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​So you’ve got a great idea but nobody is getting it?  Try reframing it with an example that will allow us to relate to something we can conceptualize.  Allowing people to visualize a concept or idea makes it easy for them to take ownership with you.   Below is an excerpt and a link to the full article.
- - Thanks, Neal Odom

The Power of A Great Example
by Amy Boone

Brief examples can be covered in a few sentences or less. This is probably the most common form of examples, as it’s nearly impossible to teach something without the use of them. Here are three specific ways you might choose to use a brief example.

First, use an example to show reality by providing concrete evidence that illustrates the idea about which you are speaking. Second, use an example to clarify new or confusing material. In the classroom setting, a teacher normally provides a lesson and then works through a few examples to show that lesson in action. Most of us would have trouble learning without the use of specific examples which illustrate more abstract concepts. Third, use a brief example to highlight important information. Just like bold, italics, underlining, or font size works to show what is important in print information, examples give weight to certain points in oral presentation. When you use an example, the audience’s attention increases because they understand this is something they need to pay attention to.

Read the full article:
​https://www.ethos3.com/2019/06/the-power-of-a-great-example/

​Prospects relate best when they can get their hands on the product and learn for themselves how it solves their problems and fits their business flow.  Product demonstrations should focus on telling a compelling story instead of simply providing a tour of the product's features and benefits, writes Sean McPheat. Make your prospect the hero of the story and your product the "magic sword" for solving a specific difficult problem.  Below is an excerpt and a link to the full article.
- - Thanks, Neal Odom

How To Customize A Compelling Story For
Your Sales Presentation
Written by Sean McPheat

How many times have you made a presentation and afterwards thought ‘that was so boring, even I wouldn’t have bought my product!’

There are many occasions where we have presented a solution and it’s not created any connection with the prospect. How, then, can we build a great presentation and really connect with the prospect?

First, lets see what we shouldn’t do in our presentation: A product demonstration should NEVER be a tour of features and functions. Why not? Because people don’t buy your products. They buy what those products will do for them. They purchase the results they will get from using them.

So, we should not be emphasizing the features and benefits. Instead, a perfect product demonstration always tells a story, using the product as the visual hook that makes the story real.

Read the full article, click - -
https://www.mtdsalestraining.com/mtdblog/how-to-customise-a-compelling-story-for-your-sales-presentation.html
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Have you ever been out-negotiated?  Yep, it has happened to me.  Sean McPheat lists some basic principles that will improve and prosper your horse-trading skills.   Below is an excerpt and a link to the full article.
- - Thanks, Neal Odom

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10 Top Qualities Of A Good Negotiator
Written by Sean McPheat

Negotiation comes from the root word ‘negotiat’ meaning ‘done in the course of business’.  In other words, it’s a natural part of the conversation process when dealing with prospects, so if you feel you’re not good at negotiating, or you don’t have the assertiveness to get a good position for yourself during a negotiation, then you are certainly missing out on carrying out better deals and working well with the prospect.  

So, what are the top qualities needed today to negotiate to a great position for yourself or your business?  Here are ten of the best:

Read the full article, click - - 
​https://www.mtdsalestraining.com/mtdblog/10-top-qualities-of-a-good-negotiator.html

Repairing a fractured customer relationship is easier and less expensive than winning a new one.  In this Harvard Business Review article Frank V. CespedesLeón Poblete has some great insight into re-winning a customer.  Below is an excerpt and a link to the full article.
- - Thanks, Neal Odom


​How B2B Companies Can Win Back Customers They’ve Lost
by Frank V. CespedesLeón Poblete

The process for reacquiring a customer requires a different approach than acquiring new ones. For one thing, your previous customers will have prior experience, knowledge, and long-held assumptions about your people and capabilities. Conversely, you have a basis for judging if that customer is worth pursuing.

In our study of 26 broken customer-supplier relationships, we found that companies that had successfully won back a customer followed a similar pattern. They identified the reasons for the initial dissolution, applied the right cost-benefit analysis, conducted an honest conversation with the customer, and accommodated their specific requirements.

To illustrate the process, we’ll use two companies, which we’ve disguised: Brex Tech and RILF. In 2009, Brex Tech, who supplied RILF with electronic components for its optical devices, lost RILF as a customer, but managed to win them back in 2012. Here’s how they did it.

Read the full article, click - - 
https://hbr.org/2019/06/how-b2b-companies-can-win-back-customers-theyve-lost

​Many times I have seen and truthfully been part of missed opportunities (as both a buyer and a seller) when simply focused on price.  As a buyer I just want to get to the price of the product, as a seller I want to make sure you understand the value you are getting for the price.   There is a delicate balance for both the buyer and the seller.  A good buyer will listen to what the seller delivers to the conversation.  Sellers sometimes want to give you the everything they know about the product, but a good seller will gage/measure the amount of information the buyer needs.  Buyers on the other hand tend to skip across to the price.  A good buyer should trust the seller to give him the information he needs to quickly understand the value being delivered.  A skill both need to have to be a win for everyone. 

Calum Coburn offers some great insight into an effective selling/buying process.  Below is an excerpt and a link to the full article. 
- - Thanks, Neal Odom

Negotiation Practices That Enhance Sales Profits

Move away from the price
Both the seller and buyer can easily get caught up on the price. One of the main mistakes made by sellers is focusing solely on price. Effective negotiating goes beyond what the customer will pay. You need to explain the value of your product in a manner which excludes financial terms. When you are selling a product that you are passionate about, you should have a few alternative conversation pointers to include.

Read the full article, click - - https://www.trainingzone.co.uk/community/blogs/calumcoburn/negotiation-practices-that-enhance-sales-profits