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Why “Do Nothing” Is Your Toughest Competitor in Enterprise Sales Automobile dealers know a painful truth: when a customer says, “I’ll think it over” and walks out, they seldom come back. That’s why dealers pull out every tactic imaginable—stalling by keeping your keys, bringing in the sales manager, applying wave after wave of pressure. They understand that the most significant risk isn’t losing you to another dealership. It’s losing you to indecision. That same silent assassin—the decision to do nothing—is what enterprise sales professionals face every day. In my book, Above Quota Performance, I argue that the #1 competitor isn’t another company....

19 August, 2025

A key decision-maker may ask, "Why should I purchase your product or service?" during or after the sales presentation. This question presents an opportunity to convey the concise value proposition. Although this inquiry can disrupt the flow of a presentation, it can be advantageous if approached in a constructive manner. Rather than interpreting this question as confrontational, sales pros should view it as an inquisitive challenge—an opportunity to clarify the rationale for further engagement with your company. Assure the buyer that you appreciate their question and are not offended. The question "Why should I purchase your product?" is usually not intended as...

12 August, 2025

I am a big fan of Major League Baseball and specifically of the Chicago Cubs. Have you ever noticed that many offensive rallies happen after one team has two outs on its opponent?  My wife has repeatedly pointed this out to me, and it’s true. An analyst examined data on baseball games for 2019 and found that an astonishing 37.5 percent of all baseball runs are scored after two outs, compared to 24.9 percent with no outs and 37.6 percent with one out.1 Why is that? Do pitchers relax more when there are two outs? Or do the batters improve their...

29 July, 2025

Pizza is my favorite food, although I have had to reduce the number of occasions that I dine on it due to my recent diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. I enjoy all styles of pizza, including thin crust, stuffed crust, Detroit-style, New York-style, and Neapolitan. My favorite is pepperoni pizza. Since I grew up and live in Chicago, I especially like Chicago deep-dish style pizza, a style unique to the Windy City. Did I catch your attention with my opening? I must have because you are still reading. So, what does this have to do with sales? It’s all about quickly relating...

23 July, 2025

Have you observed that the effectiveness of your standard sales pitch varies significantly based on the personality of your buyer? If not, it is essential to pay closer attention. Individuals possess distinct personalities and respond differently to various situations. I suggest that sales pros study buyers, not just pitch products. It is essential to tailor your messages and pitch to the specific type of buyer. Failure to do so may result in your message not being well received. For example, if your contact is a risk-averse introvert who is hesitant to try anything new, imagine how she might react when asked...

06 July, 2025

After the announcement of our company’s acquisition, a sales pro began packing his belongings and would quickly exit the office. He previously worked for Dun & Bradstreet, which acquired our company. Given his previous experience with the acquiring company, where he misbehaved upon leaving after his employment was terminated, he anticipated that he might not be retained and began preparing to leave immediately. (He had also lied on his application and did not disclose this to us.) Throughout my career, I have worked under various managers and in multiple companies. I worked for managers who were incompetent, lazy, mean, unreasonable, terrible,...

30 June, 2025

Here is the scenario: You developed a lead into a qualified opportunity, held meetings to demonstrate your value proposition, answered questions, arranged customer visits, and crafted a return-on-investment case that impressed the Economic Buyer. The buyer's interest grew, leading to calls for more information, workshops, contract requests, and training queries. They analyzed your solution, asked their questions, and examined the alternatives. Then, you were informed that your solution was selected from among the several they were considering. However, the deal suddenly stalled, your contact is not returning calls, and the opportunity remains open.  Has this happened to you? Your contact informed...

06 June, 2025

When pursuing a prospect in the sales cycle, it might seem advantageous if there is no competition. Indeed, discovering a lead and completing the sales process without the threat of a competing supplier can be less stressful, as no competitors are highlighting potential shortcomings of your company or product. Such scenarios are uncommon and should be celebrated when they occur. This has become even rarer since the pandemic, which has made access to prospects more challenging. However, competition can sometimes be beneficial in closing an opportunity. This may sound counterintuitive, so allow me to elaborate. An essential aspect of ensuring that time...

06 June, 2025

Nature versus Nurture? The debate on whether excellent sales pros are born or made is a classic nature versus nurture argument. After extensive experience in hiring, coaching, and managing over a thousand sales pros, the author concludes that most (not all) high-performing sales pros are born with innate skills, which they further develop. While some mediocre sales pros can improve with training, they are a minority. The author disagrees with best-selling author Daniel Pink's view that everyone is naturally a salesperson, citing statistics and personal experience to support the idea that natural-born sales pros have a significant advantage. I had the opposite view! When...

22 May, 2025

“Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships.” Michael Jordan1 Teamwork offers significant advantages over individual work through better communication and synergy, leading to enhanced problem-solving, innovation, and creativity. It often results in a positive work environment and improved morale, although this is not always the case. Most people prefer working in teams rather than individually, and I have always enjoyed being part of teams. Here are a few examples from my work experience that highlight a lack of teamwork: I was part of the Executive Group at a software company. During a meeting, a peer who had previously privately agreed with me...

12 May, 2025
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