Tom Reilly's Sales Bytes - Archive
By Tom Reilly, author, How To Sell And Manage In Tough Times And Tough Markets.
You can see the most recent Sales Bytes here.
How to Fail Forward
December 8th, 2009
There is a right way to fail and the wrong way to fail. The one thing you do not want to fail at is failure. (read more…)
The Top Ten Reasons Why Salespeople Lose the Sale on Price
December 2nd, 2009
Here is a checklist for you to discuss at your next sales meeting. (read more…)
McGwire Returns to Mudville
November 10th, 2009
Louis Cardinal, Mark McGwire, is returning to St. Louis as a batting coach. Notwithstanding the controversy, McGwire could hit a baseball. (read more…)
We Are Hope Merchants
November 6th, 2009
We have all stared into this economic abyss–the longest recession since the Great Depression–and it has stared back. (read more…)
Understanding and Selling To High-level Decision Makers
October 22nd, 2009
High-level decision makers (HLDMs) think differently than other people involved in the decision process. Since HLDMS create funding for ideas they like, it behooves you to understand how these decision makers think. (read more…)
Cheap is No Substitute for Value
September 25th, 2009
Price is not the only component of value; it is simply one. What makes a price look like an incredible bargain? (read more…)
Filling the Pipeline
September 14th, 2009
In our study of top-achieving salespeople, we discovered that even the most successful salespeople, those who are in the top 10% of their sales forces, prospect for new business. (read more...)
How Conscientious Are You?
August 11th, 2009
Successful people make habitual what most people consider a hassle. There is nothing convenient about success at anything. (read more…)
There Is Value in Struggle
July 7th, 2009
There is value in struggle. I didn't say there was pleasure or enjoyment in struggle, just value. The survivors of this Great Recession will one day be able to tell their stories of struggle and success to new generations of managers and salespeople. (read more…)
The Value of Discipline
July 2nd, 2009
“In reading the lives of great men, I found that the first victory they won was over themselves; self-discipline
with all of them came first.”
(President Harry S. Truman)
Discipline is bittersweet. We all know we need it, but we do not like the taste of it. It comes partially from the fact we often use it as a verb versus a noun. (read more…)
Run Like Ralph
June 29th, 2009
St. Louis has been hot and humid for the past two weeks, and today promises to be the hottest day of the year with a projected heat index of 110 degrees Fahrenheit. It was a good day to get out early for my morning walk. About 20 minutes into the walk, I saw Ralph. (read more…)
It’s Easy to Be Negative
June 4th, 2009
It requires no effort since negativism is a passive emotion. Just look around and you will find something to be negative about. Being positive requires effort; it is an active emotion. (read more…)
What is Your Negotiating Energy?
May 27th, 2009
What energy do you bring to negotiations, fear or optimism? If you negotiate out of fear, you operate from a defensive position, which means you focus on not losing. (read more…)
Price Objections Require More Than An Apples-To-Apples Comparison
May 15th, 2009
All price objections are not created equal, just as all apples are not created equal. (read more…)
Fear as Friend, Not Foe
April 20th, 2009
In his first inaugural address, FDR said: “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” (read more…)
Making a Difference
April 2nd, 2009
My career began differently than it has turned out. I was on a career path to become a clinical psychologist. (read more…)
Investing in Tough Times
March 18th, 2009
Whether it’s an old song by the Birds or an Old Testament passage in Ecclesiastes, there is a season for everything – a time to laugh, a time to weep. (read more…)
It’s Time to Change Your Luck
March 3rd, 2009
Some people call it fate, kismet or simply chance. They roll the dice, let the chips fall and bemoan how the cookie crumbles. (read more…)
Profit Is The Goal In Tough Times
February 25th, 2009
To paraphrase a former president’s campaign mantra, “It’s the profit, stupid.” (read more...)
Handling Fear in Tough Times
February 18th, 2009
Every day, in just about every way you hear news of how bad things are. It’s enough to make a strong person feel weak. (read more…)
A Recession is a Terrible Thing to Waste
February 9th, 2009
What do Jim Collins, Thomas L. Friedman and Jack Welch all have in common? They have all variously quoted Paul Romer, Stanford economist. Romer’s point? In crisis, there is opportunity. (read more…)
Why Me? Why Not Me?
January 28th, 2009
Years ago, I spoke to a group of cancer survivors. I shared my experiences with thyroid cancer in 1980. (read more…)
Herd Behavior in Tough Times
January 22nd, 2009
“If everyone else jumped in the lake, would you follow them?” As a child, this is the question my father used to challenge me with often. (read more…)
The Reality of Tough Times
January 21st, 2009
Tough times happen. It is neither fair nor unfair; it's simply what is-it's life. Tough times happen in our personal lives and in business. (read more…)
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