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    <title>COSE Sales & Networking</title>
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      <title> I've Given my Elevator Speech, Now What?</title>
      <link>http://www.cosemindspring.com/sales-networking/networking-strategies/ive-given-elevator-speech</link>
      <description><![CDATA[ (The inspiration for this article came from an engaging conversation with a COSE member and MindSpring reader. See what one phone call can do?) You&rsquo;re at a COSE networking event and you&rsquo;ve just delivered a concise, engaging and]]></description>
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      <title>Keep The Sale by Kelley Robertson</title>
      <link>http://www.cosemindspring.com/sales-networking/relationship-building/keep-sale-kelley-robertson</link>
      <description><![CDATA[ Keep The Sale Does this sound familiar? After dozens of phones calls and emails as well as several face-to-face meetings, you finally reach an agreement with a prospect who is intent on buying your service, product or solution.&nbsp; &quot;Whew! Another]]></description>
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      <title>Foundations of Service</title>
      <link>http://www.cosemindspring.com/sales-networking/customer-service/foundations-service</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Customer service is an elusive target - one that is more often missed than attained.&nbsp; The irony is that it&#39;s a target that every business wants to hit.&nbsp; Although, if you pay attention to advertisements on television, radio and in print]]></description>
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      <title>The Value of Working with a Business Coach</title>
      <link>http://www.cosemindspring.com/sales-networking/relationship-building/value-working-with-business</link>
      <description><![CDATA[A study was conducted by the International Coach Federation to explore the benefits of business coaching. The results, while not surprising, are significant. By far, most coaching clients pay their coach to be a sounding board - to really listen to them]]></description>
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      <title>Prospecting Tips/Asking Good Questions by Wendy Weiss</title>
      <link>http://www.cosemindspring.com/sales-networking/relationship-building/prospecting-tipsasking</link>
      <description><![CDATA[ 1. How will you make the decision? Always, always ask your prospect how they will make a decision. Also ask them when they&#39;ll make a decision. This way you will know what you&#39;re dealing with. 2. What are your criteria for evaluating this? Another]]></description>
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      <title>Finding Leads for Your Cold Calling Campaign by Wendy Weiss</title>
      <link>http://www.cosemindspring.com/sales-networking/relationship-building/finding-leads-your-cold</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Leads are everywhere. No one should ever put off a cold calling campaign with the excuse of having no one to call.&nbsp; There are many excellent sources to find lists of potential prospects for your market. Many of them are online, some well-known ones]]></description>
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      <title>You Don't Hear How You Sound</title>
      <link>http://www.cosemindspring.com/sales-networking/relationship-building/dont-hear-sound</link>
      <description><![CDATA[When I was growing up my mother used to say &lsquo;You don&#39;t hear how you sound.&#39; And she was right. She said it so often, that I absorbed that statement and now try to monitor my communications. While I may not always be successful, I am a much]]></description>
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      <title>A Referral Doesn't Mean Closed Sales</title>
      <link>http://www.cosemindspring.com/sales-networking/sales-process-s/referral-doesnt-mean</link>
      <description><![CDATA[ You shouldn&#39;t skip steps in the sales process, even with a recommendation. Here&#39;s how you can make the most of your leads. By Ivan Misner &nbsp; | &nbsp; May 28, 2008 When one of your&nbsp;business&nbsp;relationships passes you a referral,]]></description>
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      <title>Failure is NOT an Option by Cheryl Clausen</title>
      <link>http://www.cosemindspring.com/sales-networking/relationship-building/failure-option-cheryl</link>
      <description><![CDATA[ Small business owners, all commission-only sales people who do very well recognize they are small business owners, are special people.&nbsp; You are special because of your commitment, your persistence, and your determination.&nbsp; You have a tremendous]]></description>
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      <title>How do you make a 60-second sales pitch?</title>
      <link>http://www.cosemindspring.com/sales-networking/networking-strategies/make-second-sales-pitch</link>
      <description><![CDATA[ (While this isn&#39;t a networking topic as such, networking usually leads to marketing or sales for our small businesses. And my responses do connect with networking-related strategies and techniques. &nbsp; This text was part of a]]></description>
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      <title>Finally, Simple Sales Secret to Fight and Beat Your Competition by Cheryl Clausen</title>
      <link>http://www.cosemindspring.com/sales-networking/relationship-building/finally-simple-sales</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Why are you fighting in the jungle when you could be playing on the green?&nbsp; Is it because you approach sales just like your competition?&nbsp; When our fore fathers fought the revolutionary war they didn&#39;t win by fighting according to the]]></description>
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      <title>Take Out The Trash by Kelley Robertson</title>
      <link>http://www.cosemindspring.com/sales-networking/relationship-building/take-trash-kelley-robertson</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Is your head trash piling up? The term &quot;head trash&quot; came up during a conversation with a colleague and he used the phrase to describe the mental garbage that affects the performance of most sales people. Head trash is a collection of limiting]]></description>
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      <title>Shut Up And Sell!</title>
      <link>http://www.cosemindspring.com/sales-networking/relationship-building/shut-sell</link>
      <description><![CDATA[ Contrary to popular belief, to be a successful salesperson, it doesn&#39;t matter how much you know about your product or service.&nbsp; It also doesn&#39;t matter how much of an industry expert you are.&nbsp; It doesn&#39;t even matter how great your]]></description>
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      <title>It's Out There Somewhere</title>
      <link>http://www.cosemindspring.com/sales-networking/relationship-building/its-there-somewhere</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Too many people blame the economy for a downturn in sales. In reality, they just aren&#39;t adjusting to the circumstances around them. In a good economy prospects for your products/services abound. The process you employ to find them and sell to them]]></description>
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      <title>Social Networking Sites, by David Hunt</title>
      <link>http://www.cosemindspring.com/sales-networking/networking-strategies/social-networking-sites</link>
      <description><![CDATA[ (Editor&#39;s note - this article first appeared in the Cleveland Society of HR Management newsletter and is rerun with permission) So you received an email from an old friend you haven&rsquo;t talked to in ages inviting you to join his network on]]></description>
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      <title>Beyond Value: How to Become Invaluable to Your Clients</title>
      <link>http://www.cosemindspring.com/sales-networking/relationship-building/beyond-value-become-invaluable</link>
      <description><![CDATA[ As sellers, we&#39;re continually told to sell value and to let our prospects know about all of our value-added services. After all, that&#39;s how we&#39;re going to win the sales. Right? Not necessarily. Value is relative. It&#39;s in the eye of the]]></description>
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      <title>Practice Makes Perfect Networking - By Ivan Misner, 4/16/08</title>
      <link>http://www.cosemindspring.com/sales-networking/networking-strategies/practice-makes-perfect</link>
      <description><![CDATA[ Implement these 2 simple strategies and watch the referrals pour in.&nbsp; These are the two things you should know about networking: 1. &quot;Practice makes perfect&quot; is not enough.&nbsp; Practice alone is not enough. It must be]]></description>
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      <title>Passion as a Sales Tool</title>
      <link>http://www.cosemindspring.com/sales-networking/relationship-building/passion-sales-tool</link>
      <description><![CDATA[ We all know that Sales is really all about &quot;closing the sale&quot;. &nbsp;There is not a salesperson alive who does not use a variety of techniques to help them be successful with customers.&nbsp; However, I believe passion is the most underrated]]></description>
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      <title>7 Tips for Building Relationships & Guaranteeing Repeat Business</title>
      <link>http://www.cosemindspring.com/sales-networking/relationship-building/tips-building-relationships</link>
      <description><![CDATA[&nbsp; 1. Make sure that you ask all of the right questions so that you truly understand your prospect&#39;s needs. Don&#39;t assume that you know what your customer wants or that they have the same needs as all of your other customers. Ask. This way]]></description>
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      <title>The Dangers of the Comfort Zone</title>
      <link>http://www.cosemindspring.com/sales-networking/relationship-building/dangers-comfort-zone</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Sales is a tricky business. You have to consistently pursue new opportunities while maintaining the relationships you already have. The greater the emphasis is on &lsquo;new&#39; the less attention is paid to &lsquo;old.&#39; It becomes easy to convince]]></description>
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      <title></title>
      <link>http://www.cosemindspring.com/sales-networking/relationship-building/1463447915</link>
      <description><![CDATA[]]></description>
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      <title>The 60-Second Pitch</title>
      <link>http://www.cosemindspring.com/sales-networking/networking-strategies/second-pitch</link>
      <description><![CDATA[ (Editor&#39;s note - this article appeared on Businessweek.com June 2007. While the content focuses on business pitches, the concepts relate well to 30-second commercials and elevator speeches.) At a contest to teach budding entrepreneurs how to sell]]></description>
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      <title>Networking With Best Practices</title>
      <link>http://www.cosemindspring.com/sales-networking/networking-strategies/networking-with-best</link>
      <description><![CDATA[ Borrowing loosely from an old Sicilian proverb, &#39;A dumb guy can learn from his or her own mistakes. A smart guy learns from the mistakes of other people. But a wise guy learns from the successes of others.&#39; So, here is a collection of Networking]]></description>
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      <title>Are You REALLY Listening To The Client?</title>
      <link>http://www.cosemindspring.com/sales-networking/relationship-building/really-listening-client</link>
      <description><![CDATA[ Did you know that 85% of a person&#39;s success is depended upon how well they do in relationships?&nbsp; To create a long-lasting business relationship with your client your primary focus should be to develop trust.&nbsp; One of the key factors in]]></description>
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      <title>The Power of Connection</title>
      <link>http://www.cosemindspring.com/sales-networking/relationship-building/power-connection</link>
      <description><![CDATA[ Highly successful Sales Professionals and Business Leaders in today&#39;s world are connecting with each other at a frantic pace. Web 2.0 and the technological advances that have followed have made connecting in the 21st century a global affair. To coin]]></description>
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      <title>How To Create A Network Map</title>
      <link>http://www.cosemindspring.com/sales-networking/relationship-building/create-network</link>
      <description><![CDATA[ There is ultimately no better way to start networking than to try it for real. The easiest way to do this to commence with the people you already know, rather than to find new ones. &nbsp; One highly beneficial task you can undertake at the outset is to]]></description>
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      <title>Just Be</title>
      <link>http://www.cosemindspring.com/sales-networking/relationship-building/just</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Once in a while I am asked the question, &quot;How does someone sell themselves?&quot; The simple answer is - Just be. Too many people get caught up in the idea of sales and forget the basics. It&#39;s not their job to convince anyone of anything.]]></description>
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      <title>Great Sales Start With Listening</title>
      <link>http://www.cosemindspring.com/sales-networking/relationship-building/great-sales-start-with</link>
      <description><![CDATA[When I first started in sales, I was focused on one goal, closing the deal. On my quest to make a sales call that would put me over the top of my annual budget, I made a huge mistake and learned a valuable lesson from my client. I came to the appointment]]></description>
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      <title>Grow Your Business Sincerely</title>
      <link>http://www.cosemindspring.com/sales-networking/relationship-building/grow-your-business-sincerely</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Have you ever heard the saying &quot;I don&#39;t care how much you know until I know how much you care&quot;? The key to growing your business is genuinely caring about others. People see through someone who&#39;s transparent. Think about it - haven&#39;t]]></description>
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      <title>The Foundation Of A Salesperson</title>
      <link>http://www.cosemindspring.com/sales-networking/relationship-building/foundation-salesperson</link>
      <description><![CDATA[ My father was the quintessential salesperson. He believed completely in his product. He was confident but not arrogant. He truly cared about the well-being of his prospects and clients. And they knew it. It was a pleasure to watch him interact with his]]></description>
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      <title>Sales Do's and Don'ts</title>
      <link>http://www.cosemindspring.com/sales-networking/sales-process-s/sales-dos-donts</link>
      <description><![CDATA[ Sales Do&#39;s and Don&#39;ts Do Not ask permission to ask a question - as in, &quot;Can I ask you a question?&quot; This introduction triggers a shut-down response from most prospects. Do Not start the conversation with a sales pitch. Do build trust by]]></description>
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      <title>Networking With A Timely Follow up</title>
      <link>http://www.cosemindspring.com/sales-networking/networking-strategies/networking-with-timely</link>
      <description><![CDATA[ You&#39;ve just returned from networking at a COSE event. You met some people that could potentially help you accomplish your networking objectives and have several business cards. Good for you. Now what? Effective follow up will reinforce the positive]]></description>
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      <title>Networking With A Focused Script</title>
      <link>http://www.cosemindspring.com/sales-networking/networking-strategies/networking-with-focused</link>
      <description><![CDATA[ The goal of your first brief interaction with a stranger is to begin to answer the question &quot;Is this person someone I want to get to know better; someone who can help me ... or who I can help?&quot; &nbsp; To do that, you need information. &nbsp; 1.]]></description>
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      <title>Work the Room Like a Pro</title>
      <link>http://www.cosemindspring.com/sales-networking/networking-strategies/work-room-like</link>
      <description><![CDATA[ So you&rsquo;ve decided to attend an upcoming COSE event to do some networking. Good for you ... but you&#39;ll need to work the room like a pro - with focus, style and finesse. Here are 10 simple Best Practices to increase your skills and confiden ce]]></description>
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      <title>Conference Etiquette: Tools to Survive Your Next Industry Event, By Colleen A. Rickenbacher</title>
      <link>http://www.cosemindspring.com/sales-networking/networking-strategies/conference-etiquette</link>
      <description><![CDATA[ (Editor&#39;s Note - this article by Colleen A. Rickenbacher is reprinted here with permission.)&nbsp; Michael looked forward to attending his first industry conference. He was entering his third year in the accounting field, and wanted to meet the right]]></description>
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      <title>Customer Loyalty as a Competitive Edge</title>
      <link>http://www.cosemindspring.com/sales-networking/sales-process-s/customer</link>
      <description><![CDATA[ &quot;Do what you do so well that they will want to see it again and bring their friends.&quot;&nbsp; Walt Disney Customer relationship management is powerful in theory, but troubled in practice.&nbsp; Your customer may always be right, your customer]]></description>
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      <title>Networking With A Comfortable Handshake</title>
      <link>http://www.cosemindspring.com/sales-networking/networking-strategies/networking-comfortable</link>
      <description><![CDATA[ You can begin making the very best first impression you can on the strangers you meet with a winning smile and good eye contact. Then, continue that positive image with a comfortable handshake. * As you introduce yourself, shake hands briefly and]]></description>
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      <title>Network With A Winning Smile</title>
      <link>http://www.cosemindspring.com/sales-networking/networking-strategies/network</link>
      <description><![CDATA[ Grandma was right. You do only get one chance to make a good first impression. When you&#39;re networking, one goal should always be to make the very best first impression you can on the strangers you meet. &quot;Uncommon courtesy&quot; is a key strategy]]></description>
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      <title>Networking With A Strategic Plan</title>
      <link>http://www.cosemindspring.com/sales-networking/networking-strategies/networking-strategic</link>
      <description><![CDATA[ With most businesses, failing to plan is planning to fail. It&rsquo;s the same simple paradigm for networking like a pro instead of an amateur. And it all starts with the reason(s) why you are networking. Whether you want to learn things to help you do]]></description>
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      <title>Prospecting & Lead Generation - The cornerstone of the buying/selling process</title>
      <link>http://www.cosemindspring.com/sales-networking/sales-process-s/prospecting-lea</link>
      <description><![CDATA[ Prospecting &amp; Lead Generation - The cornerstone of the buying/selling process Prospecting is the cornerstone of the buying/selling process.&nbsp; It is the process which defines and targets people and organizations that will buy your products and]]></description>
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      <title>Listening As A Sales Tool</title>
      <link>http://www.cosemindspring.com/sales-networking/sales-process-s/listening-sales</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Your listening skills have a direct correlation to your business results. How? Some salespeople become so involved in what they have to say that they lose sight of the reason why they&#39;re there ... to discover their prospect&#39;s wants and needs.]]></description>
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      <title>The Key to Sales Excellence - You</title>
      <link>http://www.cosemindspring.com/sales-networking/sales-process-s/sales-excellenc</link>
      <description><![CDATA[ &quot;Most sales people try to take the horse to water and make him drink.&nbsp; It&#39;s your job to make the horse thirsty.&quot; Gabriel Siegel, President, MediCab, NY Changes in recent years have created far-reaching implications for anyone in the]]></description>
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      <title>Networking Without Blinders</title>
      <link>http://www.cosemindspring.com/sales-networking/networking-strategies/networking-without</link>
      <description><![CDATA[ By Phil Stella, Effective Training &amp; Communication, Inc. Many COSE members recognize the power of effective networking as a key business strategy. But, if you fall into the trap of networking out of habit, driven by some outdated mindsets, you]]></description>
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      <title>Networking With Uncommon Courtesy</title>
      <link>http://www.cosemindspring.com/sales-networking/networking-strategies/networking-with</link>
      <description><![CDATA[ &nbsp; By Phil Stella, Effective Training &amp; Communication, Inc. &nbsp; I used to refer to this concept as networking with &quot;common courtesy&quot;. But, just like &quot;common sense&quot;, these practices are anything but commonplace in business]]></description>
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      <title>Elevate Your Elevator Speech</title>
      <link>http://www.cosemindspring.com/sales-networking/networking-strategies/elevate-your-el</link>
      <description><![CDATA[ By Phil Stella, Effective Training &amp; Communication, Inc. Elevator Speeches ... 30 Second Commercials ... Shameless Self-Promotions, they&rsquo;re our typical response to the often asked &lsquo;What do you do?&rsquo;. We all do them. But, most of us]]></description>
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