Blogs from Art Waskey

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3 Steps to Avoid Customer Churn

We've all experienced the disappointment in learning that one of our Top Ten Accounts is switching to a competitor. There is a practical way to avoid key customer churn. First, you must understand that you need to show your customers what you do to support them. Meet...

Reflect and Direct: The Essential Monthly Sales Review

Throughout our AI-Enabled Sales Management series, we've explored AI directives for call reporting, calendar planning, prospecting, dashboarding, sales reviews, and Customer 360 meetings. In this article, we examine another essential component of AI Sales Management —...

Customer Insights: 360° Strategy Session

A Customer 360 Meeting is an annual event during which all points on the circle of your relationship with your customer are discussed. These meetings deepen partnerships and can transform your relationship from transactional to strategic. Three key meeting components...

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Featured

Handling Success Wisely

Being in a leadership position is an honor we work toward, but once there, you may find yourself unsure of how you go about handling success. Have you ever found yourself proud to be put in charge,...

Promoting the Product: A New Sales Model That Meets Your Needs

The New Sales Model MSC Industrial Supply Co's new brand proposition — built to make you better — is an important strategy to note. The digitalized world has created major changes in the way we...

A Balanced Sales Approach

Feeling Appreciated It is easy to slip into the Best Supporting Rep role. Filling an urgent client request or fixing a problem begets customer gratitude, and, we all want to feel appreciated.  When...
Getting the contract signed

Getting the contract signed

Once you have identified your customer’s needs and those making the purchasing decision, move into investment discussions and present your...

Validate the Decision Makers

Validate the Decision Makers

A critical phase of a successful sales cycle is validating the decision maker(s). Digitalization has made communication — the centerpiece of any...

Identifying Customer Needs

Identifying Customer Needs

Once you have built trust and understand your customers’ backgrounds and motivations, you can identify their needs and begin to formulate solutions....

Understand your customer

Understand your customer

Building trust in customer relationships is critical to a successful sales cycle. To establish trust you need to understand your client’s needs and...

Trust in Customer Relationships

Trust in Customer Relationships

Selling involves the transfer of trust, and a successful sales cycle revolves around establishing trust in customer relationships. The manner in...

Building a Permanent Filing System

Building a Permanent Filing System

Having a consistent digital filing system that supports your business's objectives is critical to success in the digital era. Here are 3 key actions...

How to Better Manage Your Email

How to Better Manage Your Email

A full mailbox is a time sink. Many people assert that checking emails is the biggest time-waster among all management tools. This makes it...

An Effective Calendar System

An Effective Calendar System

The digital calendar Today’s digital calendars offer highly effective calendar systems that greatly improve our ability to manage time. When...

Integrity, Intensity, Intelligence

Generating insights As I age, I find myself taking more time with a friend or colleague over a cup of coffee. Gone are the “all business” meetings...

Managing Your Contact List

Managing Your Contact List

Your Contact List is your lifeline. Managing it well is essential to your success. Let’s look at the skills required for an effective automated...

Use Available Digital Capabilities

Use Available Digital Capabilities

Many purchasing decision makers are now digital natives and that number continues to grow. This makes the excellence of your digital capabilities...

Customer personalization

Customer personalization

Independent distributors succeed based on the added value they bring to the customer relationship. In 2024, strengthening customer personalization...

Adopting AI in Marketing

Adopting AI in Marketing

The traditional marketing landscape is changing rapidly as Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools are introduced. AI is disrupting the usual sales...

Adaptability

Adaptability

Looking Back As I start the New Year, I like to make observations about the previous year. Looking back, 2023 was a year replete with some big...

AI and Cost Containments

AI and Cost Containments

One of the greatest advantages of deploying Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications is the effective cost containments they yield. AI can help...

Consider Implementing AI

Consider Implementing AI

Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications offer exciting possibilities for transforming how business is done. Its applications are complex and very...

AI and Marketing Productivity

AI and Marketing Productivity

Coming to your market Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications are rapidly infiltrating market spaces. McKinsey has declared that “AI is poised to...

Managing Change and Building Trust

Managing Change and Building Trust

Be a differentiator The distribution business is built on managing change, building trust, strong relationships, and the ability to find solutions...

Strengthen Your Sales Position

Strengthen Your Sales Position

Digital tools have altered the customer experience. For example, product research, once the realm of the sales rep, is now done routinely by the...

Build Online Confidence

Build Online Confidence

Changing Customer Relationships I consult primarily with distributors with revenues of $10 million and below. This group's success stems from...

Taking Control of the Mind

Taking Control of the Mind

Our mind can be likened to an iceberg. The tip of the iceberg represents the relatively small part of our brain which is our conscious mind. This...

Organizational Tools

Organizational Tools

Why organize? What is it that makes being organized a functional way to succeed? To begin, it is important to realize that with every business...