The Sales Advantage Podcast

If you have planted seeds, and nurtured the growth, then the next step is harvesting the sales. I know you want an abundant harvest, but does that process intimidate you? It doesn't have to. It does take work, but you should reap what you sow. In this week's episode of Inside Gift & Home, I am sharing how to prepare for an abundant harvest of sales and what harvesting the sales from yo...

What does gardening and sales have in common? Both are a lot of work. Both have parts you can control and parts you can't. Both have a harvest. And both are similar in the process. You have to plant the seeds and nurture them for growth to reap the harvest. And this all takes time. In this week's episode of Inside Gift & Home, I am sharing how planting seeds in a garden makes me think...

Not one, not two, but three different sales approaches are the key to becoming a Hybrid Sales Rep. Taking just one approach will miss customers, leave orders on the table, and put less commission in your pockets. No one wants that. In this week's episode of Inside Gift & Home, take a listen to part 2 of Harness the Power of Hybrid, where I share the three sales approaches you can take to c...

What is your expectation for reaching ALL your customers? And can you realistically achieve that expectation without working harder?  What if I told you that you can work smarter not harder to connect with ALL your customers? This is how you harness the power of hybrid. In the first installment of this 2 part episode of Inside Gift & Home, I am talking about ALL your customers - your top custo...

Check the box, cross it out, or put a start next to it. How do you mark things off your checklist? Do you use a pen and paper or your phone to create your checklists? We all do things differently, but having a good ol' checklist is so important in your daily life. In this week's episode of Inside Gift & Home, I am talking about the importance of checklists, how we use them, and why the...

What can you tell me about your customers? Can you tell me about their kids or their favorite vacation spot? Do you think that matters in sales? Well, after having thousands of conversations with retailers in the Gift & Home Industry, I can tell you, yes relationships matter. In this week's episode of Inside Gift & Home, I am sharing how developing relationships set me apart and allowe...

Do you like to look at numbers?  Do numbers bore you?  Or do you enjoy numbers, like I do? How you look at numbers can really impact people and your business. In this episode of Inside Gift & Home, I want to encourage you to think about numbers in a different way. I want to bring life to the numbers for you. I want to show you how the numbers you are looking at represent the people you are imp...

Summer show season is upon us! Are you ready to jump in the show boat and get going? Whether you are ready or not, shows are here and we want to maximize them. In this week's episode, I am sharing tips about how to make the most of your time while you are at shows. From engaging customers to networking and follow-up, this is a quick but jam-packed episode to remind sales reps and wholesale ven...

Outsourcing is a major part of our business in the Gift & Home Industry. Have you considered it or do you look internally to your team to take on projects and tasks that may be better suited for an outsourced resource. In this week's episode I am digging a little deeper into outsourcing and insourcing. There are things to consider as well as pros and cons of each when deciding between outs...

Reps are local too. Have you heard about this initiative? It started from a conversation that led to a wildfire. This initiative is designed to support the local sales rep. In this week's episode of Inside Gift & Home, listen in on my conversation with Angela Schmook of Road Runners, who helped get this movement off the ground. Angela gives you all the details about how this initiative sta...

Team work makes the dream work. In this week's episode, you will hear from two friends with different sales management styles that want to help make a difference with vendors and support sales reps. Sara and Emma started See Sales Management to help vendors focus on the of the most important parts of their business, their sales. And sales reps play a major role in sales growth, and many times...

Do you ever look at another person's journey and think "oh, I wish I was there" or "wow, I am way ahead of them." Either way, you are paying too much attention to someone else's journey. We can appreciate another person's journey, but in this week's episode of Inside Gift & Home, I want to encourage you on your journey. Right where you are now. Your journey...

Do you think it is possible to go from being a road rep to inside sales and still have success? Or do you listen to the skeptics who say they can't. Well, in this week's episode of Inside Gift & Home you will hear from Lisa Carik who was a successful road rep for over 18 years and is now a successful inside sales specialist. Her perspective is unique and she shares what she misses abou...

Should my inside sales team work in the office or remote?  Are you wondering that same thing? And are you wondering what are the pros and cons are for each option? In this week’s episode you will learn the pros and cons of and what factors do you need to focus on for your inside sales team whether they work remote or not.

We all have a story, whether we like our story or we don’t like it, we have a story. If you story is marked by success or marked by heartbreak and everything in between, your unique story can impact others. Your story helps you relate to your customers and the people you encounter. Don’t be afraid to share your story.  In this week’s episode, I want to encourage you to share your story because you...

Do you want to know what my superpower is? No, it’s not anything flashy like flying or teleporting! My superpower is consistency. Sounds kind of boring, right?!? But is it not! In this week’s episode of Inside Gift & Home, I share how I discovered this superpower from a difficult situation, and why it works to build relationships and accomplish big or small goals. Love this episode? Be sure to...

Are you good at pacing yourself for the chase? Do you just go all out and then wind up exhausted? You want to achieve your goals. You want to work hard but how do you do that without getting burnout. In this week’s episode learn about one of our most utilized resources in this business to pace ourselves so we don’t get exhausted from the chase. And learn how a pair of cardinals made me think a lit...

Are you aware of your customers' current order needs? Even if they placed orders back in January, it's essential to know if they require a reorder at this time. Circle back with customers to provide valuable insights into their current requirements and ensures their needs are met. Customer situations can evolve rapidly, underscoring the importance of proactive communication. Failure to rea...

Are you throwing spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks? When all else fails, we lean into our strengths! It's what we are good at because we have taken the time to practice our talents. And our unique blend of strengths set us apart from other people. In this week's episode of Inside Gift & Home, we are talking about leaning into our strengths because that creates a powerful foundat...

Do you want to grow? Really grow? Would you be surprised to hear that your weakness is where you can expect to find the most amount of growth? Not focusing on your strengths but improving your weaknesses. By identifying our weaknesses and working to improve them creates a stronger foundation for growth and resilience. In this week's episode of Inside Gift & Home, we talk about how embracin...

It's not easy making decisions especially when fear keeps rearing its ugly head. Fear can indeed be a complex emotion, sometimes serving as a protective instinct and at other times acting as a barrier to progress.  In this week's episode of Inside Gift & Home, I am sharing this one question that I started asking myself when I am making decisions so I  can determine if the fear I am fee...

Key Accounts. Brands know they want them to drive brand awareness, but it is difficult to crack the code of successful partnership without over-saturation and alienating independent retailers. There is a delicate balance, and key account management is essential. In this week's episode of Inside Gift & Home, my guest is Michelle Manningham. Michelle is the owner of Pink & Associates and...

Sometimes as entrepreneurs and sales managers, it can be really hard managing all the things you have to do. So wouldn't it be great to be part of a community that knows what you are going through and is willing to offer ways to help. That's exactly what GSMA is all about. A community of sales managers and entrepreneurs in the Home & Gift Industry that help each other. In this week&#39...

When you are running around and chasing customers and sales, because customers won't meet with you or take your calls, then you have to take a different approach. It starts with closing the gap. In this week's episode of Inside Gift & Home, we are talking about closing the gap with your communication and sales in order to close the gap with your customers. It does take work and some he...

If you are wondering what is going on with your customers, then call and ask.  You can send emails, but you don’t gain the same information as you would if you called your customers. Whether you are considering a hybrid sales approach or just want to learn more about your customers to help with product planning, you will be encouraged to call and find out. In this week's episode of Inside Gift...