I met Gary Hart years ago when I was recruiting experts for the old Focus.com. He is a veteran sales executive who has strong opinions about the art and science of selling. He has been a valuable source of information for me personally in the online panels we have done together, conversations we have had, and his consistent sharing via social channels. I hope you enjoy his Madlibs!
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1. The b2b buyer is “The Boss.” At the beginning of my sales career I learned that we work for our clients, not just our employers; the customer writes the check.
- 2. The biggest innovation in sales is video conferencing. Videoconferencing is old, but the modern age made it relevant and adoption is high.
- 3. The coolest thing happening in b2b sales is video conferencing by clients. Affordable face time; need I say more?
- 4. My favorite Sales 2.0 technology is video conferencing. Three times is a charm. How else can you corral multiple decision makers in various locations simultaneously?
- 5. My favorite sales book is “How I Raised Myself From Failure to Success Through Selling” by Frank Bettger. As selling becomes more complex, fundamentals become more critical.
- 6. My favorite social media site is Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+. Can’t I hope for a merger?
- 7. Social selling is nothing new. Social media channels are merely platforms. If it ain’t social, you ain’t selling.
- 8. I use LinkedIn for engagement. Groups are an excellent place to personalize connections.
- 9. Cold calling is evolving. Today it’s warm calling, tomorrow who knows? Moving the conversation from text to voice elevates the conversation.
- 10. In b2b, the idea of a funnel is dependent on the configuration. The classic funnel has always reminded me of a meat grinder. My model places a higher value on all prospects.
- 11. The first thing every sales person should do is ask questions and listen. Sounds like two things, but they’re joined at the hip.
- 12. Voicemail is for suckers. I’d rather develop a live sponsor.
- 13. The biggest mistake sales people make is pitch and present too soon. Listen, learn, and tailor to your client’s unique wants and needs.
- 14. The biggest myth in sales is closing. Closing is natural when everything that preceded was done correctly.
- 15. My most forgettable sales experience was falling asleep in a procurement manager’s office. I was very young and excessively wild.
- 16. The hardest part of selling is identifying your perfect customer’s persona and getting inside their office.
- 17. The next “hot-thing” in sales will be customer conversations. The “shiny object” and “magic bullet” syndrome are distractions from doing the real work.
- 18. In 2015, sales will be about differentiation and creating an unfair advantage. For most products and services, supply and demand favors the customer.
- 19. My favorite sales saying is, “I’d rather do nothing than waste time with an uninterested customer’.
- 20. Over the next couple years in sales, I can’t wait to see lead generation that gets sales people in at the beginning of the buying cycle.
- 21. Madlibs with the Funnelholic is mad and fun. The jury is out until I see more. Actually, it was a fun exercise.
Gary Hart helps companies increase sales with streamlined sales 
processes that shorten sales cycles for improved win rates with larger margins. He has a knack for discovering hidden opportunities within your organization and leveraging them to create competitive advantages and unique value propositions. Gary is passionate about developing customer experiences that lengthen customer life. Find Gary at www.SalesDuJour.com, @SalesDuJour Linkedin Google+