Melissa D. Whitaker

In today's economy, sales professionals face one of the most dynamic and demanding environments in recent history. Buyers are more cautious, competition is fierce and technology is transforming the way we connect. While these challenges are real, they also open the door for those willing to adapt, innovate and lead. Here is how top performers are not just surviving, but thriving.

Sales management is a complex and dynamic role that requires balancing numerous responsibilities - from setting targets and monitoring performance to coaching and motivating team members. However, several persistent myths can undermine a sales manager's effectiveness. Dispelling these myths is crucial for fostering a productive and positive sales environment.

Melissa D. Whitaker hit two Amazon Best-Seller lists in the United States and Canada with “Beat the Curve.”

Beat The Status Quo! Those who wish to improve are willing to make changes, others are dreamers.

As Henry Ford so aptly put it: "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got." While this does not mean you have been unsuccessful, aspirations to move to a higher standard will require changes. What changes can a book like this offer?… Show more

Melissa D. Whitaker hit two Amazon Best-Seller lists in the United States and Canada with “Beat the Curve.”

Beat The Status Quo! Those who wish to improve are willing to make changes, others are dreamers.

As Henry Ford so aptly put it: "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got." While this does not mean you have been unsuccessful, aspirations to move to a higher standard will require changes. What changes can a book like this offer?

Beat The Curve is a compilation of authors who have outperformed the status quo. Their fields are different and their approaches are varied. Their ability and passion for their work, coupled with their perseverance, have allowed these Celebrity Experts® to soar to a higher level. While they have developed their successes in different ways, there are the common threads throughout. Why not be guided by a mountain climber who has been to the top before? To quote the Chinese philosopher, Confucius: Success depends upon previous preparation, and without such preparation there is sure to be failure.

With the expert help available in the pages of this book, you will not only learn from their successes and their failures, but you will now have their guidance to help Beat The Curve.
Show less

As human beings, we are all designed to have a “fight or-flight” mentality. As we grow up, we either develop the tools we need to stay and fight for what we believe in (have the accountability and commitment to success) or we live life running away from every obstacle. When you select people for your sales team, are you selecting fighters? After you select your key fighters, are you continuing their training with a fighter (accountability and commitment) mentality? . . .

Do you feel anxiety coming on when you think of a customer throwing you an objection? This can be a challenging area, especially for newer sales reps. Fortunately, it does not have to be that way. An objection is a natural occurrence whenever someone is making a decision. People resist buying out of fear of making a wrong choice and being blamed for a poor deal. We all have hopes, fears and apprehensions based on past experiences and doubts. A prospect may be reluctant to change an established… Show more

Do you feel anxiety coming on when you think of a customer throwing you an objection? This can be a challenging area, especially for newer sales reps. Fortunately, it does not have to be that way. An objection is a natural occurrence whenever someone is making a decision. People resist buying out of fear of making a wrong choice and being blamed for a poor deal. We all have hopes, fears and apprehensions based on past experiences and doubts. A prospect may be reluctant to change an established and known vendor, or he (or she) just may not like to make decisions. Frequently, he is almost convinced he should buy and wishes the salesperson would help him make a decision. Do not disappoint him. Show less

Are you hitting a lull in your sales and feeling frustrated? It is amazing how many salespeople, especially tenured sales reps, reach out to me when hitting a lull in their sales success and wonder why they are struggling with closing more deals. Closing the deal does not have to be so frustrating when you follow a good method throughout the entire sales process and know who it is you are talking to. Closing, of course, is the ultimate goal of the sale. Traditional sales methods emphasize… Show more

Are you hitting a lull in your sales and feeling frustrated? It is amazing how many salespeople, especially tenured sales reps, reach out to me when hitting a lull in their sales success and wonder why they are struggling with closing more deals. Closing the deal does not have to be so frustrating when you follow a good method throughout the entire sales process and know who it is you are talking to. Closing, of course, is the ultimate goal of the sale. Traditional sales methods emphasize closing as something that is done at the “end” of the process. The focus is on “setting up for the close.” This approach creates a lot of anxiety for the customer and for you. No one likes to be backed into a corner. The “old-school” process of closing was to ask questions that the customer could not say “no” to. For example: “You do want to work with the best company around, don’t you?” and “Isn’t finding the right person more important than saving a few dollars?” Show less

Are your new salespeople looking dazed and confused? Lost or overwhelmed? If so, consider this question: How are you preparing them to be successful and hit the ground running? Most sales managers like to keep the wheels turning and profits humming, so they quickly give a new hire a couple of days of training and then say, “Good luck, I know you can do this,” and put the rep to work. The newly hired rep is then thrown into his (or her) new territory to sink or swim. Is this the best strategy?… Show more

Are your new salespeople looking dazed and confused? Lost or overwhelmed? If so, consider this question: How are you preparing them to be successful and hit the ground running? Most sales managers like to keep the wheels turning and profits humming, so they quickly give a new hire a couple of days of training and then say, “Good luck, I know you can do this,” and put the rep to work. The newly hired rep is then thrown into his (or her) new territory to sink or swim. Is this the best strategy? How does this affect the business? Potential customers or existing customers are now seeing a floundering, uncertain side of your company as the new sales hire struggles to know about the products and sales process. Show less

Do you ever wish there was more time in the day? Do you sometimes feel overwhelmed with the growing pile of important tasks or activities that are continually added to your schedule? Does your list leave you feeling chaotic and hopeless? I regularly come across salespeople who tell me they have everything in their heads and, therefore, do not need to write down what they need to accomplish each day. However, these are some of the same people who admit that they feel chaotic, overwhelmed and… Show more

Do you ever wish there was more time in the day? Do you sometimes feel overwhelmed with the growing pile of important tasks or activities that are continually added to your schedule? Does your list leave you feeling chaotic and hopeless? I regularly come across salespeople who tell me they have everything in their heads and, therefore, do not need to write down what they need to accomplish each day. However, these are some of the same people who admit that they feel chaotic, overwhelmed and sometimes forget to respond to client requests. Show less

Melissa D. Whitaker, author and business consultant, recently hit three separate Amazon.com best-seller lists with the new business book “Pushing To The Front.”

TO PUSH OR NOT TO PUSH - is that the question? What is the importance of pushing ourselves? ...Why do we push? Pushing implies effort, Effort implies desire, Desire implies emotion, and emotion implies passion. If this is accurate for most of us, Pushing To The Front assumes a passionate mindset. The Celebrity Authors in this… Show more

Melissa D. Whitaker, author and business consultant, recently hit three separate Amazon.com best-seller lists with the new business book “Pushing To The Front.”

TO PUSH OR NOT TO PUSH - is that the question? What is the importance of pushing ourselves? ...Why do we push? Pushing implies effort, Effort implies desire, Desire implies emotion, and emotion implies passion. If this is accurate for most of us, Pushing To The Front assumes a passionate mindset. The Celebrity Authors in this book have one thing in common - passion for their goals. They have 'blood, sweat and tears' invested to make a success of their pursuits. Now, we all have passion, which is one part of the menu for success - but: Do we have a plan to utilize and direct that passion? The Celebrity Experts in their field in this book have developed multiple methods to succeed in their fields. They started out looking to improve their health, wealth and success in their lives. See how they achieved their success. They will show you their secrets. With odds not much different to yours, and at times much more difficult, read how these Celebrity Experts have done it, then copy these methods of "Pushing To The Front" to achieve YOUR goals. One finds limits by pushing them. ~ Herbert Simon Show less

Vital steps that help you advance your business. Are you hitting roadblocks and stalling out after conducting an appointment? This article uncovers the key steps on how to conduct a "true needs analysis" and therefore ultimately closing more deals.