my years of buying suits, I’ve never had a rep ask me what I do for a living or what I have in my current wardrobe. Would knowing the answers to these questions help you establish deeper rapport and get deeper into my world while helping me to buy more suits? I worked with a large retail men’s clothing chain in an attempt to get them to be much mor

Think of every question your salesperson should ask in order to thoroughly understand the client’s needs. For example, in all

At my old company, we went through eight new salespeople for every one who worked out. We knew this was going to happen, so we even had a procedure for speeding that process up and getting rid of the ones who weren’t going to get the job done. If they weren’t great, they’d burn out fast.

The term quick to caution means that when children want to try something new—climb a tree, jump off the diving board, be adventurous—the parent holds them back, rather than encouraging them and being there in case they fall. My parents would have let me march into hell for a heavenly cause. That’s how I raised my children, and they are both strong

My mother was so blindly encouraging that if I’d told her, “I want to be a bank robber,” she would’ve said, “Oh son, you’d make a GREAT bank robber.” Parents who are overbearing or what I call “quick to caution the child” will raise a child who will not be effective in challenging situations.

Here’s how to spot flaws in salespeople before you even interview them. The first thing you do to anyone who applies for a job in your company is to reject them, telling them why you don’t think they can do the job. It’s not that you don’t want to hire the person. It’s that you’re looking for the unique personality profile that becomes more effecti

When was the last time you surveyed or asked your prospects or clients what’s keeping them up at night?

The one who gives the market the most and best information will always slaughter the one who just wants to sell products or services.

In the words of my good friend and fellow sales trainer Andy Miller, sales is all about building rapport, not breaking it. When people feel they’re being “sold,” they automatically resist you. When people are being educated, they have no resistance—especially if the information is good.