Jill Konrath

I am mortified by what I'm overhearing at the table next to me ... I don't mean to be eavesdropping. But I couldn't help but listen in when the guy next to me in the coffee shop started selling his consulting services to another businessman. In the past 30 minutes, he's asked maybe two questions. Aargh! That in itself drives me crazy. Here's just a snippet of what I'm hearing, as well as my commentary on the mistakes he's making. Establishing Credentials: "I've been president of a company which we took nationwide. I'm also doing lots of consulting and now I'm coaching entrepreneurs just like you. There are so many things people like you don't know." (Impressive, right? I love how he unwittingly called his prospect dumb. If I were the prospect, I would have much preferred to learn about the results he's delivered for entrepreneurs who have similar businesses to mine.... (more)

Are You Catching These Prospect Warning Signs?

"Yikes," I exclaimed as a godawful screeching noise filled the car. We were driving downhill on a narrow twisting road in Escalante National Park enjoying the surreal landscape. It was the first day of our long drive home. "It's the brakes," my husband said calmly. Instantaneously, my eyes widened and my palms started sweating. I looked at the canyonlands far below and immediately realized there were no guardrails on the side of the road. "It's just a warning sign that they need replacing," he continued. "We'll need to change them when we get back to Minnesota." I breathed a huge ... (more)

[Video] Don't Ruin a Prospect Callback by Doing This!

Getting a prospect to return your phone calls these days is a real achievement. When that happens, you need to be at the top of your game, ready to quickly engage them in a relevant conversation. But what happens when you have no idea who's calling? VIDEO TEXT: After making a bunch of prospecting calls, have you ever had someone call you back and say, "Hi. This is Mike & I'm returning your call." And you think, Mike? Mike? Mike who? Your mind goes totally blank. You fumble for words and before you know it, you start sounding like a babbling idiot. It's happened to me too. That's why... (more)

Why I Can't Catch a Taxi -- And You Can't Sell

Several weeks ago I was in New York City doing a workshop for a client. I left early to meet with the VP of Sales before the session began. At the front desk of the hotel, when I asked for directions to the coffee shop, I discovered it was almost eight blocks away -- which was a shocker since I thought it was just around the corner.  Dang! Now I was going to be late. So, I called Herb to let him know that I was walking as fast as I could. When I got him on the line, he said, "Get a cab. It'll just take a minute." "That's okay," I replied. "I like to walk." But here's the truth. ... (more)

3 Things I Learned About Email This Past Week

Last Friday, I sent out an email telling you that I was shutting down my Selling to Big Companies website. Within minutes, my inbox was flooded with hundreds of messages. To say I was surprised by the reaction, is an understatement. Here are three things I discovered from that deluge -- and what they mean to you. 1. Email subject lines really matter -- much more than you or I think. My last email generated at least 15 times the number of responses I typically get. That's huge. But I didn't just hope it would happen. I actually worked hard to craft a subject line that would pique y... (more)