People remember what they see. And that goes for your sales prospects, too. It’s the science behind visual selling. That’s great, but you’re no Picasso. So what about the art side of things? No worries. All you need is a whiteboard, napkin, or business card … something to write with … and one of these five outrageously simple starting points: (1) The Wordster, (2) Numberboard, (3) Pie-licious, (4) The Lineup, and (5) X Meets Why. … [Continue reading]
Avoid the parrot (7 do’s and don’ts for B2B selling)
When it comes to delivering your sales message, there’s tremendous pressure to parrot the competition. Recent McKinsey research on B2B messaging calls out, “a surprising similarity among the brand themes that leading B2B companies emphasized.”* In a marketplace where vendors are all saying the same things, overwhelmed B2B buyers are searching for some sliver of difference between you and your competitors. Here are seven do’s and don’ts that can help you differentiate your next sales … [Continue reading]
Break the “Curse of Knowledge” before it kills your pitch
Last week I had the opportunity to provide one-on-one pitch coaching for five different entrepreneurs. It was a lot of fun. This was part of a startup competition (similar to Shark Tank) hosted by Cox and Inc Magazine. One of the concepts we covered in each session was a sales messaging principle that applies equally to startups and Fortune 500s: be incredibly specific. It sounds obvious, but it doesn’t come naturally. Here’s why. You’re too … [Continue reading]