Blog List
Albert's story-truly inspirational
Over the last thirty plus years, I have had the pleasure and privilege of working with people at every level within organisations. The one thing I hav.... view this blog
Why we still have to close sales
I get really angry when I hear some modern day sales gurus tell salespeople that closing sales is old fashioned and nobody falls for closing questio.... view this blog
It may be a good time to be reminded that....
The easiest way we can get to where we want to be is by helping others get to where they want to be. And I cannot think of any area in our personal or.... view this blog
Some best advice for 2010...
Probably the best advice I ever received...Although this advice was not given to me directly by the originator, but instead by a sales manager who w.... view this blog
There's more to work than money...
It’s an established fact that money is not the major motivating factor for employees (except maybe in the banking world). I recently carried out a sur.... view this blog
Going the extra mile – update on my vain attempt to buy a new car
Continuing the saga from my previous newsletter and BLOG at http://www.bruceking.co.uk/development/blog/index.asp You’ll recall in a previous ne.... view this blog
Customer Service & The Extra Mile
You may recall I’ve mentioned in previous blogs and newsletters the fact that ‘the extra mile is rarely crowded’ and that going that extra mile can so.... view this blog
Start With A Close
Salespeople who attend my Master Classes often ask me when they should start closing. My answer is very simple. You are starting to close from the mo.... view this blog
Watch out for ‘Nibblers’
Nibbling is one of the negotiating techniques I use frequently and with great success when I am buying something of some significant value. Here is on.... view this blog
More on negotiation
Use only two or three strong points at most for not agreeing to a concession.There is often a temptation to give as many reasons as possible as to.... view this blog
WHO HAS THE POWER IN NEGOTIATIONS?
When I ask this question in a Master Class, almost without exception, people say the buyer has all the power. That is simply not true. The person who .... view this blog
Never forget – you’re in SALES
I mention this because, over the last few months, I’ve been accompanying many salespeople on visits for two of my clients and what has horrified me mo.... view this blog
Negotiating - Aim High and watch out for ‘Split The Difference’!
Your starting price and terms for your negotiations should be the highest you could possibly justify for your product or service. The closer your star.... view this blog
How NOT to follow up a price query and other email advice…
Last week I asked several companies to quote to prepare some illustrations for a new book I’m writing. I received five quotations, four of which conta.... view this blog
Back at the coal face...
My lovely wife Stephanie has her own business. She sells very beautiful scarves, shawls and other fashion accessories. She does not have a shop, but i.... view this blog
Good and bad sales managers
I’ve had the privilege of coaching some really superb sales managers - and a few awful ones. Here, in a nutshell, is what I believe makes some people .... view this blog
‘We don't see things as they are but we see things as WE are.’
‘We don't see things as they are but we see things as WE are.’ So Sometimes it’s better NOT to focus on your goals...This is a true story…A ma.... view this blog
This is so very profound...
The ISWAT Technique, which you'll be familiar with it you attended any of my Master Classes or conferences - I have decided to re-frame it. Doesn't ma.... view this blog
The THREE letter word that you have to include in all your promotions and Goal setting…
The THREE letter word that you have to include in all your promotions:Whenever you are making a ‘special offer’ or promotion, it’s essential you tel.... view this blog
What if you earned £410 for every cold call?
If you have to make cold calls, but don’t really love making them, you really should be using a Results Monitor – RM for short. These are built into s.... view this blog
Two words that can save you a fortune...
They saved my wife over £600 last week alone! These are also the same two words that I taught both my children from an early age and they both rec.... view this blog
I challenge you (again)…
Here I go again – challenging people. And this time I’m challenging you to become World-Class in whatever you do – and to explain to why you should an.... view this blog
Features and Benefits DO NOT arouse customer’s interests when we are selling…
Of course it’s absolutely essential to know the features and benefits of our product or service BUT we should not ever open a presentation with them. .... view this blog
All the World's a Stage in Sales too
William Shakespeare wrote ‘All the world’s a stage and each must play a part’. Of course he wasn’t referring specifically to salespeople when he wrote.... view this blog
The ABC of Sales - And the Complex Sale
I’m often asked to help companies who deal with complex sales. By ‘complex’ I mean sales that can take from 6 months to 2 years to close. And the one .... view this blog
Love makes the world go around - Do the customers you sell to really know you LOVE them…
After over 25 years of married life, my wife and I still exchange cards on Valentine’s day and this year was no exception. We do it to show we.... view this blog
Put yourself RUTHLESSLY in your customers shoes
Since my last newsletter two weeks ago, I have spent much of my time working with clients and running a series of half day and one day in-house worksh.... view this blog
Make more sales with the Puppy Dog Close
If you sell products, maybe you have some quantity of stock sitting around waiting to be sold? If you provide a service – maybe you have some sp.... view this blog
The Good News is…
Please help all my newsletter Subscribers and anyone else who visits my website…I’ve lost count of how many people have e-mailed me or spo.... view this blog
A Killer Technique to get yourself really focused on achieving your goals...
This won't be new to anyone who has attended my Double Your Sales Masterclass, but in spite of the fact that I emphasise just how effective this is on.... view this blog
How I hire great salespeople
One of the things that I believe keeps me really sharp and enables me to stay at the top of my game is that I always keep selling myself. I don’t mean.... view this blog
Happy New Year
As many of you will know, I took an extended break over the Christmas holidays and whilst sunning myself on the beach in Florida, I had plenty o.... view this blog
Does a two hour sales training slot really do any long term good!
I’m often asked, and particularly in these troubled times when training budgets have been cut to a minimum, “does a two hour sales training slot reall.... view this blog
Thoughts prompted during my Norwegian Speaking Tour
I arrived in Norway on Sunday and by Monday morning I had the most dreadful cold. I awoke with a streaming nose and eyes and was sneezing and coughing.... view this blog
Dream BIG Dreams!
In this current economic climate, there’s no doubt there may be a few additional obstacles to overcome in the day to day running of our businesses an.... view this blog
About survival...
I’ve had three companies postpone their sales training contracts with me in the last seven days. I’ve also had five more contact me with a request to .... view this blog
Planning in an economic downturn
I just received a printed Newsletter from a large firm of accountants. The headline was: ‘Planning in an economic downturn.’ Here is a summary of thei.... view this blog
Sales - How do you get people raving about you to other people?
There’s a huge difference in the way Europeans and Americans behave when it comes to recommending other businesses services.The USA:
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When the going gets tough in sales – the tough get going!
You don’t have to be a genius to figure out that, in the current economic climate, business might be getting a little tough for some companies. For ma.... view this blog
Networking & Sales – what to answer when someone asks 'what do you do?'
You have honed your ‘elevator pitch’ to perfection. You’ve practised delivering it in front of the mirror, with your colleagues, with your partner - e.... view this blog
You don’t have to know the answers – just ask much, much better questions…
Two weeks ago I was hired to do some sales coaching for a company operating in a sector that I had no experience of whatsoever. I made sure the client.... view this blog
Unleash the hidden army of salespeople in your organisation
It has always been my view that every single person working within an organisation is involved in the sales process in some way or another and should .... view this blog
Learn to trust your ‘gut feelings’ again – mine took me to Rotterdam!
It is my belief that most of us have lost touch with one of the most important decision making tools we have available to us – our ‘gut feeling’, and.... view this blog
Dealing with ‘I have to discuss it with (someone else)’ when closing a sale’
We all know that we should qualify our prospects and confirm whether or not they have the authority to make a decision to invest in our product or ser.... view this blog
‘The most important question to ask when selling and reduce buyer resistance’
We all know that most people hate being sold to. So here is ONE question you can ask that:- Reduces buyer resistance- Reduces the am.... view this blog
‘One of the things you could be doing at sales meetings with your sales team’
I have attended some quite boring and sometimes absolutely dreadful sales meetings over the years. Salespeople are made to come into the office for a .... view this blog
Lessons from Wimbledon…
What does it take for a person to become a Wimbledon champion – or even get the opportunity to compete in those championships? Here are a few key poin.... view this blog
The two essential ingredients for being successful in sales (and life)
Some weeks I find it difficult to come up with an appropriate subject for this BLOG and this week I was struggling until the last minute. Then late Fr.... view this blog
Your ‘Sales Elevator Pitch’
Last week I presented my ‘How To Double Your Sales’ conference at one location in the USA and another in the UK. Before the conferences start, I alway.... view this blog
Do UK retail shops and stores think they are NOT in sales
I’ve been in New York for three days now. The trip is a mix of speaking engagements and visiting my two daughters who both live and work here and play.... view this blog
The little shop on the corner that sold more suits for men than Macys
I would never advocate or condone any form of dishonesty in selling, but the following story did make me laugh very much when I first heard it and the.... view this blog
“I hate sales scripts!”
“I hate sales scripts” and “I won’t use a script when selling” are two comments that are frequently made when I introduce the concept of using a sell.... view this blog
The salesperson’s biggest dilemma – “Do I reconfirm the appointment or just turn up?”
If there is one question I am asked more frequently during my Sales Master Classes than any other, it is ‘should I reconfirm the appointment the day b.... view this blog
Listen if you want to sell more – REALLY listen!’
The biggest mistake most salespeople make when listening to a prospect is they hear something that they think is important and that needs responding t.... view this blog
The incredible POWER of ASKING
If there is any help or advice you need and you think there is someone in the world who could help you, ASK them for help. It does not matter if you d.... view this blog
Telephone Marketing at its’ WORST!
On the rare occasions when I am in my office and not too busy, I ask for all cold telephone calls to be put through to me. I sometimes record them and.... view this blog
Form your own targeted Sales Mastermind Group
Over the last few years there has been a proliferation of networking organisations. In this BLOG I am referring to offline – not online networki.... view this blog
The lesson of the twenty pound note
A speaker was presenting to an audience. He started off his presentation by holding up a £20 note and he asked, "Who would like this £20 note?" Hands .... view this blog
How I was taught to always ask for referrals when selling
I know that most people in sales ask for referrals, but in my experience it is a very ‘hit and miss affair’. Asking for referrals is rarely built into.... view this blog
Why You Need To Close The Sale
We often need to close a sale because customers often need help in making a buying decision. They find it hard to ask to buy and it is our responsibil.... view this blog
Overcoming fear in sales and every other area of your life
Many years ago, when I was working full time in sales, I was driving past a large office block which had the name ‘Rogers & Associates – Accountants’ .... view this blog
My Favourite Sales Cartoon
The first time I came across this cartoon was in a sales office over twenty years ago. I came across it again yesterday and still find it just as amus.... view this blog
How PDP Will Help You Achieve Your Sales Goals (and any other goals)...
One of the reasons I believe I have been so successful in teaching people professional selling skills is that I also teach techniques which I call Ps.... view this blog
Preparing For The Sales Presentation
On Saturday I presented a ten minute Showcase Speech at The Professional Speakers Association. It’s an occasion when a Member gives a ten minute talk .... view this blog
Your Goal Table
Whether or not you are a sports fan, you are almost certainly familiar with league tables; a list of all the teams that are in a division and what pos.... view this blog
Are you selling to the decision maker?
I’m often asked by salespeople how they can find out if the person they are arranging to meet with is the decision maker. Whenever I am asked that que.... view this blog
Getting even more sales referrals
If you’ve heard me speak or read any of my sales books, you’ll know that I advocate developing the skill of getting referrals as being the very best a.... view this blog
The Sales Process
Zig Ziglar, one of the world’s greatest sales gurus, is quoted as saying “The most important thing is not which (sales) system you use. The most impor.... view this blog
A lesson from Asher
I do not write my blog and pepper it with key words in order to improve my search engine positioning. Neither do I write it with the intention of gene.... view this blog
How Farmer Jones lost a sale
This week I decided to use the story of Farmer Jones as a light hearted way of illustrating a serious trap that many people fall into which is creatin.... view this blog
Commitment, Determination and Persistence
Commitment, determination and persistence are the attributes that every great achiever has to have in order to be successful and it’s so easy to illus.... view this blog
Visualising success in sales or in any other area of your life
One of my favourite books is Napoleon Hill’s Think And Grow Rich and those of you who have attended any of my conferences and workshops will know that.... view this blog
Thousands Hit By Phone Bill Scams – The Times newspaper
Mobile telephone companies have been in the news this week accused of lying about the prices potential customers will be charged for their calls in or.... view this blog
Does your business card help you to make sales?
Last week I presented two keynote speeches and, because I have some exercises I use during the presentations, I collected most attendee’s business car.... view this blog
Congratulations to Sweden & Norway!
The following are two quotes from Jim Rohn, the great American motivational speaker:‘The millionaire says to a thousand people, “I read th.... view this blog
Will doubling your sales make you happy?
If you are not happy right now, then it is very unlikely you are going to be happy when you have doubled your sales and you are not going to be happy .... view this blog
Stop complaining
There are two aspects to complaining. The first is complaining about our current situation and we can only do this when we know that something better .... view this blog
Lessons from the Rugby World Cup
I’m in the process of re-writing Psycho-Selling which, by the way, is going to be sub-titled How To Double Your Sales in 6 Weeks rather than the 8 wee.... view this blog
Communication Skills and Listening
When the words ‘communication skills’ are mentioned, most people automatically think of speaking. The fact is the listening is a far more important s.... view this blog
The Hard Sell
There was no blog last week because my eldest daughter who lives in New York gave birth to her first child, so my wife Stephanie and I flew to the USA.... view this blog
Testimonials
Nothing speaks louder about you, your company and your product and service than what OTHERS say about you. Often customers will ask if they can speak .... view this blog
The 'Fluffy Bunny Stuff'
I attended a meeting of my local BNI networking group last week as a visitor and sat next to someone who described himself as a business coach working.... view this blog
Is the glass half full?
Here’s a twist on the ‘Is the glass half full or half empty?’ question which I really enjoyed.I’m sure you have heard the question posed b.... view this blog
Telemarketing again
This is the second time in just a few weeks that I have posted some comment on telemarketing standards. Can’t help it – I get so incensed at the appal.... view this blog
Getting referrals to new business
Whenever I ask a group of sales personnel what’s the easiest way to get new business?, they almost always answer with the word referrals from existing.... view this blog
Tele-marketing standards
When I’m in the office and not too busy, I ask for all cold telephone calls to be put through to me. I like listening to (in most cases appalling but .... view this blog
A powerful technique for time management
Every day, or most days, we have things to do which we are not quite so comfortable with. It could be cold calling sessions, it could be contacting a .... view this blog
The world’s two most powerful words
I want to share with you the world’s two most powerful words. They are - PLEASE and Thank You.And they are becoming more and more powerful ever.... view this blog
It’s people that count
It’s people that countThese are just a few of my favourite quotes…From President Harry S Truman : "It is amazing what you can .... view this blog
More personal info from Bruce
I don’t know about you, but when I see information about someone who claims they can change my life, double my sales or help me or my team to achieve .... view this blog
Five minutes a day to become a World Class Achiever
I just received an e-mail from somebody who said she wanted some simple instructions on how she could start on the process of becoming a world class a.... view this blog
Have a chat with Bill Clinton..
Here’s a question for you. How would you like to have Bill Clinton, or Theodore Roosevelt, or Napoleon Hill, or Dale Carnegie, or Mother Theresa, or G.... view this blog
Dealing with 'I want to think it over'
Do you ever get frustrated when potential customers tell you they want to THINK IT OVER after your sales presentation. Well here’s one of several exce.... view this blog
Everyone in business is in Sales
I’m still selling most days in some way or another – aren’t we all? If we are not directly and solely employed to sell our organisation’s products an.... view this blog
Who do you really work for?
Whenever I’m addressing an audience made up of company employees, I ask the question – ‘who here is an employee? Of course everyone’s hands go up. May.... view this blog
When you cannot close the sale
Here’s a technique I picked up very early in my sales career, and at an educated guess, I’d say I sold at least 20% more than I would have otherwise. .... view this blog