier in the year, if Bill Farquharson or Kelly Mallozzi had asked, "What are your top sales challenges?" you might have replied with answers like, Voicemail or Time Management. But in this Summer of COVID, those seem like simple matters.Separate of each other and based on conversations with clients and sales people in the graphic arts, Bill and Kelly each came up with a list and share it live in this week's Short Attention Span Sales podcast.After you listen, make sure to go to ShortAttentionSpanSales.com to take part in a quick survey/questionnaire. Help Bill and Kelly identify your sales challenges and then be a part of the solution.For more information, contact Bill at 781-934-7036 or BillFarquharson.com. Kelly can be found at 773-680-5134 or SuccessInPrint.net

Sometimes ideas come flying out and other times…nothing. The lack of motivation translates to a lack of inspiration and creativity. For example, there was no Short Attention Span Sales Podcast last week. In this week’s episode, Bill Farquharson and Kelly Mallozzi say why and talk about how it relates to sales.

"What was once optional is now mandatory"Back in the day, as we legacy sales reps like to say, you could get away with shoddy skills and a somewhat inconsistent approach. Business was good, the economy strong, and no one was wearing a mask.No more. Now, in this COVID-19 world many of the once-optional rules and practices of sales are mandatory if your goal is to sell successfully and profitably. Which rules? To prepare for this Short Attention Span Sales Podcast, Bill Farquharson and Kelly Mallozzi each made a list of the 5 must-have sales skills they believe are required and reveal them to each other for comment.

If you are buying into the "It will take time, but we'll get back to normal" theory, you should seriously consider spending time on this question, "What if my market is gone?" All of us would love to think once the dust settles, business will return as it was. The truth is, no one knows what comes next and you need to be prepared for the possibility that your client base (read: target market) will look nothing like what it did before the world got COVID19-ed. Where does that process start?Funny you should ask.In this Short Attention Span Sales podcast, Bill Farquharson and Kelly Mallozzi give you some brain candy to chew on, questions to ask, and shine a light on a subject few are talking about but many are waking up to find. Give this subject 20 minutes to avoid getting blind-sided by reality.

Okay, you are ready for the sales reboot. Your pencils are sharpened. You have new clothes. The car is full of gas. Your potential clients are ready.But...You have a little bit of wait time left. What should you do before you hit the sales trail again? First and foremost, listen to this Short Attention Span Sales podcast. Bill Farquharson and Kelly Mallozzi will give you their opinions on what they think your "musts" are.

With talk turning to rebooting the economy, your customers and prospects will have one question: How? If you can answer that question, you can not only help them rebound and drive sales but help yourself at the same time. Got a plan?In this Short Attention Span Sales podcast, Bill Farquharson and Kelly Mallozzi offer up a new idea to quickly and easily get into good sales conversations. If you are a fan of simplicity, you'll love what you are about to hear!Want more? Go to BillFarquharson.com or contact Bill at 781-934-7036 or bill@aspirefor.com

They come night and day, attacking when you least expect it: You will fail. No one is buying right now. Today's the day you are fired. Sales Terrors.In this Short Attention Span Sales podcast, Bill Farquharson and Kelly Mallozzi talk about how to defend against that internal voice that works to destroy your confidence and defeat your sales momentum. A good sales approach starts with a good attitude. Get one here.

Did you know why it's so important for a car sales rep to get you behind the wheel for that test drive? Because one in three people who drive a car buy a car. Think that might work with a plant tour?So do we!Bill Farquharson and Kelly Mallozzi use this Short Attention Span Sales podcast to discuss 4 elements of a killer-good plant tour. Make it so customers are blown away by your facility.

If you are in sales, being called "Old School" is both a badge of honor and a designation of being a little behind the times. But here's the thing: Old School still works despite the options that technology offers. Rather than to dismiss it, then, why not embrace the lessons that come from sticking to the fundamentals and keeping it simple?In this Short Attention Span Sales podcast, Bill Farquharson and Kelly Mallozzi (a pair of sales people who most definitely fit the description of being Old School) discuss 4 timeless sales techniques from the/their past you might want to apply now.

We all have top accounts, those clients who make up a double digit percentage of our sales volume. Lose any one of them and it creates a significant void. This Short Attention Span Sales podcast tells you how to keep and even grow these anchor accounts by sharing 4 things you must know about them. It's not enough to simply understand their buying cycle and when the next big order is coming up. Today, sales people have a greater responsibility for more indepth knowledge.Spend 19 minutes listening to Bill Farquharson and Kelly Mallozzi. It might just be the preventative medicine you needed to keep riding that wave of customer success.

Okay, so Bill and Kelly told you the things they wish someone had told them about sales in a previous Short Attention Span Sales podcast. In this episode, they cover the things they did know ahead of time that they now know you should know.Bill Farquharson and Kelly Mallozzi have a combined 70 years in sales. They know a thing or two because they've seen a thing or two...or in this case, four. Shorten your success learning curve by listening to your elders......and then download the checklist of this podcast.

Warning: If you are just starting out, this Short Attention Span Sales episode might scare you...to the point of trying something a little less challenging and frustrating than sales. Listen at your own peril.You know sales is difficult. Bill and Kelly did, too. But it would have been a lot easier had someone shared a few secrets and tips for survival. This podcast helps to fill you in on a few points of knowledge that will bring you to success faster.And be sure to visit the website to download a checklist of this episode.

"Did-ya sell anything today?" must be the worst thing a sales manager can say to a sales rep. However, let's forgive their lack of abilities. Like kids, sales people don't come with instruction manuals so it is not automatically understood how to treat, talk to, and most importantly, manage, a sales team.Imagine if your child said to you, "Here's what I need from you..." It'd make life a lot easier, don't you think? Well, despite having 11 kids between them, Bill Farquharson and Kelly Mallozzi don't have the answers for your parenting woes. They can, however, help out with some ideas for helping your manager to manage.After you take in this Short Attention Span Sales podcast episode, be sure to visit the website to download a checklist.

Is voicemail a sales rep's friend or enemy? Well, this Short Attention Span Sales podcast episode might change the hearts of you VM haters first by talking about the mistakes you are making and then showing you how to use it as a powerful selling tool.Bill Farquharson and Kelly Mallozzi have a different outlook on voicemail. They see it as an audition, not a moat build around the castle where the clients live. As such, they want to make sure you are ready for your close up.Listen to what Bill and Kelly have to say and then find their actionable checklist as well as other SASS episodes on the website: ShortAttentionSpanSales.com

FINALLY! You are given the opportunity to quote a job. After dogged pursuit, you've caught car you were chasing (see what we did there?). The specs are reviewed. Estimating has done their thing. The pencil has been sharpened. You happily deliver your price and then....nothing.Calls go unanswered. Emails seem ignored. Your head swirls with doubt and assumptions.Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?In this 18 minute Short Attention Span Sales podcast episode, you will hear Bill Farquharson and Kelly Mallozzi give you the proper protocol for what needs to be done to avoid the ghosting we all experience. After listening, go to the website to download a checklist summary of this material while reviewing the list of other episodes.

No other part of social media is more important to sales people than LinkedIn, and yet reps spend almost no time or energy on their homepage. That'd be like releasing a movie on DVD and printing the words, "Yeah, it's an okay movie" on the back jacket as a testimonial.Your LinkedIn homepage is an opportunity to make or break a new client relationship. This is where people go to find out more information on that persistent rep that keeps calling on them. Follow these 4 "Musts" from Bill Farquharson and Kelly Mallozzi and learn how to build an online profile that makes you look like the Wizard of Oz and not someone hidden behind the curtain.

If you are simply "shutting down" and calling it a day, you are likely leave an important task undone. There is one more thing that needs to be done before you can call a day complete. Strike that.Actually, there are 4 Things To Do Before You Go Home For The Day, as pointed out in this Short Attention Span Sales podcast episode. Bill Farquharson and Kelly Mallozzi have rebooted SASS to take a more instructional approach, helping listeners improve sales. Give this episode a listen and tell them what you think by logging in to the website and providing some feedback.

Scott Cappel is a printer's printer. San Diego-based, Scott led his company not only as its owner but also the one and only sales rep. Ever. When he sold his client list, he faced a choice: Either walk those awful beaches under perfect skies and play golf day after day or...dive back in to another aspect of the graphic arts. Tough choice, Scott!In this Short Attention Span Sales podcast episode, Bill interviews his long-time friend and introduces him to Kelly so you can hear about Scott's journey from master printer to Certified Master Advertising Specialist (yup, that's a thing).Think it's easy to sell promo? Think again if your goal, like Scott's, is to do it profitably.

On the surface, it's ideal: You make your own hours while living in an unsupervised environment, free to sell, make lunch for the kids, or watch Mrs. Maisel again because it's just that good.But you won't.Instead, you'll end up working harder than if you were in a traditional work environment. The joy of working from home is clear. The pain, well, that wasn't exactly in the brochure. Bill and Kelly have worked from their respective homes for decades and know a thing or two about the rules for thriving in the work part and surviving the home part. In this Short Attention Span Sales podcast episode, they put down the bonbons and the TV remote long enough to share some thoughts.Sponsored by The PIA iLearning Center, where you'll find two Advanced Sales Training classes, one on selling to vertical markets and the other on selling digital/inkjet printing.

If there was a Sales 101 book that detailed every aspect of the selling process, included "how-to" instructions, and specific step-by-step tasks, would you read it? Neither would Bill Farquharson nor Kelly Mallozzi. Too boring. But, there are non-sales books which are far more interesting and valuable to help reps do their job better.This Short Attention Span Sales podcast episode is something of a book report. Bill and Kelly cover 11 of their top choices for must-reads (or in the case of one, must-listen to) and there is nothing boring about any of them.

Dr. Joe Webb once said, "Printers don't invest in new technology until they start losing business to it." Early adopters to digital printing found a vast landscape of opportunity largely devoid of competition. Variable data print came next, allowing companies already experts in database management to solve print problems with new solutions and winning spectacular and creative jobs on ideas, not price.What's next? Enter 3D Printing.In this Short Attention Span Sales podcast episode, Charlie Grace, Chief Customer Officer at ExOne, explains why you should know about this new opportunity. Charlie has an extensive industry background that gives him a unique perspective, one that can benefit forward-thinking printers and print sales people.Is 3D Printing right for you? Should you care? What are the free and easy steps to take that provide the answers? That's what Bill and Kelly set out to investigate. If you missed out on digital and variable, here's another opportunity to be a pioneer.

We all know we need to go to the gym. We all know we should be selling every day. Cardio, toning. Prospecting, new business. Procrastination, excuses, laziness, guilt, goals, motivation, accountability, support...The similarities go on and on. Daily exercise and daily sales activities are cousins.Do you know someone who works out every day? Bill Farquharson does. Her name is Kati Maskell. Bill has long admired her commitment and drive. Not only did Kate reach her goal, but she continued to exercise well past it, setting the bar higher and higher and finding new sources of motivation. In this Short Attention Span Sales podcast episode, we learn Kati's secret for doing the thing we should all be doing on a daily basis. We also find out if Kati Maskell got her drive to succeed from Bill...her father!

You are walking the floor of a trade show, going past boring booth after boring booth and then BAM! You find yourself looking at two guys in blue and white suits. Upon closer inspection, they look like they are wearing the sky. This is exactly what Kelly Mallozzi experienced and one of those two guys, Scott Eganhouse, is our special guest today. Scott talks about being different and passionate, two keys to his success and two components that might be missing from your sales approach. Listen as Kelly and Bill Farquharson talk about what's needed in order to stand out from the crowd.

Matthew Parker knows a lot about print. He's seen both sides of the equation: Buying it and being a cheerleader for it. In his current role, he teaches print sales people how to overcome the many challenges they face in order to get in front of decision-makers. As an author and presenter, Matthew comes to his with a unique perspective. In this episode of Short Attention Span Sales, Kelly and Bill hear from across the pond as Matthew Parker, Champion of Print, talks on subjects ranging from how the buying and selling roles have changed, the new skills necessary, and even his belief that the print sales rep job must be eliminated.

What happens when you take an outgoing personality, put it on the road, and let a few decades pass? Well, you get a story or two to tell. Bill has shared some stories of his early sales days and some from his consulting experience. In this, the third of three installments of You Can't Make This Stuff Up, you'll hear everything from an awkward massage moment to getting "burned" on a golf course. Will this Short Attention Span Sales podcast episode make you a better sales rep? Nope. But, if you have some windshield time coming up and want to hear some fun stories, spend 23 minutes here.

Okay, so we've talked about how to transition to digital/inkjet print sales. Then came that email from a thoroughly freaked out print veteran sales rep that thoroughly freaked us out. So, we made a follow up episode that talked about what management needs to do in order to train print sales reps to sell digital and inkjet printing. But, here's the thing: The reps themselves have a responsibility and a chip in this game. This is part two in our look at who's responsible for moving sales reps into this new digital age. On the line with us again is Cliff Hollingsworth, a Business Development Coach for AlphaGraphics and longtime user/advisor/implementor of digital print. Give a listen. It's one more step along your path to digital/inkjet print success.

News flash: Sales meetings suck. To the sales reps, it's a wrist-rolling, are-we-almost-done, snooze-fest. For managers, it's one more thing to do, necessary as a way to keep up and share information, but often poorly organized and loquacious (Google it). Bill Farquharson and Kelly Mallozzi have been through their share of sales meetings and have even run a few themselves. In this Short Attention Span Sales episode, learn how to create and run an effective sales meeting, one that keeps everyone engaged and checks all of the boxes.

In a previous SASS episode, Transitioning to Digital/Inkjet Printing, Cliff Hollingsworth, Business Development Coach for AlphaGraphics (his title) and digital sales expert (our opinion), talked about what print sales reps need to do in order to sell digital/inkjet printing. A listener's email to Bill Farquharson got us thinking about where the responsibility lies for teaching applications and selling skills. Is it in the hands of management? Yes! But what about the reps themselves, what can they do? And then there's the vendors and, oh yeah, what about the industry itself? This episode is the first of 4 follow up recordings where Bill and Kelly Mallozzi reconnect with Cliff to discuss all possible resources for educating those front-line sales people who are charged with making the digital and inkjet equipment profitable. In Part One, we'll cover management's responsibility.

Surely, you've heard about PRINTING United (October 23-25 in Dallas) but have you heard about convergence? That's what's behind this new trade show. PRINTING United lights a fuse to the generally-accepted definition of print and explodes colors across applications and opportunities you have to see to understand. It's a crystal ball to your future in print. No one knows more about PRINTING United than its President, Mark Subers. In this Short Attention Span Sales podcast, Mark takes a deep breath and explains to Bill Farquharson and Kelly Mallozzi what the show is and why the industry needs it, all in one long sentence. You can skip your morning coffee. This episode features 1000cc of Subers enthusiasm. Buckle up!

Hey, Maverick. It's me, Goose. Are you looking around the room and wondering who is the best of the best? Me, too. I'm thinking it might be the rep working 65 hours and making 25 calls a day but I could be wrong. For sure, top gun sales reps have specific traits, habits, and characteristics that others don't. If we are to buzz the tower and make the sales manager spill his coffee everywhere, we probably should listen to Bill Farquharson and Kelly Mallozzi. Their Short Attention Span Sales podcast episode is full of information that will help us become the best of the best. Note: This episode is sponsored by the PIA's iLearning Center, where members and non-members can find courses for improving sales skills through selling to vertical markets and selling digital/inkjet printing.

A great deal of thought and consideration goes into the choice of a digital/inkjet press. The final decision is not the end of the process, however, but rather the first step. Now comes the really hard part: Filling it up with profitable work. Cliff Hollingsworth has 4 decades of experience in the industry, starting with a college degree in print management. Not only has he seen and lived the digital revolution, but he has also helped others transition to this new way of thinking and doing business. In this Short Attention Span Sales episode, Cliff talks about all things digital, from hiring a new kind of sales rep to the positioning and marketing that needs to be done.

Joe Marin is the VP of Education and Training for the Printing Industries of America and an expert on helping sales reps grow through his iLearning Center. In this Short Attention Span Sales episode, Joe talks about the skills and characteristics of the best in the business and how they got that way. Then, he'll talk about new learning options and why they work.You'll learn:What new reps need to do in order to succeed.Once you've started, what it takes to get to the next level.What veteran reps need to do in order to stay relevant.

In this second installment of the "You just can't make this stuff up" series of stories, Bill transitions from sales to consulting, starting as a fish out of water in Roanoke Virginia where his first gig would cause a near anxiety attack to a Washington DC teaching assignment that was literally life and death. Some stories are funny while others quite serious but in all cases, just make this stuff up.

You've just made the sales presentation of your life. If you were a gymnast, you'd be standing proud, having stuck the landing and awaiting your perfect "10's." However, as you meet the eyes of the customer, you realize that while you said the right thing, you forgot to take one important step first: Identify the client's personality type.Jonathan London is a world-class sales trainer and Bill's long-time friend. In this Short Attention Span Sales podcast episode, Jon talks about how to look for clues to a customer's personality. Today, with it very likely you will do most of this work over the phone, it is more important that ever to pick up and practice this advanced selling skill.

The best of the best in graphic arts have many profit centers. Whereas they used to rely almost exclusively on print, now it is increasingly less true. Where will your future revenue and, more importantly, profit, come from? In this Short Attention Span Sales podcast episode, MindFire president Dave Rosendahl talks about how printers need to learn from the leaders when it comes to tapping into new reservoirs of income.

Funny things happen in life, but they are not distributed equally. Over nearly 4 decades in sales, the list of "You can't make this up" stories in the career of podcast host Bill Farquharson is pages-long. This podcast will not make you a better sales rep. It won't enlighten you to new technology. What it will do is provide a little entertainment and perhaps remind you of your own days in this, the greatest job on the planet. In Part 1, Bill goes back to his first job out of college as a sales rep for UARCO Business Forms and tells a few tales about his desk disappearing one day, practical jokes on other reps (and payback!), and a mix up with his 800 number that started in anger and ended with an apology. Enjoy

Be impeccable with your word. Make no assumptions. Take nothing personally. Always do your best. These four statements will help you live a better life AND increase your sales at the same time. In this podcast, book expert Madeline Farquharson brings a different outlook and applies author Don Miguel Ruiz' simple and perfect book to the sales world. The Four Agreements has been on the NY Times Best Seller list for over a decade. Listen and find out why.

Do you know Trish? If you have ever seen her "Fold of the Week" videos, you know her to be an expert in her field. Trish Witkowski has built an entire business around her weekly brand-building episodes, sharing her knowledge freely. Should you do that, too? Can you? This episode talks about how one of the early adopters of video education became a sought after speaker and content creator, one creative fold at a time.

You can't be in sales and not feel the frustration that accompanies slow times. When that happens, you need answers. But first, you need to ask the right question and this episode provides both. Based on the results from a Sales Assessment Test found on BillFarquharson.com, hear how others rate themselves on the keys to sales success (explained in the episode) so you can restart your efforts and reach the next level.Note: There are two ways to listen to this episode, you can take the Sales Assessment Test ahead of time and immediately receive your answers for comparison or just listen and learn.

The books Bill Farquharson reads are best described as "different." That is, they aren't straight up business books on sales. This episode of Short Attention Span Sales [S.A.S.S] features a very special guest, Bill's daughter Madeline who is an avid reader and the Farquharson family book expert as well as Content Editor for the German audiobook company, hibooks. Listen as Bill and Madi together review The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman, a book with tremendous implications for salespeople looking to improve customer relationships. You might even strengthen a few personal relationships as well!

In this episode of Short Attention Span Sales, Bill and Kelly talk to Mindfire’s Dave Rosendahl about two major companies who killed print and paid the price. Bill and Kelly learn how giant retailers Nordstrom and J.Jill suffered when they discontinued print-based campaigns.

Is the separation of work and home a myth? Can we create a divide or is there another, more realistic and attainable goal? This Short Attention Span Sales [SASS] episode, Bill and Kelly take the subject of balancing work and life in a new direction, sharing their thoughts on how to achieve this elusive balance we all seek.

Do you hate your CRM? Is it annoying and the bane of your sales existence? Does it test your already short attention span? In this episode of Short Attention Span Sales [SASS] Bill and Kelly talk with Emily Kotecki from Bradford & Bigelow, a CRM Ninja who has taken her company's salespeople to a new level with a few educated keystrokes. Miss this one at your own peril.

The first in our series of interviews with successful salespeople who have lots to share:How did they get to the top?What shortcuts did they find?What do they know now that they wish they had known then?Benefit from the experience of salespeople who have walked the walk and talked the talk. Someday you may be the one giving the advice!In this episode of Short Attention Span Sales [SASS] Bill Farquharson and his big brother Andy talk sales success and life lessons learned while pounding the pavement.