In sales we know a little secret that helps us to understand our buyer’s challenges, their current position, what their goals are, and even how to close the sale. For many, the common misconception is that sales is about “pushing the sale.” Salespeople talk and talk and will “sell.” Yet, those of us who teach, practice, and are firm believers in the art and science of selling know that to do so, to sell, we need the power of asking…
Your consumers are searching for “the best.” Does your mobile strategy provide it? According to Google Data (2017), mobile searches for “the best” have grown over 80%. But what does “the best” mean? As marketers, we tend to think “best” revolves around the solutions our products and services provide and how we develop these solutions. However, it is important to realize that the consumer is looking for “the best” solution for his or her specific need. Remember, it’s about what…
It’s time to share the second half of the talk I wrote for Sales Center at Indiana State University. Last month, I spoke about the importance and value of emotions in the sales and negotiations process. This is part 2 of that talk. Part one defined what emotions and feelings are and explained how emotions impact sales and negotiations. Now it’s time to talk about a strategy to be aware of and manage emotions so they can have a seat…
In February, I was invited by the director of the Sales Center at Indiana State University to speak on the importance and value of emotions in the sales and negotiations process. Below is part 1 of a 2 part series in which I address this topic. The first part addresses the opening story, defines what emotions and feelings are, and explains how emotions impact sales and negotiations. Enjoy! Laura Indigo Ink: You, Your Client, and the Role of Emotions in…
This post addresses a conversation I had with Tim O’Malley, owner of Fios Consulting in Chicago, who focuses on facilitating conversations related to the impact of diversity, inclusion and engagement on organizations. Tim and I were chatting about our unconscious biases and how we as humans have unconscious biases that impact the way we go about our daily lives. Unconscious biases, also known as implicit social cognitions, are the attitudes or stereotypes that influence how we understand, act and decide…
Welcome to Indigo Ink, a blog series about marketing, sales, entrepreneurship and exchanging ideas. I’m a professor and researcher at the Satish & Yasmin Gupta College of Business with an interest in professional selling and topics that emerge from the intersection between marketing and entrepreneurship. I’m passionate about helping my students learn and I have a very hands-on approach to teaching, which includes taking my students to competitions around the country! I’m also very passionate about other topics that are important…