Blog - First Approach

Blog #107 The Ecosystem of Attention - Effective Communication

12/16/2025 8:34:56 AM

Attention: to become aware of or give attention to something or someone: to observe or treat something or someone with special attention – Merriam-Webster Attention, clearly what’s required for any kind of communication to be effective, simple, no? What is the point of reaching out to someone, or many, think emails, texts, ads, notifications, social posts and so on if you never achieve the intended goal, which of course, i

Blog #106 The Absurdity of Focusing on Results Instead of Process

11/18/2025 10:27:35 AM

It is said that what gets measured gets done. In most any business culture, measurements, or more specifically, results and outcomes are the center of the universe, with an expectation that they will get done. Keep in mind, results are just that, results. Once results manifest, they are history, forever thus and no longer impactable. Results are the sum of what has been accomplished, the destination vs. the journey, the ship has sailed as they sa

Blog #105 Do I Pass on Meeting a New Prospect vs. The Well You Knows

12/12/2024 10:46:26 AM

Most any sales professional understands the necessity of finding new business. It's of little matter what you're selling, be it a complex technology solution or envelopes to stuff, the quest to find new buyers for your product or service is forever thus. Perhaps one of the most prevalent myths about new client engagement is to qualify potential prospects and quickly determine if a need exists, and if none is apparent, move on. If you had

Blog #104 A Must Read From Reuters – Relationships Still Rule …

1/8/2021 8:47:59 AM

Take a minute, and check out this article published by Reuters on December 29th. It reaffirms what all those in the B2B selling profession should know, especially if they are selling a high worth product or service. Investment banking from home thrived under COVID-19, but some fear losing their touch NEW YORK (Reuters) - Cary Kochman kicked off a sale process for U.S. printing services provider InnerWorkings Inc just as lockdowns t

Blog #103 The Good, the Bad and the Ugly – The Three Phases of Cold Calling During a Pandemic

12/1/2020 8:40:35 AM

So, here we are again, everyone’s least favorite subject, cold calling. It’s not going away, and if you’re trying to be successful in a B2B sales career these days, you better master it, because with Covid, it’s never been more important. Face to face meetings, the gold standard to beginning new client relationships have become even more difficult to arrange. Many prospects aren’t even comfortable meeting with

Blog #102 Talking to clients on the phone? STOP!!!!

5/4/2020 8:58:45 AM

How odd, a B2B sales coach advocating for the end of phone calls… or so it would seem?We are, like it or not, in the new age of the Covid reality. Although “change” is still in it’s infancy for all intent and purposes, the world of business has absolutely changed, and will remain irretrievably changed for some time to come. While still much remains unknown, what we can reasonably conclude is that how we interact with customers and clients has cha

Blog #101 It’s Not Enough to Want it, You Have to Be Prepared to do It.

1/27/2020 1:40:25 PM

Not so attractive, is it? I couldn't help but be fascinated by just how perfect this picture is as a metaphor. Think about it. No one would argue with the seemingly effortless grace with which ballet dancers portray something that is both beautiful, and pleasant to watch. If you've ever been to the ballet, and even if you're not into this sort of art form, you no doubt left with admiration for the sheer level of athletic ability these dan

Blog #100 The Circle of Trust

6/11/2019 11:33:17 AM

Trust; firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something. All too often, and I see this almost daily in my coaching practice, B2B sales people dwell on the “commodities” of the selling cycle. How much does my product or service cost? Are we in line with the competition? Or, is our value proposition competitive? While having the right widget for the right need is an imperative, there’s an

Blog #99 Prospecting, The Black Sheep of the Family

5/3/2019 10:50:28 AM

Deals, deals, deals .... the single thing we covet most. Deals are what we're omni-focused on. Deals are what managers and management are obsessed with. Ergo, the professional sales person is usually consumed with the back two thirds of the pipeline, that is, deals near closing, or deals about to close. Most organizations I have worked with – and there have been many over the years – are fixated with the back end of the pipe.

Blog #98 The Difference Between Finding New Business and Creating New Business

3/19/2019 8:47:41 AM

Much has been written about various sales methodologies over the years. Spin (not to spin?), Consultative selling, Relationship selling, Solutions selling, or Value selling to name just a few. What most of these concepts have in common is that they all strive to find a clients need, and then sell to that need. What are they looking for? Where is their pain? We endeavor to get to the expressed opportunity, find out what they’re about to buy

Blog #97 Staying Top Of Mind

2/22/2019 1:10:16 PM

Wikipedia defines top of mind awareness as follows; "Top of mind awareness is a brand or specific product coming first in customers' minds when thinking of a particular industry." There are numerous other definitions but the basic concept is simple. Being the first thing, or in the B2B sales vertical, the first sales person a client thinks of. Staying top of mind with those you wish to do business with is a tricky, and generally spe

Blog #96 – B2B Prospecting - How Sales People Talk Themselves Out of Meeting New Clients

11/5/2018 11:53:33 AM

My business, quite simply, is about teaching professional B2B sales people how to get meetings with new target prospects. There, it can’t be any plainer than that. Meeting new clients or customers is often considered the holy grail of sales talent. Understanding your product, or being a wiz at the tech side while important, are skills almost anyone can grasp through rote learning. Being a rain-maker, or being the person who tim

Blog #95 A No On The Phone Doesn’t Necessarily Mean No

10/2/2018 5:22:14 PM

While I wrote about this subject a little over four years ago, it bears repeating because it’s a trap the majority of B2B sales people fall in-to. In this age of “right now”, or “today”, sales people leave an inordinate amount of business on the table because they only invest time and energy into calls where a prospect says “yes, I’m interested”. The “well you knows”, a concept I dubbed

Blog #94 … The Relationship Between Deadlines and your Perishable Calendar

10/2/2018 5:19:06 PM

You like peaches? I like peaches. Most people like peaches and most people would agree they are best when fresh. Not canned or stewed, but fresh peaches just off the tree and on to your table. Peaches are seasonal but more importantly, they are perishable. I’m not exactly sure what the shelf life or “best before” date is for a peach, but I do know – we all know – that if they’re not consumed in a few days, they

Blog #93 Your Prospect or Client is Waiting for your next Email or News Letter!

10/2/2018 5:11:06 PM

Hello and Happy New Year to all; Ho Ho Ho (Ummmm, maybe that was politically incorrect?) And so it begins, another year, another budget, and targets galore. As I sit in my office, peacefully I might add, before the inevitable maelstrom resumes in the coming weeks, I’d like to once again rant about one of my favorite subjects, your inbox. Now that I think about it, who am I to preach? This missive you’re reading has landed, well, in yo

Blog #92 Why We Hate Cold Calling

10/2/2018 5:09:46 PM

Fact; cold calling is the most reviled, abhorred, and avoided part of any sales person’s job. It doesn’t matter if you’re B2C, B2B, targeting Fortune 100 companies, or beating the street going from office to office. Cold calling is displeasurable, painful, and generally the least favorite part of any sales professional’s job. Sales people know it, sales management knows it, yet it is the dark secret continually swept under

Blog #91 Execution vs. Analysis Paralysis

10/2/2018 5:06:35 PM

Over the many years I’ve spent in the world of business to business sales, I’ve come to one incontrovertible conclusion, and that is the sheer number of sales organizations that spend inordinate amounts of time “re-organizing” or “changing up” their go to market sales strategies and sales forces and it is out of control. Generally speaking, at least 80% of the companies I have worked with, and that’s a lo

Blog #90 Marketing or Purchasing; Do You Want to Sell or Just Participate in an Auction?

10/2/2018 10:19:42 AM

Getting an order is no easy thing, thus is the life of the B2B sales professional. We’re all under pressure, whether self or otherwise imposed. Deadlines loom, and management seems always to be asking more and more of us. We look for opportunities, be they with existing clients or from those we’ve yet to meet. We want renewal business, new business, and let’s be frank, any business at all really. As sales professionals we have b

Blog #89 Hey Mr. B2B Sales Person, Are Your Voicemail Messages Being Returned?

10/2/2018 10:19:29 AM

Ever leave a voicemail that wasn’t returned? Okay, I know, silly question. There are numerous ways to approach this question, but for the context of this post it will be through the lens of the B2B sales professional, the person who most depends on being able to connect and communicate with clients, and especially prospective new clients. Most reading this blog know that my area of interest, and what my business is based on, is the process

Blog#88 – Sales Team Not Prospecting, Whose Fault Is That?

10/2/2018 10:19:10 AM

My business, First Approach , is all about the business of B2B sales, and more specifically prospecting within the B2B world. My experience over more years than I care to count has afforded me an intimate vantage point over sales people and those who manage them. I’ve seen good prospectors, average prospectors, and the poorest of the poor. Different people have different issues. It may be a lack of desire, it may be a lack of skill, and it

Blog #87 Finding Prospects with a Need Today; why it’s a Waste of Time and the Well You Knows

10/2/2018 10:19:57 AM

Any professional sales person that’s been in the game for even a short while understands the necessity of finding new clients with a need. It’s of little matter what you’re selling; be it a complex technology solution or envelopes to stuff. The quest to find new users of your product or service is never quite done. If you’ve been in the game long enough, then you’ve also been subjected to significant training and cou

Blog #86 How to Drive Real Results Around Net New Logo Business

10/19/2018 9:44:04 AM

What you’re about to read may well make me a little unpopular with some sales people. The subject, “How to drive real results around net new logo business”, as opposed to only realizing sales from existing or renewal business confounds just about every sales manager I’ve ever met. In this blog, I’ll describe my approach to this which is based on job description, performance management and most importantly, the right

Blog #85 If Marketing Says It’s So, It Must Be So…

10/19/2018 9:46:31 AM

Most any B2B sales professional looking at the above cartoon will end up with a wry grin on their face; let me explain. While there has always been somewhat of a schism between sales and marketing; there, I said it, now it’s out there, the eight hundred pound gorilla, the advancement of technology has only helped to feed this dysfunctional relationship. In order to understand this dynamic, we first need to start with the basic d

Blog #84 Financial Results: Why They Don’t Matter All That Much

10/19/2018 9:48:05 AM

So here you are, the end of another quarter, another year or another whatever. Perhaps you’re the CEO, the CFO or the Chief Sales Officer, or maybe you’re the sales rep and your period end is looming; your financial results about to be submitted and scrutinized. This is a familiar theme; corporations and businesses world-wide walk this walk almost without exception. This is how boards, share holders and analysts judge efficacy; is thi

Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance

10/24/2018 5:09:39 PM

Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance Why never giving up is a worthwhile goal Jun 4th 2016 | From the print edition Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance. By Angela Duckworth.Scribner; 352 pages; . FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE, a German philosopher, once stated that there was a universal tendency to see success as the result of innate talent, rather than effort. Today it is still common to think of the straight-A pupil as havi

Blog #83 The Fastest Way to Make More Money; Service

10/19/2018 9:50:46 AM

Somethings not right, right? Service, service is a cost centre, service is an overhead. How in the world can focusing on a cost center, let alone advocating investing more heavily in “overhead” make more money, let me explain. Some days ago, I received a receipt from iTunes for an app renewal charge that I didn’t recognize. As it was for almost $30.00, and was indicated to be a monthly recurring charge, it got my attention. If y

Blog #82 Synchronous vs. Asynchronous , Texting and Twitter; The Death of Communication.

10/24/2018 4:56:02 PM

For those who follow this blog, you will likely note some similarities to what you’re about to read with what you have read in prior posts. There was “Blog #60 – Ear to Ear, It Was Only a Matter of Time”, and there was “Blog #70 – A message from Alexander Graham Bell; thank you Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Larry Page, and all the others that have made this possible”, both of which touched on the relationship b

Think Technology and Web Shopping is Replacing The in Person Meeting? Please See Below.

10/24/2018 5:14:27 PM

On the road again FOR well over a century, people have predicted that technology will make business travel obsolete. In 1889 Jules Verne imagined that the “phonotelephote”, or “the transmission of images by means of sensitive mirrors connected by wires,” would replace overseas meetings. In the 21st century far-flung communication is no longer science fiction. Yet far from stowing their suitcases, putting away their passpor

Blog #81 Why Slowing Down Will Get You There Faster

10/19/2018 9:53:13 AM

We live in a fast paced world, no doubt about it. And if your vocation is that of a B2B sales professional, then you’re no stranger to the ebb and flow of targets, budgets, and expectations around performance. As for myself, I have the luxury of working in somewhat of a vacuum as an independent contractor, and because of that I get to set my own performance parameters. Of course, my world is the exception rather than the rule. Most people I

Blog #80 You’re About to Lose Your Best Client

10/19/2018 9:55:44 AM

I find it somewhat bizarre that I find myself writing, once again, on what is a totally predictable reality; that if you’re in sales, you’re about to lose your best client. The other morning, I had a conversation with a potential new client. The guy on the other end of the phone was a very seasoned and senior sales leader. While we discussed a variety of topics, I was saddened but not surprised when he shared the story of how one of h

Blog #79 – Walking the Walk vs. Talking the Talk; Why Sales Managers Struggle With Boundaries.

10/19/2018 9:57:23 AM

I was talking with a client the other day that over the years has also become a good friend. I know he’ll be reading this, and I know he’ll recognize himself as the subject of the following. Don’t worry; he’ll be fine with it. The discussion was about an opportunity his current employer presented him with for a promotion, and his skills relative to the demands of the position. I always liked “John”, and it was

Blog #78 Are You a Leader or a Follower?

10/24/2018 5:17:42 PM

Dr, Travis Bradberry If you’re a leader or a follower, then this is a must read. While I don’t usually post material other than my own, I am making this exception because I believe the following article written By Travis Bradberry, coauthor of Emotional Intelligence 2.0, and President of TalentSmart, is so compelling. Are you a leader? Do you aspire to be a leader, or do you work with others in your organization who are leaders? If th

Blog #77 “Press 7 to Delete” : The Decline of Voice Mail

10/19/2018 9:59:54 AM

Although I have posted on this subject before, a subject that those who follow me will tell you that I’ve been ranting and raving about for years, the following article by Shane Dingman of the The Globe & Mail recently makes for facinating reading. Feel free to comment as well. Happy reading. “Hello, you’ve reached the voice mail box of a modern person who doesn’t check these messages. I am in the office today, b

Blog #76 The Anatomy of Disdain – Why Prospects Loath Cold Calls

10/19/2018 10:01:57 AM

dis·dain disˈdān/ noun the feeling that someone or something is unworthy of one’s consideration or respect; contempt. “Her upper lip curled in disdain” The above dictionary definition says it all. If you are a sales person in the business to business space, then likely, at some point, you have to pick up the phone and make a call to a new prospect . As I’ve talked about in previous posts, there’s no shortage o

Blog #75 Why You Have To Fail To Succeed

10/24/2018 5:21:25 PM

“I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” Michael Jordan, widely considered the greatest basketball player of all time, offers some valuable advice with this quote. The problem with failure is that not enough people fail enough.

Blog #74 “A good hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey player plays where the puck is going to be”. Wayne Gretzky

10/19/2018 10:03:32 AM

Ahhhhh… The Great One, the great Wayne Gretzky. He still holds the record as the leading point-scorer in NHL history, with more assists than any other player has points! He is the only NHL player to total over 200 points in one season – a feat he accomplished four times. He was as talented at dodging checks from opposing players as he was at consistently anticipating where the puck was going to be, and then being there before anyone

Blog #73 Becoming a Better Sales Leader and The Late Great Tom Landry

10/24/2018 5:29:00 PM

While I tend to steer a wide berth around using sports related metaphors, I must acquiesce this once, as I believe the above quote from the much revered past coach of the Dallas Cowboy’s, Tom Landry, is so profound. If you want to become a truly great leader of sales people, his advice is well worth entertaining, because being a great leader of sales people means that you won’t always be telling them what they want to hear. Parenting,

Blog #72 You Think All Sales People Are Motivated By Money? Think Again.

10/19/2018 10:06:47 AM

According to the Harvard Business Review, U.S. companies spend over $800 billion on sales compensation each year, which is three times more than they spend on advertising. Interesting, isn’t it? In fact, sales and compensation of sales people are often one of the top expenditures many companies make. There are as many types of sales people as there are sales positions. Many have enjoyed a very handsome career indeed in the profession. The r

Blog #71 Are People Dragging Themselves to Your Sales Meetings?

10/19/2018 10:09:31 AM

It’s Monday morning. You’re either a B2B sales professional, or you’re a B2B sales manager. No matter, because it’s Monday morning, and time for the weekly sales meeting! Yippee. Hurrah! Ask almost any sales professional and they’ll tell you how much they dread the weekly sales meeting. Ask any sales manager and they too will tell you about the angst they experience preparing for yet another sales meeting. A meeting

Blog #70 A message from Alexander Graham Bell; Thank you Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Larry Page, and all the others that have made this possible.

10/24/2018 5:31:10 PM

Ohhhh, how happy he would be were he here to witness it. Yes, Alexander Graham Bell, after years and years of technological advancements, all of which promising the dream of more and better ways to communicate, Mr. Bell, the inventor of the telephone, is the hands down winner. Seem odd? You need to think about it. Back in the day, before the day of the World Wide Web, before smart phones, mobile phones, tablets, and the like, we had the phone. Ba

Blog #69 Achieving Success In B2B Sales, The Cold Hard Truth

10/24/2018 5:33:56 PM

Not so attractive, is it? I couldn’t help but be fascinated by just how perfect this picture is as a metaphor. Think about it. No one would argue with the seemingly effortless grace with which ballet dancers portray something that is both beautiful, and pleasant to watch. If you’ve ever been to the ballet, and even if you’re not into this sort of art form, you no doubt left with admiration for the sheer level of athletic abilit

Blog #68 Sales Blitzes and Contests, Why They Don’t Work

10/19/2018 10:11:41 AM

It’s only natural for sales leadership to look for ways to inspire sales people to rise to the cause. There’s never any shortage of “causes” it seems. It can be a month end, year end, too much inventory, or a new product launch, to name just some of the examples where management feels the need to provide extra incentive to produce extra momentum. The inspiration for this blog comes from a not so unusual conversation I had

Blog #67 A Desk is a Dangerous Place From Which to View the World

10/19/2018 10:13:52 AM

There is a wonderful quote in the John le Carré novel, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy; “A desk is a dangerous place from which to view the world.” While the context of Mr. le Carre’s novel surrounded espionage, it offers wonderful perspective to the world of B2B sales. Although the applicability of this concept isn’t exclusive to sales or espionage, it none the-less serves as a perfect example of the theory that the desk

Blog #66 Just Starting A Career in Sales? Why You Should Stay Away From the “C Suite”

10/19/2018 10:14:28 AM

Are you young? Are you just starting out in sales? Then you likely have been, or will be exposed to a vast variety of sales philosophies, strategies, and tactics. As you’ll discover, there will be no shortage of experts or gurus, all of whom are either successful or not, but none the less claim to hold the secrets you’ll need to become a star sales performer. Within this labyrinth of sales expertise lays the never ending world of sale

Blog #65 .. Peaches, Calendars, and Deadlines, They’re all Related

10/24/2018 5:47:13 PM

Blog #64 Business Speak – Cliché and Over Used, Stop!

10/19/2018 10:20:22 AM

As I write this blog, I am reaching out to you to offer value, no, make that added value, within a paradigm that is strategic, and at the end of the day, provides leading edge deliverables that will leverage core competencies while delivering an award winning product offering that is cutting edge and best in class. Uchhh, There’s a theme here, and it’s not too subtle, that of over used business jargon and clichés Whether it&rsq

Blog #63 Understanding the Right Approach to Connecting on LinkedIn. It Isn’t Facebook

10/19/2018 10:22:26 AM

As a continuation of posts intended to help you, the B2B sales professional understands the correct way to use LinkedIn, this edition will focus on LinkedIn connections, or how you need to approach populating your connection base on LinkedIn. Of all the things misunderstood of what LinkedIn is, and what it isn’t, perhaps the most profuse area of misunderstanding is that of whom, and how many connections one should pursue. Your connections,

Blog #62 Are You Commitment Phobic? The Accountability Partner

10/19/2018 10:33:40 AM

No, I don’t mean what you think I mean but rather, are you truly committed to being successful. Let me explain. Many of us belong to a fitness or health club, and many of us strive to get there to exercise based on a schedule or commitment we’ve made to ourselves, or others. Now, that being said, have you ever skipped a work out, or ever passed on a set or repetition? Going to Yoga, have you ever left early? If the answer to any of th

Blog #61 LinkedIn, It’s Not What You Think

10/24/2018 6:51:21 PM

Blog #61 LinkedIn, It’s Not What You Think 2001 A salesperson makes a cold call and asks for a meeting. 2012 On LinkedIn, Adam, a sales person discovers a prospect at a major international company whom he wishes to secure a meeting with. Adam and the prospect Geoff, share a common connection on LinkedIn. Adam made contact, referenced the common connection and a conference call was scheduled. Prior to the

Blog #60 Ear to Ear, It Was Only a Matter of Time

10/24/2018 6:55:23 PM

Blog #60 Ear to Ear, It Was Only a Matter of Time I posted a blog entitled “Technology Burnout. If People Don’t Read or Listen to Your Messages, What’s the Point?”. You can still find it if you like at www.firstapproach.biz under the “blog” tab. The subject was the declining viability of using electronic media as a communication tool in the world of business to business sales. Now, Lord kn

Blog #59 Expertization

10/19/2018 10:31:46 AM

Expertization. You won’t find it in the dictionary. “Expertization”, or being an expert or knowledgeable beyond the norm for a field or subject other than your own specific area is an important weapon in the world of B2B sales. Traditionally, a B2B sales professional approaches a sales call armed with massive amounts of information, expertise, and “value” with respect to how their offering can enhance a prospective b

Blog #58 The Well You Knows

10/24/2018 6:31:35 PM

The “Well you knows…” is a concept I named about fifteen years ago, and it continues to serve me well today. But as usual – for me, that is – it differs from conventional prospecting ideology. In a traditional world, those who consider themselves prospecting experts generally subscribe to a number of common principles. The least understood is the one about “qualifying”. If you subscribe to the accepted d

Blog #57 Hovering

10/19/2018 10:30:01 AM

If you sell to the C-Suite, then you are no doubt well versed in the time it can take to journey from the first hello to the actual sale. Selling to the C-Suite in the B2B space can require a gestation period similar to that of a baby elephant, which is two years for those who are interested. It is virtually impossible to connect with someone new precisely at the time of need or requirement with any regularity. While there is no shortage of produ

Blog #56 I Hate Saying I Told You So, But I Told You So.

10/19/2018 10:24:19 AM

Followers of this blog will have observed some of my most common rants, that of the futility of “digital marketing”. Of course, I don’t mean all digital marketing, but rather the fruitlessness of using the internet to reach out to new B2B prospects, with the hope of getting a reply. Let’s start at the beginning. Every one of you, and I mean each and every one of you, has been targeted by some type of digital proposition, m

Blog #55 The Unfortunate Truth

10/24/2018 6:58:04 PM

Blog #55 The Unfortunate Truth Thank you to my LinkedIn connection Phil Hodgson, VP Sales – HP Canada, for posting this great cartoon on LinkedIn some time ago. While it’s a clever parody, the unfortunate truth is that the above cartoon is all too true. Let me share a not too uncommon experience or two with you… The other day, I reached out to a CEO of a major multinational that I had been referred to. Thi

Blog #54 If People Don’t Read Or Listen To Your Message, What’s The Point?

10/19/2018 10:27:46 AM

Ask almost anyone in business today, and they will expound on the wonders of how technology has enhanced their inter-personal communication. In the B2B world, it has become the de facto solution for communicating, replacing antiquated methods like letters, memos or the once ubiquitous pink message slip in the mouse hole at reception. Now, we have voicemail, email, instant messaging, tweeting, call display, all of which have replaced legacy method

Blog #53 Why Finding The Best Better Idea is Rarely The Best Idea

10/24/2018 7:03:59 PM

Blog #53 Why Finding The Best Better Idea is Rarely The Best Idea Over the past many years I’ve spent as a consultant, let alone the previous decades spent in the world of business to business sales, I have come to one incontrovertible conclusion; that the sheer number of sales organizations that spend an inordinate amount of time “re-organizing” or “changing up” their go to market sales str

Blog #52 Investing In Relationship Capital

10/24/2018 7:06:14 PM

Blog #52 Investing In Relationship Capital What is relationship capital? Relationship capital is ground zero; it is both the nucleus and center of the universe as it relates to the life of a business career. Relationship capital will have the single biggest impact to a business person’s success, or lack of. Relationship capital is just that, it is capital. No less than money is part of a banks n

Blog #51 Top Of Mind Awareness

10/24/2018 7:15:28 PM

Wikipedia defines top of mind awareness as follows; ” Top of mind awareness is a brand or specific product coming first in customers’ minds when thinking of a particular industry.” There are numerous other definitions but the basic concept is simple, being the first thing, or in the B2B sales vertical, the first sales person a client thinks of when a need arises. Of course, this also holds true for potential prospects. Staying t

Blog #50 What If It’s Not The Decision Maker?

10/24/2018 7:13:06 PM

Blog #50 What If It’s Not The Decision Maker? How do I know if it’s the right person? Do they make the decision? Will it be a waste of my time? Sound familiar? If you’re a sales professional, then you’ve probably pondered these questions many times as it relates to your willingness to add someone to your prospect list. If you’re a sales manager, then you also hear these questions all the time or more lik

Blog #49 It’s LinkedIn, Not Facebook

10/24/2018 7:18:41 PM

Blog #49 It’s LinkedIn, Not Facebook I am often disheartened these days by what I see as squandered opportunity on LinkedIn. LinkedIn is, and has been a powerful tool for growing my business for some years now. While I confess that I don’t use it as LinkedIn would have me use it, I none the less have prospered by it. Virtually every account First Approach® has secured in over 24 months began with L

Blog #48 Open Ended or Closed Ended?

10/24/2018 7:33:07 PM

Blog #48 Open Ended or Closed Ended? “Sure Mr. Prospect, and thanks for talking with me today. To be clear, you’re suggesting I follow-up with you in a few months, right?” Sound familiar? It should, it’s the same conversation countless B2B sales professionals have all the time. You’ve managed to make initial contact and the conversation – usually on the phone – goes

Blog #47 Why A First Meeting Should Never Be About Selling

10/24/2018 7:29:44 PM

Blog #47 Why A First Meeting Should Never Be About Selling I’m often challenged by people that have begun the journey of implementing First Approach. Perhaps “challenged” is the wrong descriptor. Doubt and disbelief are probably more accurate. This doubt usually presents itself when it is suggested that a first sales call should never be about selling. The greatest resistance comes from those who

Blog #46 Is It Time For A Change?

10/24/2018 7:39:27 PM

Blog #46 Is It Time For A Change? Last Friday was a pleasant day for me. I got news of an old First Approach “graduate” that had left his job for a new position. Now, this may sound like no big deal, but having gone through this same ordeal myself, I can assure you that it is. Let me explain. The individual in question had been with the same company for over ten years. A talented and bright sales professional

Blog # 45 How Do You Jump Start a Sales Person? You Can’t.

10/24/2018 6:46:06 PM

Recently, I was chatting with a good friend of mine who is a partner in a law firm. The topic of discussion was his on-going frustration with a junior associate who just wasn’t measuring up. Specifically, while this individual was competent at doing work given to him, he just wasn’t developing any business beyond that, a clear expectation of his position. Now, you’re probably asking yourself, what is a story about a lawyer do

Blog #44 The Status Of The Pipeline

10/24/2018 7:47:19 PM

Deals, deals, deals …. the single thing we covet the most. Deals are what we’re omni-focused on. Deals are what managers and management are obsessed with. Because of this, the professional sales person is usually focused on the back two thirds of the pipeline, that is deals close to closing, or deals about to close. Most organizations I have worked with – and there have been many over the years – are fixated with the back

Blog #43 Falling Off The Wagon

10/24/2018 7:50:12 PM

Yesterday, I read an interesting excerpt from an article in The Globe And Mail, a Canadian newspaper. It was authored by a guy named Wally Bock. His blog is called the Three Star Leadership. The subject was “First on to do list, unpleasant tasks”. This is a concept I often address in First Approach sessions, and it directly relates to a primary reason most of us fall off the prospecting wagon, reverting to our o

Blog #42 Ear to Ear Or Eye To Eye?

10/24/2018 7:52:04 PM

Recently, a client asked me why I was “so obsessed with web cams”. To give you context, he was challenging me on why I felt it was important to have a video link for our up-coming conference call. A lot of my work is done via video calls and interestingly, you would be surprised at how many people I drag kicking and screaming to engage in this technology. Not surprisingly, the more senior the client, the greater the resistance.

Blog #41 The Gate Keeping Conspiracy

10/24/2018 7:54:11 PM

Any B2B sales professional that has spent anytime cold calling will have been confronted with the dreaded gate keeper. Usually, it’s the switchboard attendant or the target prospect’s assistant, and inevitably, they pose an impenetrable wall of resistance, curtness, and often just plain rude behaviour. As the sales person, all we are trying to do is our job, which is to introduce ideas or concepts that potentially could be of value to

Blog #40 Moral Persuasion vs Manipulation

10/24/2018 7:59:11 PM

Blog #40 Moral Persuasion vs Manipulation Did you ever hear this one? Question, How can you tell when a salesperson is lying? Answer, his lips are moving. All too often sales people are the butt of jokes that diminish the “brand” of the profession. The over all preponderance of sales people are knowledgeable and credible professionals, dedicated to providing honest and forthright solutions. That being

Blog #39 You Don’t Always Have To Be The Big Rooster On The Block

10/24/2018 8:01:23 PM

Cock-a-doodle-dooo. The cry of the rooster. The big guy on the block, all knowing, all powerful. The one with all the answers and best ideas. The rooster wants to dominate a room with their presence and knowledge. The rooster is always ready and eager to let anyone within earshot know what they know. B2B sales people tend to be roosters. B2B sales people that have been selling for many years tend to be the biggest roosters of all. Well experience

Blog #38 The Difference Between Someone Listening And Someone Hearing.

10/24/2018 8:03:41 PM

Blather, blather, blather, bla bla bla. Sound familiar? It’s the sound of a sales person. That’s right, a sales person. As a sales person myself but more importantly, an observer of sales people, this is what I would like to say. We are good at many things. Some of us possess excellent product knowledge, and others are great presenters. While we’re all good at one thing or another, the one thing we are really good at, the

Blog #36 The Difference Between A Cold Call And A B2B Call

10/24/2018 8:05:38 PM

Do you still have a traditional phone at home, you know, the hard-wired type? If so, then you’re probably all too familiar with the dreaded cold call. Dinner time, or trying to relax after a long day, the phone rings and you answer it. Notwithstanding many governments “do not call” lists, and other various mechanisms like call display, it’s almost inevitable that from time to time you’ll screw up and answer the phone

Blog #35 Falling On Your Sword

10/24/2018 8:07:30 PM

Followers of this blog may find the up-coming subject curious, as it doesn’t directly relate to prospecting or building new relationships in the world of B2B sales. That being said, those who are regular readers will know the primary focus of First Approach, and this thread, is one simple theme, “The Pursuit Of Relationship Capital” Within this theme, maintaining relationships is critical if one is to actually “grow”

Blog #34 Have You Built A Budget For Prospecting?

10/24/2018 8:11:34 PM

Blog #34 Have You Built A Budget For Prospecting? Budgets are a pervasive reality in any B2B sales professional’s life. We are required to budget for total sales. We are asked to budget for repeat business and, we are commonly asked to budget for margin, or the profitability of our sales. We are also usually required to budget for “new business” which can be defined by variable parameters in different o

Take Your Search for a Job Offline

10/24/2018 8:14:09 PM

online.wsj.com When Jessica Rodrigues moved to New York after four years of doing AIDS health work in Mozambique, she mostly relied on the Internet to look for work. She emailed her résumé in response to online job postings and waited. When that tack didn’t net many offers, she sought help from New York career coach Melissa Llarena, who told her to get more face to face with her search. That included

Blog #32 Prospecting is a process of moving through the various stages that lead up to the opportunity to do business.

10/25/2018 3:39:41 PM

The online version of the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines prospecting as finding “a potential buyer or customer”. In the real world though, I think you’ll find that “prospecting” is generally thought of as finding a buyer or customer today. The “potential” part is often ignored. The dropping of “potential” may strike you as trite, but it isn’t. Let me explain. The proble

Blog #31 Ever Stopped To Think Why You Hate Cold Calling?

10/24/2018 7:37:11 PM

It’s interesting, sales people are never asked why they hate cold calling? They’re just asked or, forced to do it. The question isn’t if cold calling is effective, but rather the never ending need and pressure to prospect together with managements’ lack of an alternative to cold calling. That being said, whether cold calling or other forms of prospecting are necessary or effe

Blog #30 Why Prospecting Is Seasonal

10/25/2018 3:46:55 PM

As I write this blog, it is towards the end of February. On February 18th, Americans observed Presidents Day, and in Canada most provinces celebrate Family Day. What possible relationship could these holidays have with prospecting in the B2B sales environment? With most business plans, emphasis is placed on achieving goals, being effective and managing one’s use of time for the greatest return. This is a principal that should also be

Blog #29 Managing Existing Relationships

10/25/2018 3:51:26 PM

If you buy into the idea that relationships are a valuable currency in your business to business sales career, then you’ll not only want to build new relationships, but nurture and maintain existing relationships. A common myth that seems to pervade many sales organizations is that once you’ve established a relationship, you have that relationship in perpetuity. It doesn’t seem to matter what vertical one looks at;

Understanding Target Prospects

10/25/2018 3:56:41 PM

Why in the world would you want to understand a target prospect? As a B2B sales person, you’ve been brain washed to focus on a prospects business, his or her needs, ways you can save them money or improve service. Sales training in North America is a $1.1b market, with countless options within the sector. How big a slice is “prospecting”, who knows? That being said, many of these prospecting techniques are antiquated and largely

The Pursuit Of Relationship Capital® – Can a B2B sales professionals build equity in their career?

10/25/2018 5:33:58 PM

We think of equity as the tangible assets you own: the part of your mortgage that’s paid off, the stocks you may have in the company you work for. We all hear about the hot-shot tech industry entrepreneurs who sell their stakes for a bazillion dollars, but are they the only ones who build equity in their businesses? Unlike owning a business or say, real-estate; it’s tough to invest in a career in sales with the hop

Trouble Getting Voicemail Messages Returned?

10/25/2018 5:31:55 PM

Ever leave a voicemail that wasn’t returned? I know, silly question. If you’re a sales professional in the business to business world, then reaching out to new and existing clients is a day to day necessity. In the old days it was easy. First off, there were only two mediums available; the phone, or snail mail. Forget faxes, they became commercially available around the mid 80’s. Email, try the early 90&rsquo

Technology Burnout. If people don’t read or listen to your messages, what’s the point?

10/25/2018 5:30:00 PM

Dread making that next cold call?

10/25/2018 5:24:22 PM

Do you panic or, get a sense of dread every time you know you need to cold call? Do you wish that prospects treated you with the same amount of respect, or even dignity they offer to people they already know? The key to being treated as a peer vs. a cold caller or “sales person” lays in being authentic. How do you respond when you’re the “prospect” and a sales person attempts to immediately know the solution to yo

Farming vs. Hunting

10/25/2018 5:22:02 PM

Farming is easier and more rewarding than hunting or, prospecting. First of all, you’ve already made the most important sale of all, your self. It’s no longer about if the client trusts you but rather, if they have a need for a product or service you can provide. Hunting runs the risk of exposure to, believe it or not, rejection. For a new sales person, that perceived risk is exponentially higher, much like asking

Are Sales People in the Relationship Business?

10/25/2018 5:16:51 PM

We are all in the relationship business. If sales people were to recognize that they are a brand unto themselves, they would begin to understand the skill of brand management. If a sales person is a brand, then their brand capital is their relationships. True sales professionals rarely stray to far from and industry vertical throughout their careers. If you’re a software guy, you’ll likely move from c

Blog #27 Why Intuition Isn’t Always Your Best Guide.

10/25/2018 3:58:37 PM

Most of us are great believers in our intuition. We have come to rely on its uncanny dependability to show us a path when a path isn’t clear. You could almost say that intuition offers instantiation: to represent (an abstract concept) by a concrete or tangible example. We tend to turn to our intuition when the facts are not plain or when unable to make a concrete decision based on the evidence or dynamics at hand. In other words

The Best Time to Build a Relationship Is When You Don’t Need the Relationship.

10/25/2018 4:02:14 PM

In my company, First Approach, there are twelve maxims or axioms we use to emphasize concepts we feel are important. Maxim #2 is “The Best Time to Build a Relationship Is When You Don’t Need the Relationship” The concept is pretty simple; why wait until someone has an immediate need for your product or service before investing time with them? Unfortunately, this is what most sales organizations and “sal

The Best Time To Sell; Once You’ve Made The Sale.

10/25/2018 4:05:01 PM

If you think about it, the hardest part of selling a new client is getting them to talk with you, meet with you, and trust you. Depending on the business you’re in and the size of transaction you’re proposing, this can take weeks, months and even years. To successfully sell something to someone for the first time, you need to convince that someone why they should do business with you at all. A new client’s a

Blog#24 – Sales Team Not Prospecting, Whose Fault is That?

10/25/2018 4:07:00 PM

In my business, I have interacted with sales people and those who manage sales people for many years. For those that read this blog regularly, you’ll know that my main expertise is in prospecting to the B2B world, management of the sales funnel from building it to managing relationships. When it comes to prospecting, the most common complaint I hear from management is the issue of sustainability, i.e. their frustration that pro

The Digital Seasons Greetings Card – A Wasted and Squandered Opportunity.

10/25/2018 4:14:21 PM

It is December now with the holidays quickly approaching. In the business world, this means closing out the year or quarter, budgeting, or trying to close that last deal. In the business to business world it also means recognizing clients, maybe a card here or a bottle of wine there, but it also represents one of the best opportunities to reach out to those you’ve done business with or wish to do business with. Most importantly

If You Think Consultative Selling Is an Angle, It Won’t work

10/25/2018 4:16:39 PM

If you look around, you’ll note that in the world of B2B sales, there is an increasing ground swell towards “consultative selling”. Some of the most popular books on sales techniques have titles like “Trusted Seller Guide”, “The Trusted Advisor”, or “Integrity Selling”. The common theme is obvious, promoting trust, integrity, and honesty into the B2B sales profession. These books

What Is The Best Sales Book, Maybe None.

10/25/2018 4:19:13 PM

One morning, I was having a conversation with a good client. He was telling me how their company’s strategy was about to change as the CEO had just read a new book and felt its premise needed to be adopted. Later in the day, I was talking to another client, a client I hadn’t worked with for many years who now is with a new organization. I was doing my usual thing, asking questions about his current employer, what their sa

My New Client Won’t Return My Calls???

10/25/2018 4:25:24 PM

You’ve just had a great first meeting. The new client was warm and receptive (much unlike he was on the phone) and you really felt you began a bond with this person. Handshake’s were exchanged and as he walked you to the elevator, he re-affirmed he would “like to know more”, and would await your next communication. Maybe you get in your car or perhaps you jump on the subway but there is no way to avoid it, you

I Just Lost My Best Client and I Didn’t See It Coming!

10/25/2018 4:23:51 PM

Recently, I was in a meeting with a client when he disclosed his firm was in a very uncomfortable position. As manager of a sales group that serviced one of the companies most important markets, he was advised that a very substantial and long standing client would not be renewing their services once the current contract expired in six months. Of course, this is when most organizations go into panic mode, enlisting the particip

Under Performing Isn’t The Problem, Under Behaving Is.

10/25/2018 4:21:56 PM

Recently, a new client of mine was asked to have their sales team prepare a list of 25 new prospects for an upcoming First Approach session and then forward that list to me. The missive went out and parameters for the information required as well as a deadline were shared with the sales people. While predictable, the results were not what the manager had asked for, and were at best poor. Was this the result of performance, strategy o

Oh, And Mr. Prospect, Just One More Thing..

10/25/2018 4:26:49 PM

Recently, I was in a meeting for the first time with a new prospect. As is often the case, the client was a little guarded and reserved. As we began to talk, he opened up; he became warmer and began to “let me in” so to speak. As we continued talking, he became more interested in my offering and began to really engage with me; acknowledging the value that I could bring but also thinking out loud about the challenges he wo

Calling With Dignity

10/25/2018 4:31:08 PM

Cold calling; the single part of the job sales people like least. Whether you’re in technology, commercial real estate or any other B2B business sales function, it’s likely that part of your job responsibility is to prospect and unfortunately, cold call. Generally speaking, cold calling is loathed by most B2B sales professionals and for good reason. The biggest reason? It usually res

Are You Results Focused Or Process Focused?

10/25/2018 4:59:56 PM

If you’re a B2B sales professional, then one thing you’ve had tattooed in your head is getting results. Bend the ear of almost any sales leader and they will tell you that senior management is omni-focused on results, results, results. It’s all about the results, isn’t it? At the end of the day, the company with the best results wins, and the employee with the best results gets the bonus, or the promotion. Mon