A yearly examination of your territory, your selling skills, and your sales career June has always been that time of year for reflection on the results of the last 12 months.  Until 21, this was the end of the school year and time for my final report card.  Pass or fail at going to the next grade.  For the next 24 years, it was the end of the fiscal year at the company I worked for.  This meant it was time for my annual review.  Launching my own company in June 2016 means it’s a milestone date for another year passing as a business owner.  Once again, I take stock ..read more

Just like an annual physical, we need to stop at some point and take some tests, check the numbers, evaluate the business, review our results, and set goals for the new year.  This is part preventative and part proactive.  Listen in as we go over some of the tests and analysis you should look at on an annual basis ..read more

“I sure hope another salesperson stops by today!” A short week calls for a short article.  So, let’s get right to the point. The reason for this post is to help you with one of your biggest dilemmas.  One of the most common reasons for not prospecting or cold calling is that salespeople don’t want to be pushy, salesy.  They don’t want to be a bother. Over the years of training and coaching salespeople in agribusiness, salespeople will often tell me about their most difficult moment when they stop by a farm to start the selling process. In their minds, they play out the story ..read more

“I sure hope another salesperson stops by today!” Listen in today to get help with one of your biggest dilemmas.  One of the most common reasons for not prospecting or cold calling is that salespeople don’t want to be pushy, salesy.  They don’t want to be a bother. As salespeople, we want to be wanted. We want customers and prospects to be happy we stopped by.  We want to help.  But we can’t help unless we stop at their farm and start the process of developing a relationship to eventually work with them. Listen in to discover 4 ways you can deal with this limiting belief ..read more

What tools do you use to be more efficient? Towards the end of every sales workshop, I have attendees fill out a quick feedback form.  One of the questions I ask is, “What should we have spent more time on?  Time management is always at the top of that list.  With a large geography and a long list of customers, the decision on where to spend your time is often the most important decision you make every single day.  Over the course of your sales career, you will continuously struggle over questions like… Should I call on current customers or go prospect for new ones? Should ..read more

Interview with Pat Sullivan from AgVend Listen in as we discuss Ag tech software and how it can make you more efficient so you can get on more farms and help more customers. Not to mention making sense of all the data you have so you can make better more informed decisions Key Interview Times: 00:30 – “As an Ag salesperson or as an agribusiness, why should I care about Ag Tech software?” Data and better decision making Efficiency – “I’m so busy….I have no time…” The combination of data and head knowledge in your business 04:30 – What customer does AgVend serve and what do you do for t ..read more

How to navigate the deep waters of selling in agribusiness Today, as you jump into your pickup and venture out into your sales territory, remember that there can be some treacherous waters out there.  These waters are filled with dangerous reefs, strong currents, and menacing creatures.  But they are also filled with opportunities, new worlds, and a lifetime of great experiences.  Hold on to the ship’s wheel as we take a few minutes to navigate through the 7 seas of selling in agribusiness 1. A Sea of Objections 2. A Sea of Sameness 3. A Sea of Mediocrity 4.  ..read more

How to navigate the deep waters of selling in agribusiness Today, as you jump into your pickup and venture out into your sales territory, remember that there can be some treacherous waters out there.  These waters are filled with dangerous reefs, strong currents, and menacing creatures.  But they are also filled with opportunities, new worlds, and a lifetime of great experiences.  Hold on to the ship’s wheel as we take a few minutes to navigate through the 7 seas of selling in agribusiness 1. A Sea of Objections Let’s navigate these waters right away.  You are going to run ..read more

How to differentiate from competitors and increase your selling success One of my favorite training points with any audience is on the subject of differentiation.  It should be the first step in your sales career because it completes the most important phrase in your vocabulary: “Customers hire me to _________ when they want (because) ___________.” Listen in as I go over how to fill in the answers to this statement and why it’s so important to your selling skills ..read more