A note to a new TM: A new way to think about time and client management.

My friend, It’s easy to think that allocating the same time and effort to each of your clients will generate the best results for you and for them. Unfortunately, some of your clients may not feel the same way. There are clients in your territory that don’t care if you or your organization wins. There

A note to a new TM: Separate the prospects from the suspects.

My friend, By now you’ve realized that not every cold call or new business meeting leads to treasure. I happen to think it’s nearly the opposite. Nonetheless, you’re responsible for adding well-qualified buyers to your territory. I recommend applying a systematic method for gauging potential and the matter-of-fact discipline needed to separate prospects from suspects.

A note to a TM: Don’t forget your customer’s customer.

My friend, you have two customers. The first customer is the client–your account per se. The second is your customer’s customer. Your job is to ensure that your products are sold in as favorable and persuasive manner as possible. You need to teach the first customer how to sell your products in order to win

A note to a TM: These three questions will seriously improve the quality of your meetings

Hello my friend, Most of your time is spent in meetings. Your clients’ often try to avoid them. Nonetheless, meetings are the medium for setting goals, training, motivation, and tracking progress. Haphazardly planned meetings are unfortunately common. They increase the likelihood of downward price pressure and disloyalty. Rather than risk underwhelming your clients, ask these

A note to a TM: “Perspective is worth 80 IQ points.”

My friend, Remember the perspective that your client shared with you last week? He was honest and to-the-point: “I never answer my phone when I know it’s a salesperson calling.” “When I see a flyer from a vendor on my desk it goes right in to the trash.” “When I see an email from a

A note to Territory Managers: Here’s the #1 thing your clients are looking for in 2021.

Happy new year my friends, I want to take some of the guesswork out growing your territory this year. Specifically, by intensely focusing your brand of service on three characteristics that improve client loyalty and sales. As a sales professional, your brand is your business (and your business is your brand). It’s your most valuable

7 ways that salespeople hurt their teams during a crisis.

For sales reps everywhere the 2020 nadir includes fewer in-person meetings, frequently distant or disgruntled clients, the struggle to mitigate the work-from-home distractions, and on-going inventory problems. Healthy, functional teams are stronger and more resilient during a crisis. Yet many sales reps’ inadvertently hurt their teams in one or more of the following ways: They

A letter to a new Territory Manager: And one more thing . . .

“People rarely buy what the company thinks it’s selling.” I wish I’d said that. I hope you’ll consider the counterintuitive probability that each of your clients works with you for reasons that may not have much to do with the products that you sell. You’re going to work with colleagues who believe that the/their/your job

A letter to a new Territory Manager.

Dear ________________________________. Congratulations on your decision to become a Territory Manager. It’s a great job and I know you’ll have a fantastic career. As the astronauts used to say, you’ve got “the right stuff.” I’ve watched many talented people become sales reps. Most make it. A few flame out. Why? If you don’t mind, here

Forces of Progress

“People don’t buy products. They buy progress.” — Clayton Christensen Business owners want their organizations to succeed on many levels. This includes, but is certainly not exclusive to, products. Additionally, significant shifts in consumer priorities are forcing owners to re-design many of their strategies. The growing interest among consumers in new brands, private labels, as