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Rod Aparicio

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Featured Post

Charm

Many people in sales think that's charm what gets them to keep accounts and/or close deals. It's not. In the vast majority of cases what gets (mis)labeled with charm is: over promising, underpricing or conceding to any price pressure or to give away discounts as a default And that's not charm. It's a lack or underdeveloped skills in sales —but most importantly, in knowing how to articulate the value they help create. What are the ways you train and develop your skills? Because "charm" will...

Is it bad to keep the same price for 10 years? Or is it good to keep the same price for 10 years? Same. No incremental raises, no inflation, no higher-costs compensation, nothing additional.

Knowing how to do their thing is what differentiates experts from non-experts. Now, it's not only knowing how to. Having this in the back of your head makes it visible, BUT only when it's in action and you're not in action 24/7. There's a way, though: with your how-to structured and articulated. How do your customers have access to your knowing how to when they look for someone like you?

If you are highly competent and care about your customers, you probably have a savior complex. You care about them, for their success, and want to help them at best because you see the potential in their businesses and projects. Maybe you see too much of the potential they can't even fathom. Here's the thing: you can't save them all. If they decide not to move in certain beneficial direction despite your advice, that's ok. You can't control people. You can't decide for them. You can't live...

Business = Design How a business operates, how it chooses, how it makes money, who it serves. How the business sees the world. Intentionally or not, it follows a design. If it's unbalanced, it'll flop.Overpromising and underdelivering. If it's got no contrast, it'll blend."We bring solutions." If it lacks space, it'll get lost.Always chasing. If it lacks taste, it'll die.Following how the rest run their businesses. It's not about the logo. Or the branding. Or the marketing. Design is about...

The best way to demonstrate your expertise is not always by answers. What separates experts from newbies is making questions. The right kind of questions. Questions where you guide your prospect to dive deeper into what's their situation. Questions where you listen to understand, before coming with a solution. Questions where you show that you've done your thing before. Questions that make it a conversation.

That's the stench of desperation. When sellers try to demonstrate by saying they're the best option to their customers situations. With the eagerness. The anxiety. The overexcitement. Because they bring solutions (all their competitors claim they bring problems, right?) The more you chase them, the more they'll retreat. Learn to retreat, and they'll follow.

Pop quiz: Price is the amount of money that... A.- the customers pay to receive what the company's offering B.- the company charges for what they offer.

A price increase might feel like too risk (whatever that price increase is). And when your customer gets back to you with sticker shock, they'll ask you what justifies it —you will be tempted to do so. Whether you justify it or not, you need a structure. One that lets your customer know that they're not risking their money for less value. One that is clear on how they get helped.One that doesn't give up your numbers on how you run your business. A structure could be like this: - What...

"If you have to have a prayer session before raising the price by 10%, then you've got a terrible business" — W. Buffet Which begs the question: will you be able to double your prices without a prayer session?