Want to Stop Procrastinating? . . . Read This

By Michael Caron, President, Northbound Learning

Congratulations for reading this and not putting it off! Procrastination has been appropriately called the “silent killer of careers” yet few people have ever had formal training on how to overcome this immensely costly habit. While managing this problem is a constant challenge to me, I have learned some strategies over the years that have worked very well:

Questions Are The Answer

Stop telling and start selling. Ask questions and then listen carefully.

By Michael Caron, President, Northbound Learning

In our business, we are often asked, “What is the biggest mistake salespeople make?” Of course, we tend to term them “opportunity areas” rather than “mistakes” but whatever you want to call them, the most common is the area of questioning. The second area that goes hand-in-hand with number one would be the seeming inability of typical sales professionals to quit talking and listen after they’ve asked great questions!

Seven Steps to Win-Win Negotiations

We define a win/win negotiation, as an agreement that is equally beneficial to everyone. All parties come out of a negotiation with a workable agreement that benefits everyone involved. If your current negotiation strategies are not working for you, change your strategy. Think win/win and let the other person know about it right away. Be up front and explain your strategy. Talk about the benefits to both of you from this approach. This type of negotiation will produce a satisfactory agreement for both sides, and in a style that will leave both parties satisfied. Win/Win Negotiation involves these seven steps:

Are You Growing Your Sales or Spinning Your Wheels?

Growing a book of customers means more than doing your route.

By Michael Caron, President, Northbound Learning

You’ve worked hard over the years and now have a sizable client base that you’re responsible for.  When you get to this stage, your time will be spent less on attracting new customers and much more on going “deeper and wider” with your existing accounts.  Here’s how to make the most of your efforts.