Analogies
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How to Differentiate with 4 Response Options and 10 Must-Have Traits for Sales Success
- October 17, 2025
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Categories: Analogies, Understanding the Sales Force
It happened again—a sales leadership candidate imploded over an automated job email, firing off snarky replies like demanding a call, calling me a “timid man,” and later slamming my business as a “sinking ship” seeking “submissive corporate slaves.” But that’s a win: It exposed his attitude early via predicted weaknesses like emotional blow-ups and rejection issues. Pivoting to sales pros, use a highway frustration analogy (stuck behind a 30 MPH slowpoke) to explore 4 response options: scream, pass, ram (yikes), or follow patiently. True differentiation? Nail option 2 with 10 must-have traits, from ditching fear to asking killer questions. Gauge your team’s fit and boost your sales game.
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Don’t Let MT and Lay-Z Tank Your Sales Team: Lessons from Squirrels
- September 7, 2025
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Categories: Analogies, Understanding the Sales Force
Six years after meeting squirrels Ernest, MT, and Lay-Z, I’m stunned their sales team counterparts—underperforming salespeople—still linger. Learn why leaders hesitate to act and how to build a thriving sales team for 2026.
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Eggs, Toast, and Bacon Aren’t Original—Neither Is Sloppy Sales Prep
- August 24, 2025
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Categories: Analogies, Understanding the Sales Force
Dave’s cracking up over a restaurant’s “original” eggs, toast, and bacon combo—and calling out salespeople who skip their homework. Learn how AI like Grok can supercharge your prospect research in seconds.
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Why Salespeople Need to be More Like Ducks, Less Like Owls
- August 19, 2025
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Categories: Analogies, Understanding the Sales Force
While strolling a cozy harbor, I snapped a pic of ducks chilling on a boat, ignoring a fake owl meant to scare them off. Sound familiar? In sales, bluffs like “No Solicitation” signs or “lowest price wins” try to spook salespeople, but falling for them—thanks to Need for Approval or Perceived Risk—means missing out on deals. Be authentic, dodge the fakes, and get to the decision makers!
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5 Keys to Account Management Success; 10 Keys to a Strong Customer Partnership
- June 13, 2025
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Categories: Analogies, Understanding the Sales Force
A new sales rep’s 60-second flop at an optometrist’s office exposes critical account management mistakes. From unprofessional attire to zero relationship-building, her visit was a disaster. Discover the 5 keys to account management and 10 keys to strong partnerships—like trust, respect, and communication—to make your sales team unstoppable
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Why Salespeople Skip the Sales Process (And How It’s Killing Your Revenue)
- May 19, 2025
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Categories: Analogies, Understanding the Sales Force
Planting a fruit tree requires five simple steps in the right order—mess it up, and you’re left with dirt. Sales is no different, yet only 34% of salespeople follow a structured process. From mistaking methodologies for processes to winging it, discover why salespeople ditch the roadmap and how a proper sales process can boost revenue by 20%.
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Car Engines and Gas Prices Can Help Eliminate Obsolete Sales Tactics
- May 15, 2025
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Categories: Analogies, Understanding the Sales Force
In this thought-provoking article, the author questions outdated traditions in automotive and sales industries. From measuring car engine power in horsepower—a term rooted in the 1700s—to gas prices still ending in 9/10 cents, the piece challenges why we cling to archaic practices. It also critiques sales tactics, like pitching over consultative selling, excessive proposals, and weak follow-up questions, urging a shift to modern, effective strategies for 2025.
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The Sales Process Milestone You Can’t Get Wrong
- May 9, 2025
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Categories: Analogies, Salespeople Like Children, Understanding the Sales Force
Every year, I observe that May 11th marks the day when tree leaves reach full size, a natural milestone that mirrors the critical timing in sales. Just as leaves may appear early or late due to weather, prospects reach buying decisions at varying times. Salespeople often assume the end of their pitch signals the moment to close, but prospects may not be ready—or may have been ready earlier. Missing these cues can lead to lost sales. A well-structured sales process like Baseline Selling accounts for this, but unexpected delays or accelerated decisions can still disrupt timing. Mastering the art of aligning with a.prospect’s decision-making moment is key to closing deals effectively.
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My Key to Building a Strong, Sustainable, Sales Pipeline
- April 16, 2025
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Categories: Analogies, Understanding the Sales Force
Building a strong, sustainable pipeline requires not only commitment and discipline from salespeople, it also requires commitment and discipline from their sales leaders who cannot allow them to give up, give in, or take short cuts. While excellence involves advanced sales training skills, extended practice sessions and coaching, the desire to improve is the most important element.
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How to Master the Sales Discovery Call
- April 11, 2025
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Categories: Analogies, Understanding the Sales Force
Good salespeople know that the key to a sales process that will result in a sale, is uncovering their prospect’s compelling reason to buy. Period. Not “period” as in that’s all they have to do, but “period”, as in nothing else in the process will matter if they don’t uncover the compelling reason to buy. Easy (to state). For most salespeople, even the good ones, it’s not that easy. How can they determine if what they heard is actually compelling? Is it compelling to the prospect? Is it compelling to the salesperson? Do those two determinations have equal value?
