If you are in tech sales, there's no doubt that you have done "account mapping" with partners. But, the truth is, we can all count dozens of times where this has been nothing but a waste of time. We show up at the coffee shop, meet the rep, shoot the shit, then talk about a few accounts and then leave with no real action item or definitive plan to help each other out. Half the time, it's the other person picking your brain about accounts that will only help them and has nothi

The TEDW qualifying question technique

If you follow my blog or watch my videos, you know how strongly I feel about the importance of a Champion in a deal. No Champion = No Deal. If you are unfamiliar about Champions in a sales campaign, read my post, What is a Champion? before reading this article. So how do you test your Champion? The fact is, you should be testing your Champion throughout the sales process. Here are 5 great ways you can test your Champion: The Cell Phone Test - I love this one and can't oversta

Do you have an elevator pitch? If you are like most sales reps, ironically, you probably don't. We have all heard of an "elevator pitch"and know it's importance, yet few of us have one actually that is actually written down and is well-rehearsed. If you are one of these people, I suggest you make this a priority and create one right after reading this article. It can help you build credibility, make you memorable, and best of all - generate more leads. The purpose of this art