This Day in Sales

And the Sale Drags On, La-De-Da-De-Dee

Gary S. Hart — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 16:35:45 +0000

You want to close that sale. The customer wants you to throw something in to seal the deal. You have authority to do so. “Sure,” you say, “Do we have a deal?” you ask. “Hold on. Not so fast.” And the sale drags on. Listen to this oldie I was reminded of as you read. [...]

Behind On Your Goals or Need Inspiration? Sell Like Louis Armstrong

Gary S. Hart — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 15:53:26 +0000

My friend The Irreverent Sales Girl (ISG), whose identity remains stealthily behind her mask, inspired me last night with the first line from her post, “You today have 31 days to meet your first quarter goal.” My keyboard must have been possessed, because the next think I saw was my comment “31 days to surpass…” [...]

“Selling Fearlessly: A Master Salesman’s Secrets for the One-Call-Close Salesperson” by Bob Terson – Book Review

Gary S. Hart — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 14:59:00 +0000

If you’ve ever had any fears during a sale or about your sales ability, you’re not alone. There were times in my early days of selling when I wondered if I chose the wrong career. Mentors and writers like Bob Terson taught me how to overcome my fears and become a top performer. How do [...]

New Sales Simplified by Mike Weinberg – Book Review

Gary S. Hart — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 14:00:44 +0000

Would you like to simplify and improve new business acquisition? Not only is it possible, but it’s relatively simple to do. In case you missed it, the tagline for this website is Selling Ain’t Rocket Science. Mike Weinberg’s book “New Sales Simplified” is easy for me to stump because we both believe in simplifying and [...]

How to Turn Business Nightmares into Positive Public Relations

Gary S. Hart — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 16:34:29 +0000

There are two approaches to business failures. Toyota blaming accelerator problems on driver incompetence is one way, and all too common. This is the worst method. Ford recently discovered fuel lines causing fires in their 2013 Escapes with 1.6 liter engines as they came off the assembly line. What did they do? “Don’t drive” is [...]

The Sales Professional’s Independence Day & Bill of Rights

Gary S. Hart — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 17:49:33 +0000

Early in my career, I suffered under the delusion that my job was to sell everyone. I tried relentlessly to turn around purchasing agents who sat salespeople in uncomfortable chairs until the sales rep begged for mercy and caved into brutal demands. I tolerated executives who treated account salespeople like the scum of the Earth. [...]

A Memorial Day Tribute to Two Great Mentors

Gary S. Hart — Mon, 28 May 2012 22:02:49 +0000

This site is dedicated to the sales profession and marketing. Mentors are an important. Two of the most influential people in my life were my mother and father-in-law. “They Walked Into Hell for a Heavenly Cause for You – A Memorial Day Tribute” “Dad never talks about his career” my future wife Sally insisted [...]

What is the Best Way to Break the Ice? A Networking Tip

Gary S. Hart — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 15:20:08 +0000

“What are your top opening lines when you first meet someone at a biz event i.e., a speaker lunch (particularly if you are not a confident networker)?” was asked on Focus.com. I like to think introductions as warming or melting the ice rather than breaking it. Networking and meeting new people can be daunting and [...]

Are Your Prospecting Results Disappointing?

Gary S. Hart — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 17:57:59 +0000

Are you struggling with prospecting? My last post, “Stop Selling and Start Succeeding” was about relationship selling for sustainable, profitable sales results. Building quality relationships is a step-by-step process. The first step is prospecting, and getting it right is critical. When I first began selling in 1972, I was not achieving my sales goals. My [...]

Stop Selling & Start Succeeding

Gary S. Hart — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 16:08:02 +0000

When asked “What do you sell?” my answer is “I don’t sell, I develop relationships, many of which happen to turn into business.” Bob was the president of a manufacturing company in Kansas when we met in 1983. I was selling machine tools from Long Island. Life was geopolitical back then. Because he did not [...]