Get Better, Sell More

Complete Story

06/24/2025

Get Better, Sell More

Source: Bill Farquharson, June 23, 2025

BillF

One of the things I've always admired about top sales people is their thirst and quest for improvement. I was first exposed to this internal drive through a friend of my brother's, a man with an unforgettable name: Art Tweedy. I was giving one of my first speeches ever on the subject of selling digital printing and there in the front row was a guy who didn't even need to be in the room, he was already so successful. He would later tell me, “I'm constantly trying to get better.”

What about you? What are you doing to get better?

There are three areas I think you should focus on in order to formulate your answer:

First, sales skills. Where can you improve? No shortage of options here: time management, closing, listening (!!!), voicemail, and on and on.
Second, customer knowledge. What do you know about your top customers? You would benefit from becoming an expert on their company and their industry. Opportunities for additional business will result.
And finally, product knowledge. While it's not necessary to be an expert in how your products and services are made, it doesn't hurt to know more than you know right now.

Consider committing an hour a week and blocking off time on your calendar. Just call it, “improvement.” Then, think ahead to come up with a plan.

Whether you make this a permanent change, a summer project, or a short term (say, 4 weeks) endeavor, getting better is never a bad idea and new opportunities will be your reward.

Watch Bill present this week's sales tip

The Sales Vault, created by Bill Farquharson, is a subscription-based resource and sales community featuring a calendar packed with live workshops, on-demand sales courses, peer-to-peer discussion groups, and 35+ years of sales training content all searchable by sales challenge. Think of it as a sales conference where the seminars and workshops, full of instantly applicable ideas, are ongoing and more programs are added constantly.

The Sales Vault is available on a monthly subscription basis, normally at a no-brainer monthly price of $45/participant, but… GMA members can take advantage of an exclusive offer: FREE membership for 30 days followed by a discounted monthly subscription price of just $40/participant.

Bill has been a friend of GMA for many years and is, no doubt, known to our members as a top sales trainer and content creator for the graphic arts.

Other Vault resources:

Check out the Sales Vault!

Printer-Friendly Version

2025 Wage + Benefits Survey

How do your wages and benefits compare to your competitors? With the workforce as tight as it is, you need to stay ahead of the competition.

USPS Proposes Major Classification Changes

In a June 11 filing with the Postal Regulatory Commission, the Postal Service proposed "to make a series of material changes to the Mail Classification Schedule (MCS) for First-Class Mail, Marketing Mail, and Periodicals."

Our Industry Is Challenged

By assessing the printing industry using Michael Porter’s Five-Forces model, take a look at some findings from the February/March 2025 “Printing Industry Performance & Insights” study.

3 Things Employers Need to Know About ADA Accommodations

Review critical points manufacturing employers should consider regarding requests for ADA accommodations in light of a recent federal appeals court decision.

Valley Publishing Launches Free Webinar Series to Guide Aspiring Authors

Are you ready to turn your writing dreams into reality? Join Valley Publishing’s FREE, interactive webinar series, *Navigating the Journey from Writer to Published Author", starting July 2.