Category: Articles

The Way of The Weasel & Other Fun Stuff

Life is good and it’s about to get better (smile). Mr. Mailman just arrived with my “Dilbert And The Way Of The Weasel – A Guide to Outwitting Your Boss, Your Coworkers, and the Other Pants-Wearing Ferrets in Your Life”. After what I have been thru the last couple of days with all that tech stuff, time to sit down and polish up the ol’ sales, communication, and manipulation skills (smile). Better yet, I bought this used on Amazon for $1.97 plus tax and shipping and it is in perfect condition. Even with the $20 in shipping & handling, a good value don’t you think? Joking. $6.36 out the door and to my door (smile).

O.K., need to get some other things out today or I will fall way behind my already way behind schedule (smile).

Face Book: Justin over at Tricycle Brand Development convinced me (enough) to go back to that Face Book page I started over a year ago, and never did anything with, and start filling out my profile. Deja Vu. Same thing I did with LinkedIn (smile). I must admit, Face Book does a better job of putting a human face behind the name. But, this is why I write instead of go on T.V.. Face made for radio (smile). Continue reading “The Way of The Weasel & Other Fun Stuff”

Sales 101 – Qualifying For Budget Part III

Authors note: Please be aware that this blog is being written by a sales person who knows absolutely nothing about marketing. I’m faking it (fake it till you make it) and learning about social media at the same time. Call it “survival instinct” (smile). My hope is that this site may serve to help other sales people in the same boat as I am……struggling to adapt to this new form of networking while at the same time being strangely intrigued (smile). And, it is also about coming to the realization that you either “grow or die”. Right now, I prefer growth (smile). Of course, this could change (smile).

Every now and then, I have the need to clear my mind of all things electronic and marketing and talk about my passion…Selling. After all, no matter what anybody might tell you…..nothing happens until somebody sells something (smile).  This is the third chapter of a series. You may wish to refer to Part I and Part II and, even then, please proceed at your own risk and please do not try this at home (smile).

Qualifying For Budget Part III:  This post will allow us to get to the meat of the matter. How do you effectively ask for somebody’s budget or……..how do you help them to define it. Once again, everybody has a budget.  I might approach the subject in this manner: Continue reading “Sales 101 – Qualifying For Budget Part III”

Sales 101 – Qualifying For Budget Part II

Show me the money! Repeat……Show me the money! (smile). First off, just might be good for all to review “Qualifying For Budget Part I” prior to embarking on the rest of this journey (smile). In the previous post we discussed that everybody has a budget. Today we will discuss:

  1. Why they don’t want you to know what that number is
  2. Why you desperately need to know this information
  3. The benefits for both parties involved

#1 – Why folks don’t want to share their budget Continue reading “Sales 101 – Qualifying For Budget Part II”

Sales 101 – Qualifying For Budget Part I

All this talk about “marketing” is making Craigy cranky (smile). Time to get back to the basics. Time to kick it old school. Time to talk about selling (smile).  So let’s discuss what, in my experience, is one of the probably two most challenging aspects of selling for both inexperienced and experienced sales people……………qualifying. The other would be closing (more on this later as saying that a “sales person can’t close” is largely a misnomer. Fact is….they can’t perform any of the previous selling steps properly)  and they both have to do with money. That dirty little topic that nobody seems to want to bring up (smile). Continue reading “Sales 101 – Qualifying For Budget Part I”

A Traditional NetWorkers Journey Into Web 2.0 Social Media

This is my first blog  ever. I think I have posted to a blog once. A little background might be helpful. I have been in B2B sales for over 30 years. I have been a strong practicing  believer in traditional networking for over 20 years. Of my current client base, over 90% of my clients have been as the result of some sort of networking relationship in the past.  I have been fortunate enough to have sold millions and millions of dollars in products as a result of these relationships.

I currently own and operate a traditional networking group called NetWorks! One of my goals for the group is to provide it’s members with opportunities to network outside of our group format. Which brings me to here. Continue reading “A Traditional NetWorkers Journey Into Web 2.0 Social Media”