Shawn Karol Sandy

Having spent many of my first sales years in the TV industry, I absolutely love seeing the new fall shows in the July upfronts. We got a sneak peek into the new shows and the returning favorites. I still get giddy at fall previews and this year, couldn’t believe that

How many times have you been pitched to or sat in a meeting with someone blathering on about the features and benefits of their products? I say blathering because that’s what it feels like when someone is sitting in front of you talking about their product, their features and what

If you run a business, you probably spend a lot of time fending off, or at least ignoring crappy sales attempts—to be blunt. I say this with love for my profession of sales—which I’m obsessed with improving—as I too am now fending off crappy sales attempts. Though, they do provide

Traveling to NYC this past week, I had the opportunity to get chatty with many of my fellow travelers. Going places is pretty much a universal language and helps create instant bonds when you’re all in this together on a plane, or in a terminal. So, unless you give the

Last week, amid the hustle and bustle of clients and travel plans, I made time to attend the FedEx Executive Women’s Day out at TPC Southwind, at the invitation of my friend and financial planner. I have to admit, I was in the weeds last week and I didn’t do

I realized we’ve struck a nerve with this series, Selling for Non-Sales People. When I mention we’ve rolled out an intensive coaching program, the response is to grab my arm and say “YES! I NEED THIS” with giant eyes and emphatic jerking on my arm. The response in the first

Last post we started the series Selling for Non-Sales People to give a framework and roadmap for those of you who may be business owners, bankers, lawyers, consultants, fundraisers, directors, or anyone who doesn’t have the term “Sales Pro” in their professional title. Everyone is in sales in some capacity

More and more when I meet business owners at conferences or events and exchange introductions, the conversation quickly turns to “selling” for the owner and how difficult it is for them. Most often, they say, “I just don’t have enough time to get out there and sell.” But what I

Last week I was working with a business owner on her sales process. She had engaged a prospective new client and we were discussing the next steps to close this large opportunity. She was nervous, understandably, and she really wanted and needed this account and all the working capital and

What is your conversion rate and why is this little number such an important indicator of your company’s performance and health? In the big picture, understanding your conversion rate helps you know exactly how much it costs you to gain a new customer. This can help you plan your budgets