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The First 5 Minutes: How to Stop Sounding Like a Vendor

By / / Brand & Reputation, Buying, Communication, Sales Skills, Uncategorized

In 30 seconds

The Problem: Most salespeople sabotage their credibility in the first five minutes. They over-apologise, fill time with aimless small talk, or launch straight into a pitch deck. The moment they do, they signal “vendor” rather than “trusted advisor” and lose the peer dynamic before the conversation even starts.

The Shift: The way you open a meeting sets the entire tone of the relationship. Advisors diagnose; vendors present. Your body language, your language, and your agenda-setting either earn you a seat at the table or confirm you were never meant to have one.

The Solution: Own the room from minute one. Replace apologies with anticipation, pivot small talk purposefully, frame the meeting as mutual exploration, and check for shifted priorities before diving in. Peer dynamics are not granted, they are established, and the first 300 seconds are yours to claim.

 

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Stop ‘Speaking Your Mind’. Start Winning

By / / Attitudes & Behaviours, Emotional Intelligence, Sales Skills, Sales Tips, Soft skills, Uncategorized

In 30 seconds

Blurting out whatever’s on your mind might feel good for five seconds, but it can kill a deal, a relationship, or your reputation just as quickly. In business, brutal honesty without strategy isn’t courage; it’s carelessness. Emotional Intelligence turns honesty into influence. Pause, reflect, and reframe with empathy. Ask questions to uncover the real concern. Choose words that open doors instead of slamming them shut. Listening builds trust and moves conversations forward. The goal isn’t to “be righteous” in the moment, it’s to achieve the outcome you want and others value. In high-stakes situations, EQ isn’t weakness. …

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Top 5 Articles for Q1, 2025

By / / Uncategorized

In 30 Seconds

In Q1 2025, what’s been turning heads is a shift back to the human fundamentals—how we engage, communicate, lead, and sell in ways that create real connection and trust. With so much noise, automation, and uncertainty swirling around us, people are craving clarity, authenticity, and purpose. Whether it’s the subtle power of micro moments of humanity or the deeper strategic insights from Sun Tzu, our most-read articles this quarter reflect a growing demand for sales cultures rooted in psychological safety, emotional intelligence, and meaningful relationships. Here’s what resonated most with our readers.

In 2 minutes

In Q1 2025, what’s been …

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supplier beware

Big Fish, Small Bait: Suppliers Beware

By / / Attitudes & Behaviours, Blog, Buying, Procurement, Uncategorized

In 20 seconds

Small businesses beware. Big company contracts often favour the buyer. Watch out for red flags like unfair IP ownership, exclusivity clauses, and unclear payment terms. To negotiate a fair agreement, research industry practices, seek expert advice, build relationships with the procurement team, and be prepared to walk away if needed. Protect your IP and business, even against what it can look like tempting offers. Don’t be afraid to stand up for your business’s worth.

In (just over) 2 minutes

At the heart of Barrett’s Selling Better philosophy is creating the conditions for a fair exchange of value and mutual prosperity …

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Selling (Better) in Uncertain Times

By / / Attitudes & Behaviours, Blog, Business Growth, Sales Strategy, Selling Better, Strategy, Success, Uncategorized

2024 heralds 41 years in professional selling for me and like many who’ve been around as long as I have, we’ve sold through several major crises including the GFC and major recessions, learning many lessons along the way. However, starting in 2020, we all had our mettle tested during and beyond the COVID pandemic. In all my years in business I don’t think I’ve ever witnessed as much change as we’re experiencing now. It reminds me of the quote ‘There are decades where nothing happens, and weeks where decades happen’.

Global supply chain disruption, numerous government elections and political scandals, wars …

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Networking – Contacts and Connections

By / / Attitudes & Behaviours, Blog, Networking, Uncategorized

In 30 seconds

In networking, differentiating between contacts and connections is crucial. Contacts are like fledgling plants with shallow roots, while connections resemble sturdy trees with deep roots. Contacts are those you know but haven’t deeply engaged with, while connections are individuals with whom you’ve built trust and credibility over time. Balancing both in your network is key. It’s essential to avoid unrealistic expectations by not leaning on contacts prematurely. Instead, invest time in developing these relationships, ensuring trust and respect. By understanding these distinctions and applying a patient, farming approach to networking, you can create a robust and enduring professional …

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sales mastery with cup

The Ever-Evolving Path to Sales Mastery

By / / Blog, Education in Sales, Sales Results, Sales Skills, Sales Tips, Sales Training, Success, Uncategorized

In 30 seconds

The road to sales mastery is a dynamic process that involves continuous learning, practice, and adaptation. In the ever-evolving selling profession, this means embracing change and honing skills. Salespeople need to master action-oriented strategies to uncover valuable business opportunities, they require self-discipline, prospecting, account planning, etc. and the ability to build human-centred client relationships to deliver value-based solutions. Accountability is key, and teamwork is vital for success. Sales is a profession driven by curiosity, helpfulness, and fairness. Sales mastery is not a destination; it’s an ongoing journey, a relentless pursuit of excellence in an ever-changing landscape.

In 2 minutes

The …

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What Sales Mapping Projects Can Reveal

By / / Blog, Business Growth, Leadership, Sales Leadership, Sales Process Maps, sales-process-map, Uncategorized

In 30 seconds

Sales process mapping is essential for delivering sales strategies and setting quality standards for sales and service teams. Beyond its known benefits, it uncovers valuable insights. For instance, one company’s overly strict credit department rejected many good deals, only revealed through mapping. Another organisation’s convoluted client engagement process led to internal conflicts and client dissatisfaction, causing 50% of new clients to leave within a few months of being onboarded. Such information is invaluable to leadership for transformation. Openness to challenging findings is key. Sales and service processes, being deeply human experiences, require assessment, mapping, alignment with business goals, …

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engage-relate-and-persuade-people

The Stuff No One Teaches You About Human Engagement

By / / Attitudes & Behaviours, Blog, Brand & Reputation, Communication, Education in Sales, Human-centred, Life Skills, Presentation & Grooming, Sales Presentation & Grooming, Self Promotion, Uncategorized, Wellbeing

In 30 seconds

We all need to know how to engage, relate, and persuade people. It’s part of life. So, how do we learn to make memorable introductions, deliver compelling presentations, effectively position ourselves for career promotions, and navigate our way through a myriad of human relationships without falling to pieces? When it comes to presenting and engaging with others, a lack of skills can fill people with fear, especially when you’ve never been taught how to manage yourself in these situations. I see this all the time. As one MBA student told me recently on a Narrative, Presence and Presentation …

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