1) Hi Matt, thanks for the interview. In a short sentence, what companies should be interested in The Sales Corner's services?
We especially appeal to Home Based Businesses to Small Medium sized ones. This is partly due to the fact that we encourage having personal interactions with the people making decisions in their business.
2) On the other hand, who shouldn’t? What will companies NOT find in The Sales Corner?
To be honest, there's not a company I would feel comfortable with saying we cannot help in some way. In the world today, whether you are a sole owner, or a corporate president, there's usually something that The Sales Corner can offer you. It's just a matter of identifying what that something is.
3) Besides your websites (http://www.thesalescorner.us/), what other sales websites would you recommend?
I would have a few for this question to give your readers a good idea of what kind of people we work with. These are all websites that we have a direct interaction with at some level of The Sales Corner. We personally endorse them!
Recently nominated as one of the 50 Most Influential People in Sales Lead Management, Drew Stevens works with senior officers (CEO’s, Presidents) and Sales Directors who struggle with their sales teams to meet organizational goals and acquire new clients. Drew helps them to create relationships with economic buyers so that sales people close sales quickly and gain more revenue. He is a frequently requested keynote speaker and the author of seven books. He conducts over 40 international keynotes, Seminars and Workshops per year. Dr. Drew is the founder of the Sales Leadership Certificate one of only 14 programs in the United States offering an accredited degree in the profession of selling.
As Chief Results Officer for her 10 year old international executive coaching and consulting, Leanne Hoagland-Smith is not the typical coach or consultant. She holds a Masters in Science from Purdue University, she's the author of over 1,600 articles, a weekly business columnist for Post-Tribune of Northwest Indiana, regular contributor to NBiz Magazine as well as to other regional business journals and the author of Be the Red Jacket in a Sea of Gray Suits, and believes in a no nonsense approach.
Part of being at The Sales Corner, means taking advantage of opportunities to tell people of "new school" tools that are hitting the market of Sales.
This is a place to be! I recently wrote a review on them here - http://www.thesalescorner.us/blog/2010/10/13/intromojo-review/ - I would highly recommend anyone trying to be proactive to utilize tools like Intro Mojo and find a way to integrate them into their sales processes! Tools like this take a place in "new school" sales roles! It's very awesome!
4) How about your preferred sales/business books?
This is a hard one for me. Most people I know have read several books in this kind of category. I find myself at a loss. As I was growing up, holding my attention in a book was hard. I could attribute this to several things that seemingly came into the way of staying focused on the words in front of me. Occasionally I read a book, but I never make it through for one reason or another. Instead I find myself reading White Papers about technologies, Press Releases and taking time to learn that way, through what's being done and available as knowledge I can gain to come up with new ways to sell, or think, or position a product solution set. I spend most of my time developing relationship which result in a higher sell rate for myself, or result in a new opportunity months from when I started talking to someone, or learning something new. I'm a huge fan of Trigger Selling
, and selling on the idea that I have something someone wants. I would recommend Dale Carnegie books, programs, and associated literature!
, and selling on the idea that I have something someone wants. I would recommend Dale Carnegie books, programs, and associated literature!5) How did you get started in sales?
Officially I got started when I worked at Silicon Graphics as an Inside Sales Support person. All I did at first was take calls and send documents, routing customers to "The Sales Rep." Prior to that, I worked many years in Customer Services. I also did some bit of technical support and aspired to be a Hardware Engineer. Only with time, and going through a series of layoffs, ups and downs in the Technology Industry, I found a role in Sales which has definitely carried my into the sales career I am in today. I'm a firm believer and practitioner that "Sales" is in the center of every business. After all, opportunities closing, keeps the lights on and the product reputations going!
6) Most memorable sale?
Every sales opportunity has been different in some way or another for me. The people make the opportunity memorable. I've worked with a lot of people over the years in my sales role. Sometimes some of the most important sales opportunities that I have uncovered are not due to the direct prospecting but simply being in good connection with my clients, customers, and their needs. I like to stay in touch with people, and I'll use anything I can in my arsenal to draw a conversation. Conversations open the doors!
7) Most disastrous sale (or funny situation)?
I'm pretty optimistic. I've found that lost sales in my territories were due to changes in an organization or something that was not under my control, such as "projects put on hold" or people changing the way they want to work. I think everyone has, at some point has that "big one" that could have worked out and didn't. People like myself just like to ride the waves as far as they can go. Sometimes they don't go as far as you think. Most of the time though, they do, and often sales will close.... you just have to give them time, and make sure you've put all the information in front of the buyers that you can. The rest is up to them to make an informed decision!
8) What is the biggest mistake you see as a sales expert?
Management that do not take their sales teams seriously. I see a lot of management that don't spend money training their teams or crossing the borders in an organization to allow their sales people to better understand the products, application uses, etc. They would rather put a set of numbers and expectations in front of their sales reps, and expect them to achieve. Rather than learn how each of their sales reps would utilize their training to sell, or establish processes to make their selling effectiveness better and more worthwhile for the company.
Also being “unproactive” is also very common. I'm referring to the sales methods where you sit and wait for the phone to ring, or you wait for the fax to go off, and then respond. As a sales person, I've always been very proactive, at just about everything I can. When you're selling, you need to communicate....about everything you can, which ultimately gives you the best handle on the sales opportunities and puts you in place to sell effectively.
Also being “unproactive” is also very common. I'm referring to the sales methods where you sit and wait for the phone to ring, or you wait for the fax to go off, and then respond. As a sales person, I've always been very proactive, at just about everything I can. When you're selling, you need to communicate....about everything you can, which ultimately gives you the best handle on the sales opportunities and puts you in place to sell effectively.
9) What is the best sales advice you have ever received?
I work well with all kinds of people. One of the most important things that I've learned is that in every sales method, there's a "curve." Most of the time I think people will get to the top of their curve, and start to go down. The best advice I've had is to always find a way to remain at the top of that "curve" which ultimately means being able to stay ahead of "the sales game" and always being at your best, in whatever you can.
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To know more about Matt Geier and The Sales Corner, please visit: http://www.thesalescorner.us
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