SALES PRO INSIDER BLOG

It’s Not Small Talk; It’s Smart Talk

by Nancy Bleeke | Jun 19, 2019

For two weeks I looked forward to a sales appointment. An appointment where I was the buyer, not the provider. My company desperately needed the service being offered and I had high hopes I was going to get a solution to a nagging issue.Imagine my surprise then when Mark showed up at my office, sat at my table, opened his portfolio and said,...

Why is Getting New Clients So Hard? 3 Hidden Traps You Don’t Know You’ve Fallen Into

by Nancy Bleeke | May 22, 2019

How did getting new clients get so hard?When you started it was easier: You had people to talk with and maybe even some existing client relationships that followed you, but now you aren’t getting the “Yeses” you used to.What happened? Did you get bad at selling? Do you need to change your pricing? Is your business model all wrong?If you’ve asked...

A Simple Approach to Small Biz Lead Gen And the 3 Barriers to Doing What Works

by Nancy Bleeke | Apr 10, 2019

Ready to grow your business? Who isn’t? The problem is that it can be frustrating, confusing, and hard! So, let’s simplify it. Generate more leads and then convert them. Of course, doing this isn’t easy. Lead gen and lead conversion both need effort, time, confidence, resources, and skill. While my focus is on equipping people to increase their...

The Qualifying Conundrum

by Nancy Bleeke | Feb 21, 2019

No Matter What You Think…Any Client Is Not Better Than No Client. This week I’ve spoken with three different financial advisors about a very important factor when adding new clients: Not EVERYONE is going to be a good client/customer fit for you. The difference in whether the client will be a good fit or an ill-fit is found in the...

Now is the Time to Launch 2019

by Nancy Bleeke | Dec 17, 2018

Here we are at year-end…the hustle and bustle of the holidays with a year-end push for completion on projects all while trying to make time for family, and so much more to fill our days! Yet, now (as in TODAY) is the best time to launch your 2019 business success. It begins with a business review. Let’s make this review simple and...

The Great of Grateful

by Nancy Bleeke | Nov 20, 2018

We’ve officially entered the “season” of holidays for the year…closely bundled together in the US anyway, we have Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, and New Years. I’m grateful it starts with Thanksgiving. There are no gifts to stress over, no need for fancy clothes (comfy is key with the hearty food), and a...

Stop the Prospect Chase and Follow-up

by Nancy Bleeke | Oct 31, 2018

Most people know who first responders are…those heroes that charge into danger to save the day! In selling efforts, though, we are more likely to run into non-responders. Those prospects who seem to run away from you after a conversation. The non-response reaction starts harmlessly enough. You have a meeting with a prospect that seems to go...

Don’t Let Your Buyer’s Laziness Stop Your Sale

by Nancy Bleeke | Jul 31, 2018

“Nancy….you’re making this too difficult for me.” A client recently wrote those exact words to me in an email. Those are not the words I ever want to see — or hear. The email then went on to tell me how busy he was, what he wanted to “just get done”, and for me to take care of it. What came to mind as I...

Why Does Sales Still Get a Bad Rap?

by Nancy Bleeke | May 9, 2018

Just the other day, I ran into someone I haven’t seen in a very long time; we served on a school board together years ago. As we did the typical “what are you up to?” chit chat… she said, “Are you…uh… still in sales?” At first, she impressed me by remembering that I have spent the last 20 years not...

Gain Without Pain? Little Actions Lead to Big Results

by Nancy Bleeke | Feb 15, 2018

Ever notice that if you share a stretch goal or dream to a super achiever, they often respond with the, “No pain, no gain” type of comment? How do you feel when you hear that reaction? Most of us react with a big sigh…pain? As humans, aren’t we wired to avoid pain whenever we can? But what exactly is painful when we are...