Inquiry is a powerful motivator. We use it to fuel conversations, problem-solve, and, ultimately, improve sales performance. High-value questions are a driving force to much-needed mental shifts — especially in today’s environment. When your mindset changes, so does your behavior. As sales leaders, we can’t control market conditions, but we can influence…...
How to Be a Successful Sales Manager
A sales manager is the person responsible for leading and coaching a team of salespeople. A sales manager's tasks often include assigning sales territories, setting quotas, mentoring the members of her sales team, assigning sales training, building a sales plan, and hiring and firing salespeople. In large companies, sales quotas…...
The Definitive Guide to Sales Management
The purpose of a sales manager is to provide their salespeople with everything they need to succeed, including coaching, training, and motivation. The actions of a successful sales manager can include anything from overseeing the onboarding of a new sales team member to firing a salesperson who wasn't ever going to cut…...
How True Sales Leaders Coach
When was the last time you checked out how true sales leaders coach? Last year? Five years ago? If so, it’s time for a wake-up call. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed how we all work. Your reps need coaching from you more than ever before. Craig Wortmann, a clinical professor…...
5 Sales Trends COVID-19 Has Accelerated That Are Here To Stay
When COVID-19 first hit the United States in March, many sales organizations thought the adjustments they had to make would be temporary. But as the crisis continues, it’s becoming increasingly clear that many of the changes brought on by the pandemic will be permanent. Mary Shea, Principal Analyst at Forrester, addressed this…...
10 Critical Best Practices for Your Sales Force in This Crisis
We are in week 6 of lockdown, week 8 of voluntary work-from-home, while adapting, guiding and directing companies who still need to sell their products and services to generate revenue. At this point sales is about so much more than generating revenue for profit or to keep employees working. For…...
How to Accurately Assess Soft Skills in Sales Candidates
Soft skills remain one of the most challenging skills for recruiters and hiring managers to identify. Only 41% have a formal process in place to measure them, according to LinkedIn’s 2019 trends report. Many recruiters continue to use outdated and ineffective assessment methods. Soft skills in sales are especially valuable, so it’s…...
How Easily Can You Make the Transition to a Medical Sales Career?
Thinking about making the transition to a medical sales career but don’t know where to start? Worried that you don’t have the experience, skills, or personality that medical sales companies are looking for? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Medical sales may seem attractive, but trying to figure out if you…...
The Future Of Selling, It’s About People, Connecting In A Disconnected World
I wrote, The Future Of Selling Isn’t What You Think It Is. Basically, it was a retort to those who think the future of selling is about the technology and tools we leverage. Whether it’s Zoom, social networking, CRM, messaging apps, AI/ML, or any of the 1000’s of technology solutions sales…...
10 Things Employers Are Looking for in Salespeople During this Pandemic
To put it mildly, 2020 is not a good year…in fact it is a catastrophically bad year in so many ways. In the business world, there are a few people in niche industries who are excelling and doing extremely well during this pandemic. I think it is safe to say that…...
15 Communication Skills That Are Crucial to Sales Success
Good communication is crucial to sales success. Sounds obvious, right? You can’t make a sale unless you’ve demonstrated value to a prospect. You can’t do that unless you’ve understood their problems and devised a strategy to solve them. In turn, you can’t do that until you get your prospect to tell you…...
4 Bad Sales Habits to Break for Better Performance
How many times has this happened to you? You firmly decide what you’re going to do — whether it’s going on a diet, calling that referral, or refraining from drinking that third glass of wine. But then you end up doing exactly the opposite. Binge watching “Orange Is the New…...
Do This Before Hiring
Ready to hire a new salesperson or salespeople for your team? I know, there can be a certain air of excitement surrounding hiring. Bringing in fresh thinking and the possibility of creating a new leader within your organization are always potential outcomes with new hires. However, as you’re likely…...
When It’s Time to Move to Your Next Sales Job
When it comes to your sales career, it’s important to always keep your options open without being reckless. At one point, I actually had eight sales jobs over the course of 12 years. Some would see this as a hit to my resume and take a negative view of it. “What’s wrong with…...
Leadership Competencies to Help Your Team Improve
If you are a leader, you might look at this list to shore up any liabilities you might have that prevent you from helping your team put up their best results. You might also look at this list and measure whether you are doing enough to develop in some areas you need…...
8 Tips to Advance Your Sales Career in Uncertain Times
No one could have predicted COVID-19, but the people who can adapt are the ones who will advance their sales careers during this time. With the current state of sales, everything is changing fast. Approximately 50% of B2B companies have reduced their budgets. Digital is now the preferred sales interaction, with a 250%…...
