Patricia Sherlock

As markets continue to shrink, a hot topic for sales executives is how to retain current customers. The accepted rule in selling is that keeping current customers is cheaper than devoting precious resources to finding new customers. Acquiring new customers costs an estimated five to eight times more than it does to retain existing customers. […]

In recent conversations with sales managers, the most common refrain I hear is that we need originators who can sell value, not price. I have always believed that selling value is the fundamental role of the originator and mandatory for a sales organization’s success. The problem is that value may look slightly different to each

I had a chance to watch the Ryder Cup this weekend and was disappointed in the U.S. team’s performance. It was clear early on that this was not going to be our day. It is surprising that some of the nation’s best golf players can’t seem to win this contest. The U.S. team has lost

As we move into the last part of the year, managers have intensified their focus on how to increase sales productivity. Short-term fixes such as new technology, revising comp plans and quick-hit training programs seem to be the first place managers look but these approaches aren’t enough to generate long-term success. So what does change

It is a truism in life that everyone wants to be successful. As we all know, success is not evenly distributed. Just look at data on top producers and their impact on sales volume. Twenty percent of originators produce roughly 60% to 70% of the total volume at any given company. Success and how to

Fifteen days from now Fall will officially start, but for me, the kickoff of the season is always the first football game. Our town is excited that for the first time in a long time, our Eagles will be competitive and might go deep in the playoffs. Coach Chip Kelly has turned football upside down

Everyone realizes that selling has changed — products are commodities and buyer choices are extensive. The value of products and services has declined since buyers perceive they can get them from many providers. For instance, once Apple came out with its iPhone, a slew of competitors surfaced. There are always others who will jump in

In my conversations with originators, they will often confide how much more difficult it is to sell today versus in the past. The truth is it is more difficult to sell in the current marketplace. Real estate agents don’t go to the office anymore; brokers don’t want more than a few lenders; and borrowers don’t

The hottest topic in the Philly area is the performance of the Taney Dragons, an inner city youth baseball team that made it to the Little League World Series. They are bigger news than all our other professional teams, which is saying a lot. The team’s pitcher, 13-year-old Mo’ne Davis has captured national attention for

Do you ever feel that that your sports team is headed for a major decline? My favorite baseball team, the Phillies, comes to mind. They had a wonderful record from 2007 to 2012, but the last two years have been dreadful. Honestly, they are hard to watch as I count the days for football season