BDU Blog

Is it better to contact 100 prospects one time each or ten prospects ten times each? Setting appointments today is very different than prospecting in the past. Gone are the days of picking up the phone and getting the decision-makers on the line. Today, very few people answer their phones; it’s getting harder and harder to get in touch with … Read More

BDU’s triage approach – determining which three areas, if improved upon, will have the biggest impact on performance – is not just for people who are in a sales career. Triaging your efforts is for everyone, and everyone is selling something in one form or another. In October, Lisa had the opportunity to talk about BDU’s triage approach with a … Read More

Did you know that the average person wastes about two and a half hours every day? If you take a five-day work week and add it up, this totals 650 hours of wasted time annually. If you divide that by 8-hour work days, you’re wasting around 81 days – or nearly 12 full weeks – every single year. Think of … Read More

Did you know that BDU’s CEO Lisa Peskin has answered some pressing sales and business questions as a guest columnist for the Philadelphia Business Journal’s online magazine? In these “Dear BDU” posts, Lisa gave advice on getting the most from your sales team, how to best handle the pressure of a sales career and more. Check them out now! Help! … Read More

You know that there are certain business development and sales activities you should be performing, but do you know why? Have you set clearly defined goals for the results you wish to achieve by doing everything you do? It’s so important to be purposeful in your activities so you know why you’re doing them. On the flip side, if you … Read More

When meeting with clients and prospects, you know the importance of setting an agenda, effectively navigating negotiations and being prepared to handle objections. However, have you also considered where you’re going to sit when you enter the room? Where you – and others – are seated can be just as important to a meeting as what you say and how … Read More

We’ve mentioned before that business activity shouldn’t stop just because it’s summertime. Not only are these warmer, more laid-back months a wonderful time to network and create new relationships, but summer can also provide the perfect chance to check in with your current clients and work on building existing relationships. As we approach the month of July – and with … Read More

Phone prospecting is difficult. It’s hard to get a person on the line, and when you finally do reach someone you want to make sure you’re doing all you can during the call to achieve your ultimate goal: setting an appointment. It’s not easy, which is why we’ve outlined six key components of successful prospecting calls to help you plan … Read More

CEO Think Tank once again published the findings of their annual growth strategies survey. This year’s results found that out of the top twenty priorities for CEOs in and around the Greater Philadelphia area, improving sales performance came in at #6. It’s not surprising at all. At BDU, we hear over and over again from CEOs, business owners and sales … Read More

Appointments with prospects can be stressful. There’s a lot of ground to cover, and you have an idea of what you want to discuss and what you’re hoping to get out of the meeting. However, they don’t always end up going the way you envision. It’s easy to get off track, and sometimes when you reach the end of the … Read More

There are many different sales methodologies out there, and if you’ve ever purchased something you’ve probably come across a variety. You’ve most likely experienced quite a few that were manipulative, pushy and a complete turn off. Instead of going through with the sale, you probably walked away vowing never to come back or work with that sales person again. It … Read More

We’ve said it numerous times before; we all know that it’s easier to keep an existing client or customer than to go out and find brand new business. If you can upsell or cross-sell to your current client base, that’s even better. How do you go about getting more business out of an existing client? Lisa’s number one secret for … Read More

There are many reasons that your happy clients or customers can be some of your best sources for referrals. They know – and love – you and your company, and they can speak to the many ways in which you’ve helped them with your product or service. Since they’re thrilled with what you’ve provided, it’s easy for them to think … Read More

People work with people they like. If you’re a sales person who is too “sales-y,” it’s going to be difficult to get ahead. At the end of the day, no one likes to be sold anything. They want to make a real connection with a real person, not a pushy sales person. BDU’s CEO Lisa Peskin has had a flourishing … Read More

Do you have a strong network of referral sources and COIs introducing you to good, qualified prospects? Do you have a long list of potential clients or customers you’re planning to contact? This is a great start, but these referrals or contacts are not valuable until you convert them to net new appointments. Having difficulty with getting your foot in … Read More

You’ve gone through all of the steps necessary to successfully bring a prospect through to the final stages of the selling process, and you’re getting ready to present them with a proposal. Do you set a time to meet with them face-to-face to review what you’re offering or do you simply shoot out an email with your proposal attached? Which … Read More

Last month, we provided some tips for maximizing your summer business efforts to keep your progress moving forward despite the common myth that business doesn’t happen over the summer. Now, as we head towards September and prepare to enter the final third of the year, there are only a few more months left to hit your goals. In addition to … Read More

We’re in the middle of summer, and you may have heard over and over again that it’s a terrible season for business activity. We often hear that people are not motivated to move forward with new deals, sales are slow and everyone is on vacation. However, before you completely write off the summer months as a waste of time, flip … Read More

During a recent visit to the gym, BDU’s CEO Lisa struck up a conversation with one of her workout buddies. The topic quickly turned to business, and Lisa’s friend excitedly shared with her that, after much negotiation, he had just signed a large contract for his company. This was a huge deal for him, and he was very proud of … Read More

If you’re going to take the time to attend a networking event, you need to make sure that you’re getting the most from your efforts there. It’s not enough just to show up. You should arrive well-prepared so you’re purposeful in your activities. “Networking Events: BDU’s Step-by-Step Guide,” by BDU’s CEO Lisa Peskin, helps you plan for everything from what to bring … Read More

Consider doing a little “spring cleaning” on your business development efforts to remain focused and purposeful in your activities: Reevaluate and make a plan. Don’t just wing it. Be purposeful in your approach. Update your “to do” list. What items reoccur on your list week after week and don’t get accomplished? Does it still make sense to execute those tasks? … Read More

BDU’s CEO Lisa Peskin had a wonderful time recently when she spoke with a group from the Professional Sales Organization of TU, a student-run association from Temple University. They held a Fox Sales Challenge event, breaking into groups of two to analyze a case study and showcase their presentation skills for a panel of judges. Lisa is very passionate about … Read More