Sales Data and Science
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Ice Cream Study: Why Your Sales Data Is Lying to You
- October 23, 2026
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Categories: Analogies, Sales Data and Science, Understanding the Sales Force
A Harvard ice cream study looked like good news until you realized it was correlation, not causation. The same mistake shows up when companies read their sales competency data.
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The Resume Still Looks Great. The Sales Hire Still Fails.
- September 10, 2026
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Categories: Analogies, Sales Assessments Compared, Sales Data and Science, Understanding the Sales Force
46% of new hires fail within 18 months, and 89% of those failures are not about technical skill. A resume can’t see Will to Sell, Sales DNA, or selling competencies — which is why the most credentialed sales candidate is so often the wrong hire.
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Why Only 27% of Salespeople Hear the Voice That Matters
- March 12, 2026
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Categories: Sales Data and Science, Understanding the Sales Force
Whose voice are you hearing when you’re on a sales call—yours, your coach’s, God’s… or your prospect’s? Most reps never hear the one that actually matters. Here’s why that’s killing their discovery, how the top 10% do it differently, and the simple move that turns you into the person who finally gets the buyer.
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The Fatal Flaw that Causes Strong Salespeople to Strike Out
- February 16, 2026
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Categories: Baseball and Sales, Best Top 10 Lists, Sales Data and Science, Understanding the Sales Force
Discover the hidden fatal flaw that turns strong, high-performing salespeople into strikeout artists. Even top hitters like Babe Ruth racked up Ks—same goes for sales pros who score too high on “Doesn’t Need Approval” without relationship-building skills. Don’t hire the danger zone combo.
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Why 72% of Sales Reps Miss Quota: The Participation Trophy PTSD in the C-Suite
- December 5, 2025
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Categories: Sales Data and Science, Understanding the Sales Force
Why do 72% of sales reps miss quota—and still keep their jobs? Blame the participation trophy mindset creeping into the C-suite, aka Participation Trophy Stifling Determination (PTSD). From Little League fails to sales floor flops, here’s how to crush it with real accountability in 2026.
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Sales Grit: Why Only 20% of Salespeople Have It (And How to Fix the Rest)
- October 12, 2025
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Categories: Sales Data and Science, Understanding the Sales Force
Discover how baseball’s evolving stats mirror the need for relentless sales grit. Drawing from real CEO and VP insights, explore why most salespeople fall short on commitment, perseverance, and more—and what it takes to elevate your team.
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Wild Shifts in Sales Hiring Drive the Hire Rate From 3% to 0.5%
- July 21, 2025
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Categories: Sales Data and Science, Understanding the Sales Force
Struggling to hire sales pros? Dive into real stats from a recent sales manager search: 169 candidates narrowed to 1 hire (0.5% rate). Uncover dramatic changes in response rates, drop-offs, and why a rigorous pipeline with tools like OMG is essential for nailing the right fit.
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Is Complacency to Blame for Missed Quotas? A Deep Dive into Sales Performance Challenges
- May 30, 2025
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Categories: Sales Data and Science, Understanding the Sales Force
Is Complacency to Blame for Missed Quotas? A Deep Dive into Sales Performance Challenges
Is complacency why 57% of reps miss quota? Data from 2.5 million salespeople shows 64% of the bottom 50% lack the Will to Sell. From poor compensation to lack of motivation and discipline, here’s what’s holding them back—and how to fix it.
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New Data: The Top 10% of Salespeople are 619% Stronger Than the Bottom 10%
- May 24, 2025
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Categories: Sales Data and Science, Understanding the Sales Force
New 2025 data reveals a staggering 619% performance gap between the top 10% and bottom 10% of salespeople. While top performers excel in competencies like Relationship Building and Consultative Selling, they’re slipping in areas like Hunting and Closing, influenced by COVID and economic challenges. Dive into the 21 Sales Core Competencies to understand why—and what to do about it.
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New Data: My Top 5 Unacceptable Sales Performance Findings
- February 14, 2025
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Categories: Best Top 10 Lists, Sales Data and Science, Understanding the Sales Force
The report says, “87% reported that their sales teams were having difficulty meeting or exceeding quota.” That is so much worse than what has been reported in recent years when the numbers were closer to 55%-60%. This is problematic for more than the obvious reason. When salespeople aren’t hitting quotas, companies need to hire more salespeople, which increases the cost of recruiting, salaries and benefits, not to mention the costs associated with hiring additional sales managers that won’t coach up their salespeople. It also reinforces a culture of mediocrity because when not hitting quota is normal and expected, more people don’t hit quota because their jobs are clearly not in jeopardy.
The next finding explains the previous finding.
