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Movies are more than just great entertainment. They can challenge our thinking, ignite our passions, feed our fears, stir our emotions, and inspire our dreams. They allow us to escape, but they also allow us to imagine ourselves into the lives we fantasize about. The silver screen can provide valuable wisdom we can carry back with us into the real world, as we work to create our own happy endings.
1) "Don't ever let someone tell you, you can't do something. Not even me. You got a dream, you got to protect it. People can’t do something themselves, they want to tell you you can’t do it. You want something, go get it. Period. All right?" – Chris Gardner, The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
Sure to fire up anyone who’s ever felt like an underdog, this inspiring sales quote from Will Smith, as real-life homeless man-turned-stock broker, Chris Gardner, sums it up beautifully. Anything is possible when you work hard and believe in yourself. As this motivational quote warns, you should never let critics, naysayers, or even well-meaning friends and family convince you that your dreams are impossible. Setting goals is the first step in turning outlandish dreams into reality, so think big, aim high, and believe with your whole hear that you can accomplish anything. You can.
2) "Show Me the Money." – Rod Tidwell, in Jerry Maguire (2006)
Cuba Gooding Jr.’s famous line from this movie about the world of sports agents, is not just one of the best movie quotes of all time, but it’s also the perfect, succinct reminder, that if you aren’t willing to ask for what you want and what you believe you deserve, you can’t expect to get it. As the best salespeople know, negotiating doesn’t have be complicated, and it doesn’t even need to be subtle. Sometimes, being direct is all it takes to get the deal done.
3) "Well, it's no trick to make a lot of money... if all you want to do is make a lot of money." – Bernstein, Citizen Kane (1941)
This Everett Sloane quote, from what is possibly the greatest movie of all time shines light on the fact that there’s a lot more to being a successful person than making money. Depending on the individual, true success might encompass independence, accomplishment, influence, helping others, healthy relationships, and let’s not forget, happiness – something many have said money can’t buy.
4) "There is no such thing as a no sale call. A sale is made on every call you make. Either you sell the client some stock or he sells you a reason he can't. Either way a sale is made, the only question is who is gonna close? You or him? Now be relentless, that's it, I'm done." – Jim Young, Boiler Room (2000)
This insightful sales quote by Ben Affleck’s less-than-scrupulous character is an apt description of the dance that takes place during any sales negotiation. A sales pitch involves two people making a case, and only one will win the argument. It’s up to the salesperson to decide who the winner will be. While this film doesn’t paint a flattering picture of salesmen, this quote is spot on.
5) “Success is a menace. It fools smart people into thinking they can’t lose.” – Bill Gates, Pirates of Silicon Valley (1999)
Bill Gates, played by Anthony Michael Hall, in this movie about the cutthroat battle between Apple and Microsoft for software supremacy, makes a great point. It’s tempting to dream about reaching a level of success and wealth at which you can just sit back and enjoy what you’ve built. While there’s nothing wrong with celebrating your wins along the way, it’s never a good idea to take your hands entirely off the wheel. There will always be bumps in the road, no matter how long you’ve been in business. You must always keep your head in the game if you hope to achieve lasting success.
6) "A-B-C. A-Always, B-Be, C-Closing. Always be closing." – Blake, Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)
In Glengarry Glen Ross, Alec Baldwin plays Blake, a not-so-nice sales trainer sent to pump up a team of real estate salesmen. Baldwin’s character is far from being warm and fuzzy, but this line, from one of the best sales movies of all time, is an irresistibly quotable reminder to keep your eye on the target, stay focused, and get the job done.
7) “Do or do not. There is no ‘try’.” – Yoda, Star Wars (1980)
Star Wars may not be a movie about sales, or even business, but Yoda has it right. Saying you’ll try is as good as accepting failure before you’ve even begun. Say you’ll do, and you will. Who needs Tony Robbins when you've got an adorable and eternally wise space creature to guide you?
8) “Smile. It enhances your face value.” – Truvy Jones, Steel Magnolias (1989)
Who knew that a beautician, Truvy Jones played by Dolly Parton, could offer such on point sales wisdom? The punny quote holds true for beauty and for closing deals. Smiling is one easy way to make yourself, and your product, more appealing to the customer.
9) “Money is not the prime asset in life. Time is.” – Gordon Gekko, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010)
We all know that time is money, and this quote from the sleazy but slick Gordon Gekko, played by Michael Douglass, drives the point home perfectly. Time is a critical factor in making sales, whether you’re offering a product or service to save the customer time, letting them know that time is running out to act, or offering some luxurious item to help them enjoy their time more. Time is everything, and keeping that in mind can help you make more sales.
10) "The driver has to work harder than anyone. He's the first to show up, and the last to leave. When his buddies are all out drinking beer, he's up in his room studying pictures of turns." – Coach Irv, Cool Runnings. (1993)
Who would have thought that a goofy John Candy comedy about the first Jamaican bobsled team could have valuable insight to impart about succeeding in sales? With this quote, John Candy’s Coach Irv perfectly sums up what it means to lead from the front, to model the behavior you want from your team rather than simply demanding it. To get the best possible results from your sales team, you have to be the driver, coming in early, leaving late, and keeping a close eye on the sharp curves hiding on the road ahead.
From good guys, to bad guys, to little green guys with pointy ears, characters in the movies tell us a lot about what it takes to succeed in the business world. Just like real life salespeople, they overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles, they dig in and go after their dreams, they make terrible mistakes, they celebrate victories, and they bounce back from failure. But unlike those wonderful characters up there on the screen, we’re lucky, because we are the ones writing the script.
Ready to go beast mode? Beasts at sales are energetic, engaged, and capable of accomplishing just about anything! Unleashing your inner sales beast means stepping up your game to succeed at sales. Being a sales beast is a state of mind that drives you to be the best at what you do, but it also has a lot to do with how you behave and the image you project. While it’s important to trust your animal instincts, sometimes it takes a little good, old-fashioned discipline before things become instinctual.
By practicing the five B.E.A.S.T factors – body language, eye contact, awesome attitude, smile, and timing – you can start building great habits proven to help you succeed at sales.
Body Language:Your body is communicating with customers even before you’ve said a word. It’s important to understand the message you’re sending. Leaning on counters, tables, or desks as customers approach sends the message you’re bored and disinterested in speaking to them. It also doesn’t look very professional. Good posture has been shown in studies to make you feel more confident and prepared to make a sale. Facing the customer during a sales pitch can feel too confrontational, instead, stand to their side while you show them information. Don’t invade their personal space by getting too close, and avoid touching them other than a handshake, a high five, or a fist bump. Many people prefer not to be touched by strangers.
Eye Contact: Ever heard someone described as “shifty-eyed,” or have you noticed when somebody won’t make eye contact when they talk to you? It’s never a good thing. Keeping consistent eye contact helps you earn the customer’s trust by demonstrating that you’re confident and that you believe in what you’re telling them. It communicates sincerity and genuine interest. It also allows you to connect with the customer, build rapport, and improve their engagement in the conversation – all customer service wins. By focusing on the customer’s eyes, you encourage them to pay attention and listen to you, and you can gauge whether they understand what you’re saying.
Awesome Attitude: By working in sales, you are helping to connect customers with services and products. Thinking of your role in terms of serving the customer, rather than just selling to him or her, helps you create a better experience for the customer, and most likely will result in more sales. That’s because people like to buy from people who make them feel good, cared for. People are busy, and not everyone is going to be polite when you approach them to make a sales pitch. But there’s no excuse for a salesperson to be rude, and it certainly won’t help you succeed at sales. When you maintain a great, confident, and friendly attitude, a customer who has already said no might change his or her mind later. But a customer you’ve been rude to is lost forever, and he or she might encourage others to avoid you, your product, or your company.
Smile: Studies have shown what you probably already know instinctively, smiling makes people feel good about you. Have you ever been in a bad mood and tried to keep a scowl on your face while the person you’re talking to is smiling. It’s tough, isn’t it? Smiling is contagious. It puts other people at ease, helps to change their mood, and most importantly, it leaves them with a good impression of you and what you have to say. While learning to smile consistently, and in a way that feels sincere and not forced, take practice, it’s probably the simplest thing you can do to improve your chances of making the sale.
Timing: Even when you do everything else right, the success of your sales pitch can sometimes come down to timing. Starting your pitch when the customer is too far away can force you to shout at them. Waiting until they are right in front of you can create an awkward feeling of intimacy. When approaching customers in person, start speaking to them when they are about seven feet away. Don’t wait until they have already passed you, or else you’ll be speaking to the back of their head, which puts you at a disadvantage.
Unleashing your inner sales beast takes more consistency and discipline than the name might suggest. Becoming a sales beast requires developing great communication techniques and professional habits that make the customer feel that you sincerely care about them and have their best interests at heart. The best sales beasts don’t depend on their killer instincts; instead, they use their B.E.A.S.T factors to convey confidence, sincerity, and helpfulness, which add up to the kind of creature qualities customers can’t resist.
Grit is a mysterious and powerful mix of passion and perseverance that gives some the strength to keep going where so many others before them have given up. In fact, studies have shown that grit may outrank either intelligence or talent as an indicator of future success. Salespeople know a lot about grit. They work in a competitive business, but for those with the grit to stick with it, the rewards can be huge. The best salespeople know that grit can be the secret ingredient that makes the difference between success and failure.
Intelligence and talent are huge advantages in business that can help you innovate, perform well, or solve problems. Without the grit to stay the course even when it gets bumpy, those advantages can be fleeting. Brains and natural ability are the reason many people are good at their jobs, but without the grit to overcome challenges, bounce back from stumbles, and the drive to push themselves further, they may never truly be great.
Technology is changing rapidly, but no matter how advanced digital media and market research becomes, direct sales is still one of the best ways to acquire new customers and grow your business. There are just some things a computer can’t do, and until they can, people talking to other people through face-to-face sales is still the best way to build trust, overcome objections, and turn prospects into buyers.
Some people may call it old-fashioned, but direct and face-to-face sales work. The reason in-person sales is most effective comes down to one factor: people. People relate better to other people than they do to TV commercials, online marketing, billboards, print ads, or any other form of advertising. It’s natural. Direct sales are built on relationships with a specific sales rep, and it allows customers to feel a personal connection to a product or service. Face-to-face sales build trust, which gives the customer the confidence to buy. That’s why in-person sales are a smart investment for any company looking to grow.
Working in sales can feel like the career equivalent of boot camp. It puts your mental toughness and endurance to the test, but if you’re brave enough to give it your all, working in sales can transform you from a career weakling to a business powerhouse. Whether you're interested in a sales career or not, taking a job in the sales industry build critical skills that are necessary for success whether you’re a recent graduate, trying for a big promotion, a small business owner, or a top executive.
1. Knocking on Doors…Literally and Figuratively
The scariest part of a job in sales is approaching people you don’t know and asking something of them. What if they slam the door in your face? What if they get mad? What if everyone you talk to says no? But succeeding in business is all about hearing no. You have to learn to deal with rejection if you ever hope to succeed in the real world. Working in sales is the perfect training ground for building that thick skin you need to apply for a job, ask for a promotion, close the deal, or solicit new clients.
2. Becoming a Master of Improvisation
Working in sales teaches you to think on your feet. You never know exactly what the customer might throw at you, and you have to learn how to listen and adapt to their objections and concerns on the fly. Entry level sales experience teaches you to be nimble minded and improves your public speaking skills, so you can help pitch a new idea to a team, respond to a real-time public relations crisis, or scramble for options when project funding falls through.
3. Relating to Others
In order to make the sale, you have to learn how to build rapport and find common ground with people you’ve never met before. The ability to understand where others are coming from and relate to them on their level is handy in almost any work scenario. Customers prefer to do business with people they like and they tend to trust people they relate to. This skill can help you in your job search too as you meet prospective employers and try to impress hiring managers.
4. Asking the Right Questions
Great salesmen know how to find peoples’ hot button issues. Not everyone will tell you what their objection is; sometimes you have to probe a bit and do some investigating to find what’s really holding them back. Being a good detective and understanding how to do research are sales skills that are critical to overcoming roadblocks and achieving success in business.
5. Highlighting Benefits
Whether you’re selling something door to door or selling yourself on a blind date, the fact remains the same, people want products, companies, and people who will make their lives better in some way. Learning how to appeal to people’s needs and wants is a powerful tool that can help any time you need to make a case for something, whether it’s donating to a great cause, investing in your feature film, or offering you the salary of your dreams.
6. Sounding Like an Expert
The best sales people understand that people want to buy from someone who knows what they’re talking about. But as important as it is to thoroughly know your product; it isn’t really what you say that matters, but how you say it. Being confident and sounding like you know what you’re talking about is the secret to building trust and gaining consensus. Work experience in sales is the perfect way to practice sounding like an expert, even when you’re not.
7. Talking Numbers
Negotiating makes a lot of people uncomfortable. We feel like we’re being impolite when we ask people to pay for something, especially when the price is higher than they’d prefer to pay. Working in sales forces you to face that fear, and learning to stand your ground at the negotiating table can help you finally get that big pay bump, large investment, or executive title you’ve wanted.
8. Capturing and Keeping Attention
To be a good sales representative, you have to know how to turn it on when you enter a room. Entertaining your audience and telling a good story is one of the most effective ways to build rapport and get the customer on board with your message. Learning how to engage others can be invaluable for public speaking, networking, or pitching ideas.
9. Earning Trust
People are naturally suspicious of strangers, and they’re especially suspicious of salespeople. That’s what makes earning a customer’s trust such an impressive feat. It’s also a powerful tool. People buy from people they trust. Learning how to convince others to put their faith in you has limitless benefits in business and in life.
10. Setting and Achieving Goals
The life of a sales person is all about setting targets and hitting them. You learn how to dig deep, stay self-motivated, and set challenging, yet achievable goals because achieving them can often mean the difference between having a great week and struggling to pay your rent. And strategizing how to meet them is key to succeeding at almost anything.
Sure, working in sales can be tough, but as anyone who has tried their hand as a sales rep will tell you, it’s also worth it. Sales experience hones indispensable career skills that can help you get ahead and overcome challenges for years to come.
Sales can be an extremely rewarding and lucrative profession. In order to reach that stage in your career, think about the things the best sales professionals do and emulate them in your daily work. Here are some things they do every day to be masters of their careers.
They create goals and persist until they reach them
When the best sales professionals set a goal, they commit 100 percent to achieving that goal. Then, they don’t stop until they do what they set out to do. Obstacles are normal, so they expect them and work hard to push through until they achieve success.
They do the hard stuff first
It’s easy to do the least effort-intensive tasks first, thinking that will leave you plenty of time to focus on the harder tasks later. But instead, you might find yourself without enough hours in the day to accomplish a difficult task that really needs to be done. Instead, the best sales professionals do the hardest, highest-priority task first and reward themselves for accomplishing that by doing smaller and less intense tasks afterwards.
They only check their email a few times a day
It’s easy to get used to responding to every beep or vibration from your phone, but the most successful sales professionals keep their phones in their pocket and focus on making sales. They set aside some time during lunch, or at the beginning and end of the day, to go through their emails and respond to those that need their attention.
They study their craft
You might think of sales as a profession that doesn’t require a lot of education to do well. The truth is that the best sales professionals continually learn. They do this by talking with teammates to learn about successful sales techniques, or by reading books to learn the art of persuasive speaking and making effective sales pitches.
They learn from their mistakes
Everyone makes mistakes, but the best sales professionals learn from them. It’s natural to want to hide your errors to prevent being judged by others or even to drown in negative self-talk after making a mistake. Instead, take some time to think about the mistake and see what you can do better in the future.
They take care of themselves
The best sales professionals establish a healthy morning routine. They get enough exercise and sleep, make time to spend with their family and friends, and don’t skip meals. They also “unplug” at night so they can wake up refreshed and ready to hit the streets.
They don’t use to-do lists
This may be surprising and even counterintuitive. However, according to Entrepreneur magazine, only 41 percent of items on to-do lists ever get done. Why? Again, it comes down to the fact that people tend to do the easy tasks before the difficult ones. The best sales professionals schedule their “to-dos” on their calendar because it holds them accountable to complete tasks at a specific time.
What do you do every day to be an excellent sales professional? Share your tips in the comments or tweet @Cydcor with your stories.
We are Cydcor, the recognized leader in outsourced sales services located in Agoura Hills, CA. From our humble beginnings as an independent sales company based in Canada to garnering a reputation as the global leader in outsourced sales, Cydcor has come a long way. We’ve done this by having exceptional sales professionals and providing our clients with proven sales and marketing strategies that get results.
Sales is a unique profession that requires passion, extroversion and charisma. Leading a high-performing sales team and helping your direct reports get the best out of their own skills takes a little something extra. The good news is that as a sales team manager, you have that extra something inside you. Here are some tips on how you can take your own passion for your product or service and pass it along to your team members.
Set them up for success
Authenticity matters when it comes to sales. Few people come in with a fully developed talent for sales, so it’s important to meet your team members where they are and ask them what would be most helpful to them so they can achieve success. For some it will be a need for more product knowledge; for some it may be coaching or a “walk-along” with a high-performing team member.
Give them context
Your team will get better results if they have more information than simply a list of names or addresses. Help them understand the product they’re selling and how it compares to other similar products. Then assist them in finding reasons to be passionate about that product. This will drive good conversation, and thus increase conversions.
Provide them with training opportunities
It’s critical that you not only understand your team members’ unique needs but that you provide ongoing training to help them meet their goals and build confidence. Leading by example means that you also take training courses to enhance your knowledge of the latest news and best practices. That will help you to be a better mentor and a better sales professional in your own right.
Have high expectations of them
Your team will rise to the expectations you set, so set them high! On the other hand, don’t set them so high that your direct reports think they’re impossible to achieve. In order for those expectations to be met, you need to help your team feel supported and positively reinforced. Clearly articulate your goals and expectations and hold your representatives accountable for achieving them. Also, check out these motivating sales quotes that deliver motivation!
Let them specialize
Don’t treat everyone on your team the same. Some people understand certain business sectors better than others. Allow your specialists to take the lead in the area of their expertise. They may be able to help your other team members as well. The more your team understands about the product or service they’re selling, the better they’ll be at selling it.
What other tips do you have for leading a high-performing sales team? Share with Cydcor on Twitter @Cydcor.
We are Cydcor, the recognized leader in outsourced sales services located in Agoura Hills, CA. From our humble beginnings as an independent sales company based in Canada to garnering a reputation as the global leader in outsourced sales, Cydcor has come a long way. We’ve done this by having exceptional sales professionals and providing our clients with proven sales and marketing strategies that get results.
One of the keys to being a successful sales professional is being great at the art of conversation. But being a good conversationalist is not something that comes naturally to everyone, even the most extroverted people in the world. There are some special conversational considerations for working in sales. Here are a few tips from Cydcor staff on how to master the art of sales-oriented conversation.
Learn more about Cydcor by checking out our profile on CrunchBase: https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/cydcor
Start by building rapport. Make your prospect feel at ease with a little bit of small talk. You want your customer to feel you’re likable, which will make them more inclined to listen to you.
Match your prospect’s energy level. If your customer seems calm and cool, don’t bowl them over with aggressive enthusiasm. However, if your prospect seems like a more energetic type, then match their energy with yours. That way, you’re likely to create a better connection that can lead to a sale.
Ask questions. Find out what kind of aspirations your customer has or any frustrations with your competitor’s product or service. By doing so, you’ll be able to find ways to show your customer that your product is the best.
Ease into the sales pitch. Your prospect is much more likely to respond positively if you don’t just jump into “buy my product or service” mode. You’ll want to make your pitch with solid facts and an appeal to your customer’s aspirations and needs.
Listen. It’s tempting to stop listening before a prospect finishes speaking. You want to figure out a rebuttal to their “no.” But that’s not how you make a sale. But by listening well and doing some gentle probing, you’ll get to know what goals and needs your customer has.
Be sincere. Nobody likes a phony, and almost everyone can tell when someone is bluffing. Be yourself, and remember that you don’t have to agree with every single thing the customer says. Instead, try introducing one or two different points of view into the conversation; it’ll be more fun for both you and your prospect.
Don’t be obsessed with the sale. Have you ever been to a car dealership or a store and encountered a pushy salesperson that wouldn’t back off until you either bought a product or walked out the door? Don’t be that person. “Hard sell” tactics are a turn-off to most prospects. Instead, keep sharing information and appealing to their needs and wants.
Expect nothing, but be prepared for everything. Sales is a great and potentially quite lucrative profession, but it takes some time to become a real expert at it. Be patient with yourself and continue developing your unique skills to master the art of conversation—and conversion.
What tips would you give your teammates for mastering the art of sales conversation? Please share them in the comments. For additional blogs from Cydcor, be sure to check out https://www.cydcor.com/media.
We are Cydcor, the recognized leader in outsourced sales services located in Agoura Hills, CA. From our humble beginnings as an independent sales company based in Canada to garnering a reputation as the global leader in outsourced sales, Cydcor has come a long way. We’ve done this by having exceptional sales professionals and providing our clients with proven sales and marketing strategies that get results.
Reaching your sales goals requires a positive attitude and the ability to motivate yourself and your co-workers. At Cydcor, we believe that motivation matters. We encourage our employees and sales representatives to find strategies that improve their ability to achieve any goal. Here are some quotes to can add to your motivational toolbox. Use them when your day needs a lift.
Begin by always expecting good things to happen. - Tom Hopkins
One of the best predictors of ultimate success isn’t natural talent or even industry expertise, but how you explain your failures and rejections. - Daniel H. Pink
Most people think “selling” is the same as “talking.” But the most effective salespeople know that listening is the most important part of their job. - Roy Bartell
For every sale you miss because you’re too enthusiastic, you will miss a hundred because you’re not enthusiastic enough. - Zig Ziglar
If you are not taking care of your customer, your competitor will. - Bob Hooey
All things being equal, people will do business with, and refer business to, those people they know, like and trust. - Bob Burg
Ninety percent of selling is conviction and 10 percent is persuasion. - Shiv Khera
Obstacles are necessary for success because in selling, as in all careers of importance, victory comes only after many struggles and countless defeats. - Og Mandino
To build a long-term, successful enterprise, when you don’t close a sale, open a relationship. - Patricia Fripp
Treat objections as requests for further information. - Brian Tracy
An inspirational quote is a dependable tool to use when you need to overcome an obstacle at work. Write down your favorite quotes. Display them where you will see them every day. You will get more motivation out of a quote if you make it part of your day.
What quotes do you return to for motivation when you face an obstacle that prevents you from reaching your goals? Tweet your favorite quotes and be sure to follow @Cydcor on Instagram to learn more about our company and our culture.
We are Cydcor, the recognized leader in outsourced sales services. From our humble beginnings as an independent sales company based in Canada to garnering a reputation as the global leader in outsourced sales, Cydcor has come a long way. We’ve done this by having exceptional sales professionals and providing our clients with proven sales and marketing strategies that get results.
If you want to improve your sales performance, you need to think like a customer. It’s vital that you understand the obstacles preventing your customers from reaching their goals. Your customers will appreciate your effort in trying to understand their needs in order to provide them the best solution to their current problem or situation.
Employees and sales associates at Cydcor are trained to provide innovative solutions for our customers. Understanding our customer’s needs is an integral part of our world-class customer service.
Use the strategies described here and you’ll begin to think like a customer- that’s the first step in delivering great customer service.
Develop Long-term Relationships
A good salesperson builds long-term relationships with their customers. Keep up-to-date on industry developments and trends. Study the industry and become even better informed than your customers. By developing this expertise, you will be seen as an industry expert. You’ll be a part of their community. Your customer will see you as a trusted resource, not someone whose sole interest in them is making a sale. Always remember that your customer is the boss and your business will last for a long time.
Communicate Regularly
Although the world may rely on text messages or social media to communicate in 2016, reaching out to customers with a phone call or speaking with them in-person will show that you like going the extra mile. When you speak to your customers on the phone, at a community event, or at an industry event, let them know how much you appreciate their business. Ask your customers if they like working with you. Find out if they would recommend you to people in their networks. Staying in touch with your customers through face-to-face conversations shows that you’re always thinking about them and their problems. Checking in with your customers even when you don’t have something to sell builds connections, not just sales.
Be Visible
Join social networks popular with current and potential customers. Follow your customers on Twitter and connect with them on LinkedIn. Join industry groups on Facebook to learn what is buzzing in the business. By having a visible presence, it will be easier for customers to trust you and let you handle their needs. Utilize all opportunities to be what they’re looking for.
Build your online reputation as a trusted resource by regularly posting comments, links, and business news to industry blogs. Always use your real name and your company’s name. Include an email address, phone number, or link to your company website. Being transparent builds trust and may be a key factor in your favor when a customer makes a purchasing decision.
Think about your experiences as a customer, too. What do you like and don’t like about a salesperson? What are some of the characteristics you look for to help you have a positive sales experience? Do you appreciate when a salesperson has your best interest in mind? Do you have a better experience when the salesperson is approachable, patient, and clear? Do you like being given multiple options for you to choose from? Answering these questions will help you to start thinking like a customer. This is the key to begin to provide truly great customer service!
Do you have more tips on how to better understand your customer and their needs? Let us know the customer service strategies that work best for you. Share your insights on Twitter and follow us @Cydcor.
We are Cydcor, the recognized leader in outsourced sales services. From our humble beginnings as an independent sales company based in Canada to garnering a reputation as the global leader in outsourced sales, Cydcor has come a long way. We’ve done this by having exceptional sales professionals and providing our clients with proven sales and marketing strategies that get results.
TED Talks will improve your understanding of a complex concept or help you to master new skills. Humor, imagination, and authentic emotion energize these talks and guarantee your engagement.
TED wants to change your life. It’s that simple. This popular nonprofit was launched in 1984 as a conference exploring the convergence of Technology, Entertainment, and Design (TED). TED Talks offer viewers a glimpse into the workings of some of the leading minds in the world today.
The problem with such a vast array of rich resources is that it makes tracking down the topics that will provide an immediate career benefit a bit more difficult. When you have the time, plan to take a tour of the TED Talks available online. You never know what insights you might find from a subject that has no direct connection to your industry.
When your time is limited and you’re looking for insights to improve your performance in business and sales, start with these 10 talks. Each speaker we’ve selected provides a powerful personal story and insights that will have a direct impact on your professional life.
Make yourself comfortable and prepare to open your mind. Your journey to excellence is about to begin.
1. The Puzzle of Motivation | Dan Pink
2. Five Ways To Kill Your Dreams | Bel Pesce
3. Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are | Amy Cuddy
4. Want to Help Someone? Shut Up and Listen! | Ernesto Sirolli
5. The Power Of Believing You Can Improve | Carol Dweck
6. Try Something New For 30 Days | Matt Cutts
7. How To Make Work-Life Balance Work | Nigel Marsh
8. Smart Failure for a Fast-Changing World | Eddie Obeng
9. The Key To Success? Grit. | Angela Lee Duckworth
10. What It Takes To Be A Great Leader | Roselinde Torres
Have you listened to a TED Talk or attended an event in person? Do you have a favorite speaker or subject? If you were going to give a TED Talk, what would you talk about? Please comment here, share your story on Twitter, and follow us @Cydcor. Invite your friends and colleagues to participate in this discussion; you might spark a TED Talk of your very own.
We are Cydcor, the recognized leader in outsourced sales services. From our humble beginnings as an independent sales company based in Canada, to garnering a reputation as the global leader in outsourced sales, Cydcor has come a long way. We’ve done this by having exceptional sales professionals and providing our clients with proven sales and marketing strategies that get results.
Opinions expressed by Digital Journal contributors are their own.
These B2B partners bring in leads, close deals, and grow revenue for some of the world’s largest companies.
They say that you should sell your strengths and buy your weaknesses. That’s the thought behind the business-to-business (B2B) market, where a company can bolster its sales process with the help of outsourced teams and vendors. Plenty of players are in this arena, but you must know you’re entrusting your brand and reputation to a trustworthy partner.
You’re looking for a vendor that treats your business like their own, and here are five brands with a reputation for doing just that.
Cydcor has a thirty-year history of working with Fortune 500 companies to facilitate campaigns that use everything from in-person sales to digital marketing. This California-based business has a track record of driving significant results for big clients, with awards and recognition, including being named the Door-to-Door Dealer of the Year.
They operate as a sales network of independent sales companies owned by empowered entrepreneurs. This lets them execute campaigns across North America on behalf of their clients. Under the leadership of CEO Vera Quinn, who took the helm in 2020, Cydcor has built powerful solutions-oriented relationships with customers and digital technology to connect the brands they work with to the customers who need them.
Hyperscaler cloud marketplaces such as Amazon Web Services (AWS) are powerful tools for enterprise software sales, but many software companies need help selling their product on hyperscalers. Tackle.io specializes in guiding partners in this space, getting them in front of the right buyers, and providing the tools to transact deals through these complex hyperscaler ecosystems.
Tackle claims over $6 billion in transactions and counting, and they offer an “enterprise-grade” platform to organize a company’s sales operations all in one place. Tackle’s goal is to simplify the complexity of selling in cloud marketplaces.
Before closing a sale, prospect leads and educate potential customers about your offers. Lead generation agencies are essential to the B2B market and Cleverly is a great example. Their cold outbound lead generation process operates through email and online spaces like LinkedIn.
Cleverly’s numbers list over $50 million in generated revenue. Their specialty in LinkedIn positions them as a primary destination for B2B prospecting.
Another lead generation agency, Belkins, has worked with big names in industry, education, and fintech. Belkins has gathered awards for its outcomes, including the 2023 Silver Stevie award for sales and customer services, and G2 ranked Belkins at #1 for Lead Generation in Digital Marketing and Email Marketing for Spring 2024.
One unique aspect of Belkins is its consulting work, which can be an alternative or complement to its done-for-you lead generation services. The best sales team (and outsourced lead gen team) can only be effective when working with a robust, organized CRM. Belkins specializes in helping companies across multiple industries set up, organize, and maximize their CRM.
Patrick Bet-David, the entrepreneur behind PHP Agency, is now more commonly known for his commentary on the Valuetainment podcast and YouTube channel, where guests have included Jordan Peterson, former Mafia bosses, and even the late NBA legend Kobe Bryant. However, the PHP Agency is still alive and effective. It is a marketing company that drives sales for financial services nationwide, specializing in the US life insurance market. The company is expansive in scope and ambition, with almost 30,000 agents.
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Over the last few decades, outsourced sales have become a mainstay in the strategy of many companies worldwide. From titans like Cydcor to tech-powered upstarts like Cleverly, the best B2B partners are the ones who lean entirely into their strengths so that they can drive significant results for companies in need of their unique sales solutions.
Cydcor, a leader in outsourced sales, has touched a wide array of industries in its first thirty years in business. We sit down with CEO Vera Quinn to learn about how to tailor a business to clients across multiple sectors.
When you’re serving some of the nation’s top businesses, you have to be able to adapt. Every industry has its own needs, systems, and quirks–and services must be tailored to fit each one. Sometimes, you can find your niche in one area and stay there happily, but–more often than not–the most successful companies are the ones that can thrive in multiple sectors.
Cydcor has become a leader in the outsourced sales industry by developing integrated omnichannel campaigns that are executed by independent corporate businesses. In their first thirty years in business, Cydcor has developed a reputation for delivering results, no matter what industry the clients are in – from telecommunications to energy and everything in between.
To pick up some advice that the company has learned along the way, we reached out to CEO Vera Quinn.
The first thing the CEO advises is to be flexible–as every client has its own approach to solving problems.
“I don’t think there’s one answer for everything,” Quinn says. “What works for one business could be different than what works for another. For one business problem, there could be four different answers. They could all be right–so what we’re looking for is the best one.”
Listening is key to working alongside clients – and being flexible to all the possible approaches out there opens the door to finding the one that’s going to work best.
“It’s never linear,” Quinn continues. “There is no certainty in business, so the process has to begin with clearly articulating the problem, then finding the best brains around to help solve it.”
This is a sentiment that extends to Quinn’s role as a “custodian” of Cydcor, in addition to her approach to serving different teams of clients.
Listening to the specific client at-hand to learn about how business is done in their industry is crucial. But one of the benefits of serving business clients across multiple markets is that Cydcor gets to bring a fresh perspective to every sector
“Sometimes in business,” Quinn says, “you just get yes people. But one of the keys to innovating and finding solutions is being willing to not just go along and say yes. When you have an alternative set of brains and perspectives, chances are you’re going to have a much better outcome.”
By serving solutions across a variety of different landscapes, Quinn and the Cydcor team have been able to pick up many of these alternative perspectives over the course of their first thirty years in business. Markets change over time–and an emerging technology or societal shift may impact one before another. Cydcor’s longevity has allowed the company to learn, adapt, and bring what they’ve seen to each client they welcome into the fold.
That brings us to Quinn’s final piece of advice for serving multiple industries.
“Business is business,” Quinn says. “No matter what industry, there are fundamental principles to what works and what doesn’t.”
We can get lost in the nuances of a particular market–and lose sight of what’s always important in business.
“Quality, budget, timelines, and the overall goal of helping people and adding value to their lives,” Quinn says. “I don’t care what industry you are serving; those elements should stay top-of-mind.”
Cydcor is proud to say that they are in the “people helping people” business. Every industry has a central humanity to it. Each–from telecommunications to energy to consumer goods–should strive to make the life of the end customer better while shaping a better world for the future.
Relationships like the ones Cydcor has created with both Fortune 500s and emerging new brands are what drives industries forward. By being malleable enough to work across distinct sectors, Cydcor has built a bridge of innovation and knowledge for the fundamental principles of business.
Building on these fundamental principles, their team has been able to learn from their clients–each of whom have unique angles and approaches to the work that they do. This has been fundamental to Cydcor’s growth over these last three decades–and what makes them a highly competent player in the market for coordinating outsourced sales campaigns with independent corporate offices across the nation.
“We’ve been fortunate enough to create great relationships with our clients,” CEO Vera Quinn says, “and learned a lot during our first thirty years in business.”
For more information on how Cydcor serves its clients across multiple industries, visit their website.
Demonstrating success in outsourced sales since 1994, Cydcor is a leader in its industry for a reason. The purpose-driven company helps fortune 500 and emerging companies achieve their business goals from customer acquisition to perfecting sales processes. And what sets Cydcor apart is its unmatched reputation for sales excellence and expertise. Read on to learn more.
It’s hard to find companies that truly care about what they do in this day and age, let alone care about their clients and employees. Implementing a mission backed by a purpose sets businesses apart from the rest, and with every passing year, these businesses are becoming increasingly rare.
There’s nothing worse than investing your time and energy in a company that turns out to have no interest in you except for your wallet. But in this day and age, a reputation like that can have your organization spiraling in no time. In a recent global study, it was found that consumers are four to six times more likely to interact with and support purpose-driven companies.
Consumers have the upper hand now more than ever, making it evidently important to invest in your business’s customer service and lead with a purpose.
One company that has stuck behind its mission since day one is Cydcor, an expert in all things outsourced sales and customer acquisition. Helping others is what the company not only stands for but practices with every internal and external interaction.
“You’re not successful in our business unless you help others succeed,” says Gail Michalak, Vice-President of Marketing and Communications at Cydcor.
Consistently exceeding client expectations is only part of what makes Cydcor an industry leader. The company was ranked on the Los Angeles Business Journal’s Best Places To Work list 10 times as it fosters a positive work environment and prioritizes its employees. A key to any successful business is investing in the team members just as much as the clients. 71% of executives say that employee engagement is critical to their company’s success.
As it’s known, driven, motivated, and passionate employees are the backbone of any long-lasting organization. And at Cydcor, the company dedicates a main portion of its mission to its employees through management training. One factor that makes Cydcor such a successful company is its employee morale and the customer service the teams, outsourced by Cydcor, provide.
As a face-to-face sales company, excellent customer service is a vital part of what makes Cydcor a top leader, a treasured asset in today’s heavily dominant online world.
With over 25 years of putting together outsourced sales teams across Canada and the US, it’s no wonder why Cydcor is one of the best in the business.
Simply put, “we’re a people-helping-people business,” Vera Quinn says, Chief Executive Officer and President of Cydcor. And that is exactly what Cydcor does. The purpose-driven company continues its mission to assist fortune 500 and emerging companies elevate their businesses while giving back to the community through their philanthropic endeavours.
Leadership, expertise, and security are a few of the many traits that define Cydcor. But above all, the company helps its clients in a few fundamental areas:
When asked what the main mission of Cydcor is, Quinn answers without delay.
“We are who clients can count on to get their brand products and services exposure in front of a customer,” and the company achieves this in a few ways. “We break down complex ideas or services and we simplify them in a way that makes a customer create a great decision to either save money or use a service in a different, better way.”
And the “faces” behind Cydcor’s face-to-face sales are the outsourced teams. “We can put together a team that’s well trained, has great character and integrity that can speak to a customer about your products as good as if not better than your own employees,” Quinn continues.
When an organization runs on a purpose, it bleeds into the rest of the team. Selling a product to consumers in today’s landscape is almost impossible without integrity, passion, and authenticity. And Cydcor ensures that with every moving part, these core values are carried throughout.
“There are a few things happening today. But mainly there is a lack of customer service. And you can see that everywhere,” says Quinn. Without adequate customer service, your products and services will remain on your inventory list.
That’s where the customer acquisition expert company, Cydcor, can help.
More than a company, Cydcor provides career opportunities, goes above and beyond in its community involvement, and produces real results for its clients. When you lead with purpose, success follows, and Cydcor fosters an environment that aims to achieve excellence in all areas of life, both personal and professional.
As they say, success is a mindset, but at Cydcor, success is a guarantee.
To learn more about Cydcor and how they can help you achieve your business goals, visit their website now.
Cydcor is a respected customer acquisition company whose DNA is hardwired to help people develop and unleash their true potential. They are a thriving corporate culture on a mission to support and achieve lasting global impact – and thanks to their multiple philanthropic ventures, the team is inspiring others to do the same.
They say everything you need in life must pass through another person’s hands. This is why people are the most valuable resource on this earth. We are all connected. Yes, thanks to technologies like the Internet, some may argue we are more tight-knit than ever before, but unless we get out from behind our screens, we can easily become separated from impacting humanity in more personal ways.
In a generous society where giving freely is common, there’s a much stronger connection and sense of belonging when we engage people face-to-face. Whether it’s giving time, talent, or treasure, philanthropy brings people together in ways that can only be achieved by supporting causes bigger than ourselves. We simply cannot deny the power a snowball effect can have on humanity
So why not take that one step further?
“You’re not successful in our business unless you help others succeed. And this extends to philanthropy locally and globally,” explains Gail Michalak, Vice-President of Marketing and Communications at Cydcor. “To be successful as a human goes beyond just being successful in business; it extends to doing more and giving more in everything you do.”
Cydcor, a powerhouse in its industry and known for being an organization focused on coaching and development in the workplace, is a trusted customer acquisition company also committed to impacting and inspiring change in its communities. As a “client broker” of more than 25 years, Cydcor’s award-winning reputation as a trusted leader in outsourced sales speaks volumes for its win-win attitude and company values that have continued through the decades.
Throughout its history, the company has been helping Fortune 500 and emerging companies achieve their customer acquisition, retention, and business growth goals through teams of well-trained salespeople and a business foundation of great character and integrity.
Apart from having a long history of working with recognized and emerging brands in telecommunications, office supplies, energy, tech, and more, part of creating a community within the Cydcor team is finding ways to support those in need.
“We’re a people-helping-people business,” says Vera Quinn, President, and CEO of Cydcor. “Thanks to our business values and cultural philanthropic efforts, we are proud to actively drive multiple community service events throughout the year.”
Currently, Cydcor’s primary current involvement is with Liberty Children’s Home, a sanctuary in Belize for more than fifty abused, abandoned, and neglected children, some of whom also have special needs or suffer from HIV or AIDS. With the upcoming holiday period approaching fast, there has been a lot of energy and interest in helping the kids in need.
“Every year, we have a giving drive for Liberty. Liberty is a place that kids call home. Many of these kids don’t have parents or family members who can look after their basic needs – so we gather and fill a wish list of toys and essentials like clothing and school supplies,” explains Michalak.
She continues, “Through the efforts of our entire field and internal team at Cydcor, we have helped feed, clothe, house, educate, and provide counseling to 50+ children in Belize with a staff of around 30 people.”
Getting physical boots out in the field is something that Cydcor strives for, as this creates bonds and engagement and shifts mindsets for generations to come. From going door-to-door to approaching people in a workplace, face-to-face contact with any of their clients or philanthropic ventures is crucial to their core values.
This is because many people who wish to start philanthropic journeys occasionally write and send checks but don’t interact or know much about where it’s going. Getting actively involved and diving deep into the people’s hearts and minds makes the experience worth more than the grandest intention.
Cydcor is not a novice when it comes to previous philanthropic milestone successes. Since 2010, it has partnered with Operation Smile, a non-profit organization that helps support Operation Smile which is dedicated to creating solutions that deliver free cleft surgery and comprehensive care to people where it is needed most.
“For many years all across Canada and the U.S., we saw these people in the business band together to raise monies to help fund surgeries,” says Quinn. This past initiative changed thousands of lives as the company raised $1 million for the cause through organic fundraising and dedicated events. And it doesn’t end there.
After entrenching themselves from global to national philanthropies to rolling into local and individual markets, Cydcor noticed how their endeavors created momentum for everyone in the business.
“For our local efforts, many team members and field sales teams have causes or organizations that have personally impacted them that they want to give back to – including those in sports, education, healthcare, environment, hunger, and many more,” says Michalak. All that this tells us is that doing good reaps the rewards for setting an example and inspiring others.”
Business skills translate into philanthropic efforts being organized, inspiring people to commit. Ultimately, individuals can feel good about themselves – knowing they have just accomplished something bigger than themselves. This is why people need to get involved and make it a big part of their culture.
Having worked with organizations that are either well-known in the communities or renowned nationally or globally, it’s easy to see why millions of people value Cydcor as a company.
“One of the best ways to lead and inspire others is by appealing to people through both their heads and their hearts not just what they are going to get in their career, but really how they’re going to grow as individuals and have an impact on our world,” says Michalak.
If you want to join the cause and be a part of a company transforming the world’s philanthropic landscape, head to the Liberty Children’s Home website here.
For more information on how you can collaborate with Cydcor, explore their world here.
Written in partnership with Mindful Agency
When George Papalexandratos first started his career in sales, all he was looking for was an opportunity to learn new skills and make some money, but with his hard work and determination, he accomplished so much more than that. His story is a prime example of how a strong determination for success and the right mentorship can truly change the trajectory of your life.
After graduating from Virginia state’s University of Richmond in 2002, George Papalexandratos set foot in the world of sales for the very first time. With a background in finance and marketing, he began his career as an entry-level sales representative, and with the grit, determination, and the right mentorship along the way, he has become a successful business owner who inspires others to take risks and follow their dreams, no matter what challenges come their way.
“When I started in sales, I was seeking an opportunity to learn hard and soft skills, because right out of college, I didn’t really know where I was going,” he says. “I was not very good at sales straight away, but I got pretty competitive and very interested in learning what makes people click,” he continues.
Papalexandratos shares that his first time on the job didn’t quite go as smoothly as planned. He was overwhelmed with the sales pitch he memorized, and the customer he was selling to was apprehensive and resistant. He eventually lost the sale and began questioning whether this path was the right one for him. Along his journey, there were many moments when he felt like giving up and starting over, but something deep inside him told him to keep going.
“I was fortunate that I had a really good trainer who kept on pointing out all the things that I did well,” he says. “While in my mind I was tanking and not doing anything right, she was excited to see me try and instilled in me that I was progressing.”
With time, he became a talented salesperson, and having a mentor who was invested in his personal success really changed Papalexandratos’ perspective on the industry. Prior to this point, he felt like you had to be a certain type of person to do well in sales, but that simply wasn’t the case. With the right resources, passion, and dedication, Papalexandratos learned that anything was possible, and it inspired him to help others see the same.
“When I first learned how to make sales, I was very excited because I learned a skill that I could actually capitalize on and was passionate about doing well, but when I started helping others and teaching them how to close sales as well, that’s what really got me excited and fulfilled in a way that sales alone couldn’t,” he says.
Fast forward to today, Papalexandratos is the President and CEO of Ethos Consulting Group Incorporated. It is a direct sales company that blends sales, training, and talent management all under one roof. Ethos Consulting Group is contracted by Cydcor, an award-winning business relied on by Fortune 500 and emerging companies across America to achieve their customer acquisition, retention, and business growth goals. Through his role with the company, Papalexandratos is a mentor known for his passion for helping entry-level salespeople turn into successful leaders.
When asked what training with Ethos Consulting Group looks like, he says it’s a lot more than just teaching the Xs and Os. “There’s a lot of empathy and support when training,” he says. “We tell people that this is going to be challenging and they’re going to fail, but also that we’re not afraid and we’re not going to hide away from it,” he says.
“I personally believe that you go through failure to reach success. So everything that you’ve built adds up, and when you look back at it, you’ll see that it forced you to step outside of your comfort zone, think through complex problems, find solutions and see the value in each lesson,” he shares.
Papalexandratos teaches his sales teams that when it comes to failure, you should be excited because it shows that you’re learning. “Most of the time you fail because you’re doing something that you’re uncomfortable doing, but that’s where all the growth is. So when someone fails, they’ve also learned from it and they become a better person,” he says.
When you go through these lessons, he says that you might not appreciate it at the time, but when you look back you’ll realize that all those things you went through, all the no’s and all the yes’s, slowly but surely made you into a better human being.
Papalexandratos’ story reminds us that if you work hard and are passionate about what you do, it will inevitably pay off. He started off as an entry-level sales representative over a decade ago, but his passion and determination got him to where he is today.
Papalexandratos has been running Ethos Consulting Group for over 17 years and shares that its success is due to the fact that they always go back to its mission of building people’s confidence by teaching them the right skills and the right mindset.
“After all of these years, we haven’t lost our core values, we are all about building up our people,” he concludes. To learn more about Cydcor and its inspiring people like George Papalexandratos, visit their website today.
Since joining Cydcor more than 20 years ago, Vera Quinn has been a driving force behind the company’s success. Vera was named President in 2015, and in 2016, Cydcor achieved a record year in revenue. Vera is primarily accountable for cultivating strong client relationships and ensuring sustained revenue growth. She heads Cydcor’s retail, residential, and business-to-business divisions and is responsible for broadening Cydcor’s reach through strategic business development and new client acquisition. Vera oversees campaign management, field management, and a variety of company support functions.