by Shannon F. Your handwriting can be a window into your personality, or it can simply make you wish you’d focused harder on staying in the lines during penmanship class. Many experts believe that handwriting can predict personal inclinations, professional attributes, and even chances of success. Take it with a grain of salt, but here is what your handwriting could say about your selling style. (For example, if your handwriting is large, close together, and sloppy, you may be a gregarious and people-oriented salesperson who focuses on the big picture.) Scribble something on a piece of paper and see where you stand. Small handwriting. Do you tend to blend into the wallpaper wherever you are? It could be your choice of sweater, or maybe you just have small handwriting—a sign of introversion. Microscopic writing may mean that you don’t have a big, boisterous personality, but it could also indicate that you are detail-oriented and meticulous. If these traits apply to you, you may be struggling in sales—a field where outgoing people with a big-picture perspective tend to thrive. Large handwriting. Often a sign of outgoing individuals, big handwriting could indicate that you have a larger-than-life personality and enjoy being the center of attention. As a salesperson, you likely excel at chatting up contacts and making new connections. Just don’t forget to step out of the spotlight every once in a while and truly listen to your prospects and clients. Cramped, close-together handwriting. Relationships are likely important to you if you […]

by Shannon F.   Recent research  shows that the B2B sales cycle is lengthening, causing more and more companies to miss sales goals, fail to achieve growth, and ultimately lose millions. Why is today’s average sales cycle longer than it was five years ago? For one, the buyer’s mindset has changed; even as the marketplace bounces back, the economic downturn did its damage, making business decision-makers cautious, skeptical, and less willing to part with money. Don’t expect this mindset to go away in a hurry; just as our Depression-era grandparents still tip on the wrong side of 10% and buy these cookies, today’s buyers are once burned, twice shy. They also have less decision-making autonomy and may be increasingly required to get approval on proposed purchases from higher management. This results in delays when it comes to finalizing decisions and closing the deal. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to keep your sales pipeline filled, overcome buyer hang-ups, and make sure a longer sales cycle doesn’t negatively impact your bottom line. 1. Focus on trigger events. A trigger event with a timeline (such as an office move) gives the buyer a compelling reason to make decisions quickly. A trigger event allows you to accurately predict when a deal will close. For example, if a company must be up and running in the new office by September 1st, they are going to have to decide on a new phone system at least 30 days prior, or major delays will occur. […]