John Holland

You have to talk to the people who can write the check. Never assume they will read the proposal and get back to you.

Fewer than half of salespeople make quota, on average. Here are some best practices for to help them hit their targets in the new year.

Your audience doesn't want to be 'sold' anything. So how can you make them want to buy what you're offering?

Who are you and what do you want? You won't get to talk to the decisionmaker if you don't have answers.

This is business. Stop worrying if they like you.

Competent top sellers can gain access to the people that will be involved in buying, funding and implementing offerings. But patience and effort are required.

Do your homework, ask questions and establish sincerity and competence.

To ensure your sales training is successful, create a controlled and facilitated environment.

If the customer tells you it costs too much but won't ask for a better price, you haven't persuaded them they need what you're selling.

The lessons learned through role play, skill development and case study aren't soon forgotten.

Nimble businesses focus on leading indicators and develop their approaches around data further upstream in their pipelines.

If you take your clients for granted, they'll notice. So will your competitors.

The real reason for lost sales is usually the competitor did a better job selling their product but few buyers will tell you so..

Set your goals exuberantly but evaluate your progress soberly.

Wait for it. Wait for it. Now, you've got it. That's right: Patience is what separates the best sellers from all the rest sellers.

Selling to the C-suite is about explaining the product's value to achieving company-wide goals.

The way you speak, how you feel and how you make others feel it's all part of the learning process you need to embrace.

B2B sales is ever green, running in cycles of buying and not-buying over a years-long relationship. It's not about closing today.

There's plenty of room for improvement in the world of ecommerce. Both buyers and sellers are worse off than they were 15 years ago.

Confused by Internet hype, confounded by fads, companies must put customers back at the center of their strategy, where their salespeople can serve them

Buying behavior continues to change at warp speed. Here are seven things not to do.

The simple act of selling is more complex than ever before. So why isn't it a major focus for colleges and students?

Here are the fundamental reasons sales-training initiatives don't work.

It pays to know what your sales spiel sounds like to the executives who will decide to purchase or pass on what you're selling.

When buyers balk, it's time to stop selling and start listening for the problem they don't know they have.

Companies must be proactive in accurately tracking potential buyer activity and not lag in use of social media.

Many sellers push hard to close the year and ultimately come up short. But there are a couple ways to minimize fire drills.

Businesses need to respect today's informed customers.