Phone Rage or . . . Customer Delight? In July a few years ago, I received an email that caught my attention. “For a limited time, reserve your official Commemorative Jacket for the Chicago Marathon. Pre-ordered jackets will be shipped in September. Why wait until October—reserve yours today.”  (The power of email marketing!) Since...

The Secret to Handling Objections What exactly is an “objection”?  Webster’s dictionary defines “objection” as “an expression of opposition or disapproval.”  But that is not always the truth.  Sometimes it is a “get you off the phone” objection. “Handling objections,” ...

3 Tips to Change the Way You Feel About Cold Calling During the first year I sold office equipment supplies by telephone, cold calling was something I dreaded.  Until I discovered how to change the way I felt about cold calling and prospecting.  I found that when I came to the office in a terrific, cheerful mood – feeling great and full of energy – the...

8 Cold Calling Tips for Successful Calls In a perfect world, your phone would be ringing off the hook all day with clients asking to buy your products.  The reality is that if you want business, you need to go after it, and cold calling is an effective sales tactic if it’s done properly. But many small business people would rather spend an...

Are You Working Too Hard to Find New Customers? One of the greatest thrills in business is acquiring a new customer, but it is surprising how many businesses are so caught up in the excitement of acquiring new customers that they do not spend enough time or money on unlocking the value of their existing customer base. It is amazing how often businesses...