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Stories from the Trenches
Take a look through our blogs to relate to the day-to-day struggles of a salesperson who may be lacking in certain skills, abilities or knowledge. They are designed to inspire you, to improve your interpersonal skills & to help you in starting to fulfil your potential.
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Sales & Fear of Money
Can you imagine a surgeon who can't stand the sight of blood? Or a barrister who has a fear of public speaking? How about an accountant...
Scott James Purves
Mar 5, 20242 min read
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Sales Holy Grail...
I've just discovered the holy grail when it comes to closing business... From a well-known conversational intelligence platform - 1. When...
Scott James Purves
Mar 5, 20241 min read
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Warm Calls...
Company boss Steve sees one of his sales guys, Alan typing away on his keyboard... Steve: "Aren't we meant to be making prospecting calls...
Scott James Purves
Mar 5, 20242 min read
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High performing salespeople are like good poker players...
They play their cards close to their chest. They try to understand what the other party is holding onto. They read into their body...
Scott James Purves
Mar 5, 20241 min read
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Here's some advice I'd give my younger self when I started out in sales over 20 years ago
1) Your role does not define you - you define it 2) If you're playing it safe so that you don't look daft, you'll never grow 2) Stretch...
Scott James Purves
Mar 5, 20241 min read
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"Why do you wanna work in sales?"
"Because I just love meeting new people." It's surprising just how common this response is amongst aspiring salespeople. If someone...
Scott James Purves
Mar 5, 20241 min read
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Sophisticated buyers play it cool...
And so do sophisticated salespeople. I remember when I was about 7, my parents were buying a new car. I'll never forget my Mum's general...
Scott James Purves
Mar 5, 20242 min read
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"But they're perfect for our product - I can't understand why they wouldn't buy."
...said a recent coaching client. We listened back to the call recording. Logically - they were a fit. Rationally - it would have made...
Scott James Purves
Mar 5, 20241 min read
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Changes in sales
Sales in the 1990s - The salesperson picks up the phone & cold calls a printed list of leads. Data of varying quality. He makes...
Scott James Purves
Mar 5, 20241 min read
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Salespeople often behave in predictable ways & then blame the prospect...
Example - Incoming enquiry - prospect asks the salesman a few questions about their service, what they offer, can they do this or that,...
Scott James Purves
Mar 5, 20242 min read
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5 reasons salespeople are their own worse enemy...
1) Lack of emotional management - often they are run by their own negative emotions 2) Low self-awareness - blind spots when it comes to...
Scott James Purves
Mar 5, 20241 min read
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RFP - Request for Pitch?
"I have a big pitch next week." ...said a close friend who I was catching up with in the pub last week. He works in finance & his deals...
Scott James Purves
Mar 3, 20242 min read
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Surround yourself with people who believe in you...
If you work in sales and have a critical manager or toxic culture, it's a miserable existence. Life is too short. Confront the situation...
Scott James Purves
Mar 3, 20241 min read
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Selling to Different Cultures & Countries...
Throughout my sales career I've sold all over the world to countries including... - Germany - Netherlands - US - Japan - Australia -...
Scott James Purves
Mar 3, 20241 min read
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'I'm not interested'...usually means you messed up
In other words... It's your fault Review your opener Trying to 'overcome' this is the same as closing the gate once the horse has bolted...
Scott James Purves
Mar 3, 20241 min read
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Practice what you preach...
I always make cold calls in front of my clients - If I'm training sales teams on how to improve a certain aspect of selling, the most...
Scott James Purves
Mar 3, 20241 min read
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I often wonder what happens to salespeople when they speak to buyers...
From that endearing, charismatic person you meet socially, they often turn into someone else completely and can sound like... - A robot -...
Scott James Purves
Mar 3, 20242 min read
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5 reasons why sales adviceĀ should be taken with a big pinch of salt...
1) It often lacks context - there's only so much detail you can get into a post. 2) What works for one person may not work for another -...
Scott James Purves
Mar 3, 20242 min read
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Cold Calling is DEAD...
Cold email is DEAD Social Selling is DEAD Knocking on doors is DEAD Inmails are DEAD (actually...were they ever alive?) ...you get the...
Scott James Purves
Mar 3, 20241 min read
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General beliefs about high-performing salespeople...Ā
1 - They need to be outgoing 2 - They have to possess powers of persuasion 3 - They need to be a people-person 4 - They have to be...
Scott James Purves
Mar 3, 20241 min read
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