"The Navigator" News Blog

HANDLING THE TRANSITION: Saving Customers in Times of Big Changes

“Hi, Troy,” the email began. “I’ve just purchased [the name of the company that does my Web work], and I just wanted to introduce myself.”  This type of email, starting with this type of sentence, strikes … Continue reading HANDLING THE TRANSITION: Saving Customers in Times of Big Changes

You Just Got the Sale. Now What?

A while back, I was doing some initial consultations with a client that does custom machined parts for industry.  The salesperson is the outside relationship manager, and they have an internal sales team that handles the … Continue reading You Just Got the Sale. Now What?

In Sales, Sometimes You Must Slow Down to Go Fast.

I’ve said before that I used to drive race cars, as did my Dad and my Granddad.  They were better than I was, but I enjoyed it.  I’ll always remember one of the best pieces of … Continue reading In Sales, Sometimes You Must Slow Down to Go Fast.

The Long List of Things Your Customers Don’t Care About

I had an interesting conversation with a sales manager recently about a customer complaint. His first response was to list all the problems his company was having – staffing issues, supply chain delays, internal reorganizations. I … Continue reading The Long List of Things Your Customers Don’t Care About

You Can’t Beat Your Competitors If You’re Trying to Be Your Competitors

I had an interesting conversation last week.  I was talking to a prospective client and toward the end of the conversation, he said, “You should know that I’m talking to one of your competitors, too.  Would … Continue reading You Can’t Beat Your Competitors If You’re Trying to Be Your Competitors

How is the “Amazon Effect” Impacting B2B Selling?

You’ve probably heard of the “Amazon effect.”  In fact, you’ve probably read my articles that mention it.  Essentially, the “Amazon effect” refers to the way that Amazon’s business model, supply chain, and shipping capabilities have changed … Continue reading How is the “Amazon Effect” Impacting B2B Selling?

People Buy From People They Like – Right?

I’m going to give you a quick peek behind the curtain of sales training.  Here’s what (smart) sales trainers do:  They attempt to predict buyer behavior patterns, and then create techniques designed to work with those … Continue reading People Buy From People They Like – Right?

Is Sales Negotiation Obsolete?

I had an epiphany yesterday.  I was doing a program for a Vistage group in Omaha, Nebraska (one of my favorite places to visit).  We were discussing sales compensation in the hiring process, and one of … Continue reading Is Sales Negotiation Obsolete?

How To Have a Successful Training Session

Lately, it’s seemed fashionable for a lot of sales trainers to write articles about “why sales training doesn’t work,” which of course allows them to slyly inject why THEIR sales training is the only sales training … Continue reading How To Have a Successful Training Session

How to Build a Relationship Foundation in 30 Minutes

Recently, while perusing discussions on my LinkedIn groups, I saw a statement that can only be described as a doozy:  another sales trainer posted, “I can teach you to build a relationship, based on trust, that … Continue reading How to Build a Relationship Foundation in 30 Minutes