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Featured Articles

ARTICLE: Economy Changing Consumer Behaviors
By Gareth Schweitzer
Since the economy began its downward spiral into recession in early 2008, we have seen changes in consumer behaviors and habits. Studies have shown that mindsets have shifted and that the current consumer is a very different person than the consumer of several years ago. Many marketing research services have begun to create their own surveys and reports to gain insight into this new consumer that we are dealing with today. . . . keep reading

ARTICLE: 7 Reasons Sales Managers Fail
By Colleen Stanley
Have you been scratching your head wondering why your sales team is not hitting revenue goals and aren't going to succumb to blaming the economy? Do you feel like you're doing everything you can and giving your all as a manager but are not getting consistent results? Read on to determine if you are a product of these 7 reasons sales managers fail . . . keep reading

ARTICLE: The Little Rules Of Taking Action
By Leo Babauta
Too often we get stuck in inaction -- the quagmire of doubt and perfectionism and distractions and planning that stops us from moving forward. And while I'm no proponent of a whirling buzz of activity, I also believe people get lost in the distractions of the world and lose sight of what's important, and how to actually accomplish their something Amazing. . . . keep reading

ARTICLE: The Most Important Button On Your Phone
By Mike Brooks
Listening is the number one skill of Top 20% producers. Their listening goes far beyond just listening though, because top producers actually hear what is behind what their prospects are saying, and they know how to ask clarifying questions to get them to reveal even more. Have you ever needed to ask directions? . . . keep reading

ARTICLE: 7 Mistakes Of The Self-Centered Sales Person
By Joe Crisara
A sales person like me may be the easiest person for a good sales person to sell to. Believe me, I've seen and heard a lot of sales presentations in my life, and unfortunately nearly all of them amuse, bore, repel, or anger me. I actually pity the people who use out-dated, scripted and ineffective techniques. Then I realize that what they say is a result of the poor information they have been trained with. Sometimes I even give them advice on how to best sell me if they are open to listening to me. . . . keep reading

ARTICLE: Smile Slowly To Carry Bigger Impact
By Joe Crisara
So much research has been done on no-verbal communication, yet so few of us can consciously tune in to it. I think we are all aware that our body language and facial expressions talk for us long before we ever begin to move our mouths. Take for instance the smile. What is it that can make one smile seem so genuine and the other silly or clown like? What kind of smile evokes confidence while the other co notates a moron? . . . keep reading

SALES TIP OF THE WEEK #104
To me, the definition of selling is to provide a solution that is directly "on code" with solving a problem your customer has. In essence to find what people need and want you have to understand how they think. Being a Student Of Your Buyer- To do this you must learn about your customer. Okay so you know they have a problem, . . . keep reading

ARTICLE: You Can Sell Your Way Out Of Any Situation
By Tom Richard
When I was only ten years old, I remember waking up early one day to go fishing with my father at our family's cabin in Grayling, Michigan. When we arrived at the dock, my heart sank with the sight of about three inches of water in our small fishing boat from the heavy rain the night before. Many other fishermen were bailing out their boats with small buckets; I frowned at the thought of doing the same. My father smiled and simply told me to go ahead and get into the boat. . . . keep reading

SALES TIP OF THE WEEK #103
Looking For The "Silver Bullet" Of Sales? - Whenever I work with sales managers who are failing, I notice that they all talk about the immediate issues going on with their salespeople and are looking for the "quick-fix" or "silver bullet" answer from me. Most of them have given up and think they have already thought of everything. The one thing that they usually have never thought of is to zoom out and look at the big picture, . . . keep reading

SALES TIP OF THE WEEK #102
Many people believe sales people and service techs need tools, literature, company brochures, note pads, booties, red carpets and a plethora of other things when talking to customers. I have another idea that I want you to consider. When talking to your customer, leave all of this clutter somewhere else. The more junk we have to consume our attention the less we can actually hear our customer. . . . keep reading

SALES TIP OF THE WEEK #101
After the dust has settled, and you sold the job, have you ever asked a customer why they purchased from you? This may be one of the most powerful questions you could ever ask. Basically you want to find out specifically what you said or did that made them decide to use you. Why is this important? Because finding out trends and using them to your advantage mean everything in selling success. . . . keep reading

The Referral IQ Test: Would You Pass?
By Joe Crisara
Many people doubt the validity of getting referrals as an actual mix of their marketing. By accident, many people get referred by customers that love them. So let's face it, referrals start by doing great service that people notice. In my thinking, if you can make something happen on accident, then you can make it happen on purpose. As usual, the reason something doesn't work is usually screwed up in the beginning not at the point the problem is apparent. Let me go over the most effective way to get referrals. . . . keep reading

ARTICLE: Costly Assumptions
By Keith Rosen
When clients ask for help in closing more sales, I'd ask them to list the objections they are hearing that prevented the sale. It's when they start stumbling over their response that I ask, "Are these the objections you are hearing directly from your prospects or what you're assuming as the reason why they don't buy?" Whether it's around our sales efforts, during a conversation with our boss (and our kids) . . . keep reading

ARTICLE: 5 Tips To Beat Your Competitors in a Recession
By Jeb Blount
CNN calls it issue #1. You cannot open a newspaper, turn on the TV, or even have a conversation with friends without talking about the economy and the "r-word" - recession. Doom and gloom are everywhere. And there is no hiding from the fact that trepidation in the market is having an impact on the paychecks of Sales Professionals across the globe. . . . keep reading

ARTICLE: The Seven Roller Coaster Stages of a Start Up
By Rob Spiegel
Are you ready for the carnival ride of your life? Launching and building a business is a nerve-wracking journey that will change your personality and alter your very essence. You may succeed and you may fail, but the wild turns and gut-wrenching drops along the way are as predictable as they are frightening. Here's a quick sketch of the emotional ride of a business start-up. . . . keep reading

SALES TIP OF THE WEEK #100
How many times have you had what appears to be both decision makers present and ready for you presentation when out of the blue you heard the rumble in the background. The black knight has entered. The "black knight" is usually a neighbor or uncle or any other third party whom your prospect must confer with regarding their decision. How well you deal with the black knight just may be the key to either losing or closing the deal. . . . keep reading

DOWNLOAD: The Top 21 Sales Questions On Opportunity Calls
By Joe Crisara

I have compiled a list of some of the best sales question that are commonly used by sales people and technicians who are looking to find out more about their customers, the buying habits, the things that they want from their service and much more. Please print these questions out and give them to your sales team to use. If you have other questions that you use please share them with us on the memebrs forum . . . keep reading

DOWNLOAD: Managers Sales Call Debriefing Form
By Joe Crisara

What do you say to a sales person or tech that is burning through leads with poor results? The answer is not to say anything but instead to ask key questions that reveal what the problem or bottleneck may be. These questions help reveal the real problem with lost sales. Watch the response of the person you are questioning. The more fluidly that can answer . . . keep reading

How Does a Top Sales Expert Prove His Approach Works?
Templeton, Calif. - All salesmen need help when their sales drop or stagnate or even when they think there's nothing else to learn. Unlike many sales trainers who are here today and gone tomorrow, Joe Crisara went back to many graduates of his Total Immersion Workshops and found dramatic improvement both in closing sales and higher per average sales. "There are lots of sales trainers who promise everything and then move on to the next assignment," says Crisara, who has taught more than 1,000 contractors the secrets of his lifelong study of what works and what fizzles with contractor selling. . . . keep reading

Contractor Selling Expert Reveals Time-Tested Sales Tips
(Los Angeles) -- Knowing how to install or repair products is what keeps a contractor busy. But knowing how to sell properly is what makes a contactor's business successful. You can significantly improve sales of your business if you follow guidelines that are proven over and over again, says Joe Crisara, a former contractor who took his own business from one truck and modest sales to a successful, profitable service contracting business. "It is a matter of knowing what to do and how to use this knowledge in your contracting business," Crisara says. . . . keep reading

DOWNLOAD: Total Immersion Success Organizer 2010

This file contains one of the most powerful management tools we have ever found in helping techs and sales people keep themselves accountable for their financial results. This calendar allows the sales or service manager to look at the last week, month, quarter or year for trend that are occurring with their staff.
Simply have your techs or sales people track their activities daily. . . . keep reading

ARTICLE: 7 Reasons Sales Managers Fail
By Colleen Stanley

Have you been scratching your head wondering why your sales team is not hitting revenue goals and aren't going to succumb to blaming the economy? Do you feel like you're doing everything you can and giving your all as a manager but are not getting consistent results? Read on to determine if you are a product of these 7 reasons sales managers fail . . . keep reading

Secret #1 The "Convince Me" Step

The first step is a very subtle skill in that the sales person must remain unconvinced that the customer is a fit for their service. In this step you must get the customer to convinve YOU that they need you. How? Just listen and find out. . . . keep reading

ARTICLE: The Little Rules Of Taking Action
By Leo Babauta

Too often we get stuck in inaction -- the quagmire of doubt and perfectionism and distractions and planning that stops us from moving forward. And while I'm no proponent of a whirling buzz of activity, I also believe people get lost in the distractions of the world and lose sight of what's important, and how to actually accomplish their something Amazing. . . . keep reading

Hour of Sales Power: Closing When Prices Are Double
Joe, Rick & Justin

This video of a recent Hour of Sales Power features Joe interviewing both Rick Picard and a tech named Justin from Memphis Tennessee who achieves some excellent results using our Total Immersion System. They discuss some recent situations where their price was more than double . . . keep reading

ARTICLE: The Most Important Button On Your Phone
By Mike Brooks

Listening is the number one skill of Top 20% producers. Their listening goes far beyond just listening though, because top producers actually hear what is behind what their prospects are saying, and they know how to ask clarifying questions to get them to reveal even more. Have you ever needed to ask directions? . . . keep reading

DOWNLOAD: Do It Now Or The Competition Will e-Book
By Joe Crisara

Whether you have sales people who sell equipment or service techs really doesn't matter as long as the priority is on you moving forward by executing the solution people want as soon as the customer wants it. Adopting a "Do It Now" philosophy is the ultimate customer focused program that centers itself on heroic service that differentiates your company from your competitor as well as providing windfall profit and bonuses for everyone. . . . keep reading

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"Thanks for dropping me a line and just to bring you up to date, I am meeting with that homeowner (I thought was going to result in) "the kick in the balls" to sign a $15,000 contract. I appreciate all the information I get from the Hour of Sales Power (with Rick Picard)that you provide. Thanks again."

Mike Allred

72 Degrees

Mundelein, IL

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Jim Pomroy

Gator Air Conditioning

Bradenton, FL

"I just got home from your one day seminar in Clearwater (FL). It was a great experience and definatly worth giving up a Saturday for. We have already had some very promising results from what we have learned from the website. Today really tied it all together, I cant wait for Monday so I can put this new knowledge to use. I'm looking forward to joining you for the full course."

Rick Davies

Airpors, Inc.

Bradenton, FL

"Thank u so much for saving my career this has giving me the knowledge i need to wake up. It has been two months two weeks and i am at 120,000. I owe u big time!"

Daniel Reynolds
Airstar

Dallas, TX

"Your HVAC seminar was eye opening, you ARE THE REAL DEAL! Come back soon to the east coast so I can train my guys too!"

Don Risher
Belair Engineering

Upper Marlboro, MD

"I just wanted to thank you again for sharing sales secrets you have mastered over the years. I am positive that your training will at a minimum triple my annual revenue and assist me in being the number one player in my market I had a blast and would highly recommend your class to anyone serious about providing more then outstanding service on every service call."

Derrick Jackson
Precision Plus

Philadelphia, PA

"I wish I knew this stuff 30 years ago."

"If I had, I undoubtably would be a very rich man today. I sold a $13,000 IAQ system on a pre-paid tuneup my first week back. Thanks Joe, you have saved my life."

Tony Beecham
Comfort Maxx

Camden, TN

"This stuff definitely works! In the 14 days after the training I sold $116,000!!! I barely ever sold $20,000 in a MONTH before! This will change me forever."

Mike C.
Gem Plumbing
Providence, RI

"Your material saved the day for me. You have helped me solve a problem I've been struggling with for years. I sold my first job over $15,000 the very first week. I know there is no magic bullet, but this is as close as it comes.

George Mills
Ed's HVAC
Dayton, OH

"I can't say enough about how valuable your help has been to all of us. Your services are the best investment I have ever made in my business."

Stan Stupor
Oregon Heating
Portland, OR

Thanks so much for your help. We joined Contractor Selling.Com and sold three calls totaling over $19,000 the next day. This website has so much good information to help me run my business. I consider myself pretty good at marketing and sales but after using some of your stuff I know an old dog can learn new tricks. Thanks So Much.

Dan McMahan
All Right Htg & Clg
Tifton, North Carolina