Printing Impressions Bill Farquharson

Tale of 11 Toothbrushes, Purging and Motivation

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:00:37 EST

By Bill Farquharson
My day started, but I was in a rut. Coffee failed to provide the spark I needed to be Mr. Motivation and crank out a “Good morning!” that didn’t sound like I was a death row inmate about to take the Green Mile, or a Cubs...

See Kati Fly. Fly, Kati, Fly!

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:01:25 EST

By Bill Farquharson
I love people who love what they do. I love watching Dustin Pedroia play second base. I love that scene in “Field of Dreams” in which Ray Liotta’s character says, “I’d have done it for nuthin!” Those who are...

A Timeline of Time: You Want it When?

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 17:31:45 EST

By Bill Farquharson
I am grateful to have the perspective I do. Having sold prior to the launch of the Internet, I am constantly amazed at what today’s sales reps take for granted. Take delivery times, for example... Many moons ago, I sold business forms. Two...

Tooter the Turtle Tries Printing Sales

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 11:33:46 EST

By Bill Farquharson
Much of life has improved since the ’60s when I was growing up. TV has not. Music hasn’t, either, but that’s a subject for a future blog post. I feel sorry for today’s kids in that they never got to watch first runs of the...

How to Read the Wall Street Journal

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 12:37:43 EST

By Bill Farquharson
A sales manager does a double take as he walks by his rep’s cubicle. The rep is leaning back in his chair, feet up on the desk and reading the Wall Street Journal . It is 8:30 in the morning, the start of prime selling time. Leaning...

The Four Best Messages to Leave in Voice Mail

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 15:05:32 EST

By Bill Farquharson
“No one returns my call.” I hear that statement daily as sales people try to explain why their sales are down. Yes, in a perfect world all voice-mail messages are returned. But we don’t live in a perfect world—and until...

What Has You too Afraid to Sell?

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 12:09:24 EST

By Bill Farquharson
Some of the best sales advice I was ever given came to me about a year after I started my career. That would have made me about 22-years old. Insert flashback here. I was selling in Worcester, MA, some 30 miles or so from the main office where my...

11 Reasons Why Selling Owners Won’t Sell

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 11:47:35 EST

By Bill Farquharson
Selling Owners (workimus maximus sellimus minumus) are a breed unto themselves. Generally appearing at dawn and disappearing late at night, this creature is an active beast and one that wears many hats: Customer Service, Accounting, Delivery,...

How Many Sales Calls Do You Make In a Day?

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 11:01:54 EST

By Bill Farquharson
A few weeks ago, I posted a survey on the landing page of both my weekly sales tips and “Short Attention Span Webinars.” There were 10 questions regarding sales activity and the reward for participating was a copy of a white paper,...

Countering the ‘Call Me After the Holidays’ Objection

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 09:23:26 EST

By Bill Farquharson
There is a sales objection that is unique to this time of year: “Call me after the holidays.” If ever there was a “check’s in the mail” client blow off, this is it. We hear prospects utter these words all the time....

Choosing NOT to Do Business with a Customer

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 14:53:15 EST

By Bill Farquharson
“A good vendor is as important as a good customer.” Those words were spoken to me nearly, gulp , 30 years ago when I was a young sales rep. It’s a long story, but my client wanted me to know how much he valued my company. The...