Auditions

Posted on May 30, 2025 by directimpact

As a Business Development consultant, we are always working to keep our subject matter experts on the stage and out of the auditions. With that said, I auditioned for many speaking roles in High School theater. However, I was only given the parts of inanimate objects- Rocks, Trees etc. From this experience, I found it a lot more fulfilling to get other people on the stage.

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Spring

Posted on May 23, 2025 by directimpact

Spring is God’s way of saying, “One more time!” Robert Orben.

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Avoid Ghosting

Posted on May 16, 2025 by directimpact

In a sales context, try this to avoid ghosting-  “Your response will help me provide the right content at the right time and avoid bothering you with unnecessary information.” 

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Networking- Score Card

Posted on May 9, 2025 by directimpact

Remember, it is not who you meet at the event that counts. It is who you meet after the event that puts points on the board. Bonus- People love a Happy Hour. It’s a non threatening way to meet people.

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What is your superpower?

Posted on May 2, 2025 by directimpact

Sometimes I am amazed at how the small things can turn into a superpower. For example prospects will say, Thanks for setting the appointment so quickly. Your note was so kind. The coffee before the meeting was thoughtful. The sales & marketing teams really communicate clearly and quickly. That was a nice mid-day surprise. As we with disgruntled customers, providing poor service travels fast in the marketplace. The good news is we can all tap into our superpower and create bonds with customers & prospects that can last a lifetime. 

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Sales- Boring to Productive

Posted on April 25, 2025 by directimpact
Good afternoon,
As I work through the grind of prospecting this week, I thought it would be a good idea to pass on a few points from Cynthia Handal, who talks about the Power of Boring Work in sales. Believe me, it’s not that we don’t know but need to be reminded. Here’s the podcast and full article-https://salesgravy.com/why-the-basics-still-beat-fancy/
Also, the following email from my prospect illustrates the power of follow up. I have been following up with this guy since August. Remember in God we trust and follow up with everyone else.
Here are Cynthia’s thoughts:
What Actually Wins: The Fundamentals
If you want to win more, stop searching for better tactics and start doing the boring stuff better. Because these five basics are still undefeated:
1. Phone Calls
Cold calls. Warm calls. Follow-up calls. Call blocks. Whatever the flavor, the phone remains your fastest path to building pipeline. And yet it’s the most avoided.
Most reps send five emails and give up. Not top performers. They make the call. Because conversations close deals—period.
2. Discovery Questions
Stop pitching. Start digging. The best reps are curious, not convincing. They lead with questions that uncover pain, urgency, and decision dynamics. And they clam up long enough to actually listen.
You don’t earn trust by explaining. You earn it by understanding.
3. Objection Handling
If objections scare you, it’s because you don’t practice. It’s because you haven’t made a habit of practicing.
Objections aren’t stop signs—they’re buying signals. But if you’re caught off guard every time someone says, “I need to think about it,” you’re not preparing. You’re winging it. And amateurs who wing it get smoked.
4. Follow-Up
Here’s the truth: the sale is almost never made on the first call. Or the second. Or even the fifth. 80% of sales happen after the 5th touch, but most reps quit after two. Why? Emotion.
They feel rejected. Embarrassed. “I don’t want to bother them.” Bother them? You’re solving a problem they can’t fix alone. Follow up until they buy or you find them a better solution.
5. Asking for the Sale
Most reps are afraid to ask. Why?
Because they’re afraid of hearing no. But here’s the thing: no is part of the process. If you’re not hearing no, you’re not asking enough.
You’re a consultant. You’re a closer. Your job isn’t to make the prospect feel warm and fuzzy—it’s to guide them to a decision. And that means asking with courage and confidence.
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Perspective

Posted on April 18, 2025 by directimpact
Today has not been a productive day. My internet provider is enhancing the network in my neighborhood, so the Internet has been up and down all day. This makes me realize how much I am tied to the Internet and the Power Grid. This problem also reminds me of a story/parable that I shared with my Character Ed students last year.
Here’s how a conversation with a teenager living in a third world country might go:
Hi, Coach Carr, why are you looking so sad? Well, my Internet was up and down all day. My productivity was way down.
I then asked the young boy, what are some of your challenges?
We don’t have clean water.
Our power keeps going off every other day.
My family can’t get access to health care.
I don’t feel safe in my own neighborhood.
I can’t go to church without being persecuted.
I can’t find reliable transportation to get to school.
My school doesn’t have enough money to support any athletic programs.
Coach Carr what did you say you were sad about again?
The only thing you sometimes have control over is perspective.
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Faith

Posted on April 11, 2025 by directimpact

Faith makes things possible, not necessarily easy.

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Friends

Posted on April 4, 2025 by directimpact

Blessed are they who have the gift of making friends, for it is one of God’s best gifts. Thomas Hughes

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March Madness

Posted on March 27, 2025 by directimpact
Good afternoon,
We are in the midst of March Madness and if you are a basketball fan you just can’t get enough. Most of this year’s teams are not there by luck. They study the video from past performances to improve with each game. If they don’t look at past performances, this is indeed Madness! The same can be said about salespeople and moving from good to great.
I was reading an article from my colleague Steve Kraner who owns Software Sales Gurus. He shared some interesting points on reviewing the game tape from a presentation or introduction call. Here are the insights that caught my eye:
 
Subservient Tone: “Excessive gratitude comes across as subservient, not respectful.”
“I start every call profusely thanking them for taking the time to meet with me because I was taught to respect their time. When I hear myself on tape, I realize you do not command respect when you act subservient.”
Style: “Recording reveals flaws in personal presence; awareness sparks positive change.”
“When you see yourself firsthand, aspects of your demeanor make you cringe. But when you see it, you can change it.”
Structure: “A structured approach improves question quality and customer responses.”
“I am surprised that a greater degree of structure does not cause a salesperson to sound robotic. Structure improves the quality of your questions and your customer’s responses.”
Missed Problems: “Recordings reveal overlooked customer concerns.”
“I am surprised that I didn’t hear the most pressing problem they brought to the table until I listened to the recording.”
“The buyer’s top issue was on the table, but it was the first time I had heard that specific problem. I wasn’t sure we could address it. So I didn’t pursue it.”
Discomfort: How you ask matters.
“If you are uncomfortable asking a question, you make customers uncomfortable answering. I realized this when I heard a teammate ask a question to which the customer responded. I asked the same question and didn’t get a response. It is not what you say as much as how you say it. You have to believe the questions helps you find and achieve mutual advantage.”
Disarming Honesty: “Addressing limitations builds trust and removes obstacles.”
“I used to shy away from things we couldn’t do. When I heard colleagues point out things we could not do, the typical customer response surprised me. In most cases it removed an obstacle to the sale because the buyer said that feature wasn’t important. Sometimes it resulted in an early disqualification. Either outcome is good for me and my customer.”
Finally, I have come across another technique that creates a bond with the gatekeeper. Just today, the gatekeeper asked, “Is Mr. Johnson expecting your call? I replied, “Nobody expects me to call!” The gatekeeper chuckled and put me through. There is power in humor!
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