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Stop “Just Checking In”: How to Follow Up Like a Trusted Advisor

By / / Attitudes & Behaviours, Business Acumen, Communication, Sales Psychology, Sales Relationships, Sales Skills

In 30 seconds

The Problem: A deal stalls, anxiety creeps in, and the salesperson sends the most destructive email in modern B2B: “Just checking in.” In one line, months of trusted advisor positioning collapses into the language of a needy vendor.

The Shift: Order-takers check in. Trusted advisors add value with every interaction. A follow-up is not a chore for the client to manage. It is another opportunity to reinforce your commercial relevance.

The Solution: Follow up with a Give to Get insight, anchor to the cost of inaction against their own timeline or grant permission to close. Stop checking in. Start showing up.

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The Sales Veteran’s Dilemma: Why the Best Keep Raising Their Game

By / / Attitudes & Behaviours, Sales Psychology, Sales Skills, Sales Training

In 30 seconds

The Problem: Seasoned sales professionals with decades of results, relationships, and reputation often stall when new methodologies arrive – not from stubbornness, but from the very real psychological weight of unlearning deeply ingrained habits while protecting the trust they have spent years building.

The Shift: The market has moved permanently from transactional selling to value-based, solution-focused selling. Staying relevant means adding commercial language, digital fluency, and business acumen to an already formidable toolkit – not to replace what works, but to build higher on top of it.

The Solution: Map your instincts to the new structure rather than abandoning them. Adopt changes in digestible chunks. Segment clients by readiness. Be transparent when your approach shifts. The professionals who make this transition do not just protect what they have built – they earn a seat at a different table entirely.

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Is Rapport Really the #1 Predictor of Sales Performance?

By / / Communication, Emotional Intelligence, Life Skills, Sales Psychology, Value Based Selling

In 30 seconds

While rapport plays a valuable role in building trust and connection, it’s far from the sole driver of sales performance. Reducing sales success to “being likeable” oversimplifies a complex, multifaceted discipline. Effective salespeople don’t just charm—they listen, solve problems, communicate value, and follow through. In fact, some of the best performers aren’t especially sociable but consistently build credibility, trust, and results. At Barrett, our decades of experience and research show that true sales success stems from a cluster of traits: mindset, planning, value creation, problem-solving, trust, and yes, relationship building. Rapport is one important thread—but overemphasising it can …

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The Most Human Wins: Lessons from Sun Tzu Part 5

By / / Business Growth, Emotional Intelligence, Ethics & Values, Sales Psychology, Value Based Selling

In 30 seconds

In an AI-driven world, businesses that prioritise trust, emotional intelligence, and genuine relationships will thrive. Sun Tzu teaches that “The greatest victory is that which requires no battle.” The most effective sales strategies win through credibility, not force.

Buyers seek insight and connection, not just efficiency. A motivated sales team that values relationships over transactions will always outperform automation alone. AI should enhance, not replace human interactions. Success lies in balancing technology with meaningful engagement.

The businesses that will flourish are those that embrace human connection as their greatest competitive advantage. If you’re ready to build a trust-driven, strategic sales …

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Why a Sales Career is brilliant for women’s health & well-being

The Power of Being Highly Sensitive: My Journey from Misfit to Leader

By / / Blog, Sales Psychology

In 30 seconds

As a child, I always felt like an outsider. Discovering I was a HSP (Highly Sensitive Person) was a revelation. I turned my empathy and intuition into strengths, founding a company based on emotional intelligence and becoming an activist. I learned to navigate the sensory overload with self-compassion, activism, mindfulness, and physical activity. The world needs HSPs. Being highly sensitive is not a weakness, it’s a superpower waiting to be unleashed.

In 3.5 minutes

They say the world wasn’t built for people like me. As a child, I felt like a square peg trying to squeeze into a round …

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Theory of Mind: Stepping Into Someone Else’s Shoes

By / / Blog, Sales Psychology, Sales Relationships

In 30 seconds

Theory of Mind (ToM) is all about understanding that others have unique thoughts, feelings, and viewpoints. It’s key for navigating any relationship, from work colleagues to family. By seeing things from someone else’s perspective, you can build trust, communicate effectively, and resolve conflicts.

Active listening, open-ended questions, and empathy are all ways to develop your ToM skills. While originally highlighted for salespeople, ToM benefits everyone – managers, teachers, friends – anyone who interacts with others. It’s a lifelong journey, but by practicing these skills, you can connect better and navigate interactions more smoothly.

In 1.5 minutes

The ability to see things …

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Why Humanity Sells Better

By / / Attitudes & Behaviours, Business Growth, Education in Sales, Emotional Intelligence, Ethics & Values, Human-centred, Sales Methodology, Sales Psychology, Selling Better

In 30 Seconds

The idea for the Selling Better movement and sales methodology started back on 9 January 1995, when I launched Barrett Consulting Group with just $3,000. I wanted to put humanity back on the corporate map which is why Selling Better isn’t about manipulation or pressure, but about genuine connection and shared value. This philosophy and its sales methodology replaces pushy sales tactics with authentic listening, building trust, and offering real benefits. Selling Better is a business savvy and emotionally intelligent way of selling.

Key advantages:

  • Personal Touch: Build strong relationships and understand your client’s needs.
  • Professional Powerhouse: Master sales skills …

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World Gratitude Day: The Moral Case for Gratitude, especially in uncertain times

By / / Blog, Common Ground, covid-19, Ethics & Values, Gratitude, Life Skills, Remote selling, Resilience, Sales Psychology, Self Development, Value Based Selling

Tuesday 21 September 2021, is World Gratitude Day

In March 2019, I published my first paperback book: 142 Days of Gratitude that changed my life forever 

It is part memoir, part self-help, part business book all underpinned by science and philosophy.

In it I wrote a chapter about the moral case for gratitude. Given we are living in uncertain times I thought we could reflect for at least a few minutes, the time it takes you to read this article, on the power of gratitude to change our lives for the better.

So here’s my contribution to World Gratitude Day.  

The Moral Case …

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I’m in sales, you’re in sales, we’re all in sales

By / / Attitudes & Behaviours, Blog, Brain Science, Call Reluctance, Everybody lives by selling something, Human-centred, Life Skills, Opportunity, Prospecting, Sales Psychology, Selling Better, Success

When my eldest son was eleven, he said to me ‘Mum I don’t believe everybody lives by selling something’. I said, ‘That’s interesting, why do you say that?’ and he started to try to persuade and convince me as to why this statement wasn’t true. So I said to him ‘by you trying to persuade and convince me why this isn’t true, aren’t you trying to sell me something?’ To which he said ‘Ahh, I get it Mum.’

Yes, we are all in sales, one way or another.

If you have ever tried to initiate contact with a person …

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How do we enable our ‘pilots and crew’ to land safely?

By / / covid-19, Customer Service, Opportunity, Sales Coaching, Sales Consulting, Sales Leadership, Sales Psychology, Sales Skills, Sales Strategy, Sales Training

As a Learning and Development professional you can ensure your “pilots and crews” not only perform well during normal operations, but can also be equipped with the right training, coaching and support when the crisis hits.

Whether your business has been affected by the COVID-19 crisis directly or through the ripple effect along the supply chain and out to customers, your sales and service staff and their leaders are probably worried now -both personally and from the business point of view- about how to manage sales and service operations remotely with the disruptions the crisis might cause …

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