I’ll never forget that feeling that our month was doomed! It was only a few days away from the 31st, and several “sure things” became “no thank you”. We needed to get a quick jolt of opportunities but unfortunately, it just wasn’t happening. Just for the heck of it, I asked my assistant to send […]

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Paul Castain is the Vice President of Sales Development for Consolidated Graphics where he oversees the training and development of 700 sales Jedis.

Over the last 27 years, Paul has trained and mentored over 3,000 sales professionals, written sales training content for several Fortune 500 companies and is the author of Castain’s Sales Playbook (which just won a Sales Pop award for best sales website).

It was almost 20 years ago to the day that I agreed to meet my guitar teacher at a local cemetery! I thought it was a tad odd, but I was really into Ozzy at the time and thought  communing with the dead might give me some musical insight. I was wrong! In fact (pinkie […]

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Paul Castain is the Vice President of Sales Development for Consolidated Graphics where he oversees the training and development of 700 sales Jedis.

Over the last 27 years, Paul has trained and mentored over 3,000 sales professionals, written sales training content for several Fortune 500 companies and is the author of Castain’s Sales Playbook (which just won a Sales Pop award for best sales website).

In sales, we love to say; People do business with people they know, like and trust But how do you do that when you’re busy taking care of existing clients? Putting out fires? Getting caught up in administrative stuff? The first step is prospecting consistently instead of sporadically. Why? Because you CAN’T build a relationship […]

Go to Sales Playbook
Paul Castain is the Vice President of Sales Development for Consolidated Graphics where he oversees the training and development of 700 sales Jedis.

Over the last 27 years, Paul has trained and mentored over 3,000 sales professionals, written sales training content for several Fortune 500 companies and is the author of Castain’s Sales Playbook (which just won a Sales Pop award for best sales website).

I absolutely LOVE what the vast majority of real estate firms do for their realtors. It costs them next to nothing to do but; It sets these aspiring sales rock stars up for SUCCESS! They give them a page on their website where they tell you a little something, about them self. They include pictures, […]

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Paul Castain is the Vice President of Sales Development for Consolidated Graphics where he oversees the training and development of 700 sales Jedis.

Over the last 27 years, Paul has trained and mentored over 3,000 sales professionals, written sales training content for several Fortune 500 companies and is the author of Castain’s Sales Playbook (which just won a Sales Pop award for best sales website).

Do you ever get the feeling that your emails, to potential clients, aren’t even opened? Permission based emails, when handled properly, get opened, read and responded to at a MUCH higher rate! In this week’s FREE sales lesson, we talk about why you absolutely MUST include these types of emails in your arsenal! Download this […]

Go to Sales Playbook
Paul Castain is the Vice President of Sales Development for Consolidated Graphics where he oversees the training and development of 700 sales Jedis.

Over the last 27 years, Paul has trained and mentored over 3,000 sales professionals, written sales training content for several Fortune 500 companies and is the author of Castain’s Sales Playbook (which just won a Sales Pop award for best sales website).

I shouldn’t have to tell you this but; An acceptance of a LinkedIn invite ISN’T an opt in for your email newsletters etc. In your defense, it seems real easy to export your contacts over to your email list but, in the long run; You’re pissing people off! And, you probably aren’t paying attention to […]

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Paul Castain is the Vice President of Sales Development for Consolidated Graphics where he oversees the training and development of 700 sales Jedis.

Over the last 27 years, Paul has trained and mentored over 3,000 sales professionals, written sales training content for several Fortune 500 companies and is the author of Castain’s Sales Playbook (which just won a Sales Pop award for best sales website).

I always to hesitate to share something that’s “easy” because “easy” tends to get dismissed. It gets dismissed because its usually not a tip that people regard as sophisticated enough to taken action on or; Their ego overrides their common sense and they say something like “I already knew that”. I’m going to ask you […]

Go to Sales Playbook
Paul Castain is the Vice President of Sales Development for Consolidated Graphics where he oversees the training and development of 700 sales Jedis.

Over the last 27 years, Paul has trained and mentored over 3,000 sales professionals, written sales training content for several Fortune 500 companies and is the author of Castain’s Sales Playbook (which just won a Sales Pop award for best sales website).

Sometimes we confuse hard work (and all these “hustling” messages being spewed by thought leaders) with working smart. Like continually getting stopped by “gatekeepers”. There are some who would tell you to “just keep dialing” which in and of itself is an antiquated philosophy since the last time I “dialed a phone” Jimmy Carter was President. […]

Go to Sales Playbook
Paul Castain is the Vice President of Sales Development for Consolidated Graphics where he oversees the training and development of 700 sales Jedis.

Over the last 27 years, Paul has trained and mentored over 3,000 sales professionals, written sales training content for several Fortune 500 companies and is the author of Castain’s Sales Playbook (which just won a Sales Pop award for best sales website).

You know damn well that a REALLY high percentage of the sales emails you send, AREN’T even opened! And when they aren’t even opened, its rather difficult for a potential client to hear you out and; I’m guessing its rather hard for them to respond to you if they haven’t heard you out! There’s a […]

Go to Sales Playbook
Paul Castain is the Vice President of Sales Development for Consolidated Graphics where he oversees the training and development of 700 sales Jedis.

Over the last 27 years, Paul has trained and mentored over 3,000 sales professionals, written sales training content for several Fortune 500 companies and is the author of Castain’s Sales Playbook (which just won a Sales Pop award for best sales website).

Imagine someone who finds them self in need of your product or service. They have lots of choices but they go directly to YOU! Why? Because YOU’VE taken the time to continually “show up” with ideas, resources, tips etc. Now imagine a very different scenario. Someone is in need of your product or service. They […]

Go to Sales Playbook
Paul Castain is the Vice President of Sales Development for Consolidated Graphics where he oversees the training and development of 700 sales Jedis.

Over the last 27 years, Paul has trained and mentored over 3,000 sales professionals, written sales training content for several Fortune 500 companies and is the author of Castain’s Sales Playbook (which just won a Sales Pop award for best sales website).

Here’s A New Word For You “Propinquity”! It means nearness, closeness and kinship; You know, the types of things that not only expedite sales, but have people seeking YOU out for a change! There are lots of ways that we can create propinquity with our potential clients but for now, I want you to think about it, […]

Go to Sales Playbook
Paul Castain is the Vice President of Sales Development for Consolidated Graphics where he oversees the training and development of 700 sales Jedis.

Over the last 27 years, Paul has trained and mentored over 3,000 sales professionals, written sales training content for several Fortune 500 companies and is the author of Castain’s Sales Playbook (which just won a Sales Pop award for best sales website).

Imagine someone, you didn’t know, trying to build a relationship with you and; They approach you aggressively for a few weeks and then disappear completely for 6 weeks. Then they’re back, hot and heavy for 10 days, then they’re gone for 3 months. Would that relationship stand a chance? Could you even call it a […]

Go to Sales Playbook
Paul Castain is the Vice President of Sales Development for Consolidated Graphics where he oversees the training and development of 700 sales Jedis.

Over the last 27 years, Paul has trained and mentored over 3,000 sales professionals, written sales training content for several Fortune 500 companies and is the author of Castain’s Sales Playbook (which just won a Sales Pop award for best sales website).

There simply aren’t enough hours in the day for us sales folk but; It doesn’t mean that we CAN’T manipulate time in such a way that we appear in two places at once. It’s actually quite simple . . . Schedule email blasts ahead of time. For example . . . I’ve scheduled emails to […]

Go to Sales Playbook
Paul Castain is the Vice President of Sales Development for Consolidated Graphics where he oversees the training and development of 700 sales Jedis.

Over the last 27 years, Paul has trained and mentored over 3,000 sales professionals, written sales training content for several Fortune 500 companies and is the author of Castain’s Sales Playbook (which just won a Sales Pop award for best sales website).

There are two types of email you need to have in your sales arsenal. Consider these as categories with multiple flavors but here they are. The first category is prospecting emails and I bet you’re all over this one. These are the emails you send out to people, who haven’t opted in to receive your […]

Go to Sales Playbook
Paul Castain is the Vice President of Sales Development for Consolidated Graphics where he oversees the training and development of 700 sales Jedis.

Over the last 27 years, Paul has trained and mentored over 3,000 sales professionals, written sales training content for several Fortune 500 companies and is the author of Castain’s Sales Playbook (which just won a Sales Pop award for best sales website).

There are two types of email you need to have in your sales arsenal. Consider these as categories with multiple flavors but here they are. The first category is prospecting emails and I bet you’re all over this one. These are the emails you send out to people, who haven’t opted in to receive your […]

Go to Sales Playbook
Paul Castain is the Vice President of Sales Development for Consolidated Graphics where he oversees the training and development of 700 sales Jedis.

Over the last 27 years, Paul has trained and mentored over 3,000 sales professionals, written sales training content for several Fortune 500 companies and is the author of Castain’s Sales Playbook (which just won a Sales Pop award for best sales website).