Dave Kurlan’s Understanding the Sales Force Blog
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8 Cold Calling Lessons from Matthew (The Biblical Sales Team, Part 6)
- November 17, 2025
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Categories: Bible and Sales, Understanding the Sales Force
In the sixth installment of the Biblical Sales Team series, we dive into Matthew chapter 10, where Jesus sends out his disciples to spread the word. Drawing parallels to modern sales, discover 8 timeless lessons for cold calling success: from smart targeting and seeking referrals to handling rejection like a pro and prioritizing low-hanging fruit. Whether you’re knocking on doors or picking up the phone, these ancient insights remind us that effective prospecting beats automated emails every time. Plus, why demos should wait for qualified leads and how to craft a killer positioning statement.
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From Practice Range to Sales Mastery: The 8 Requirements for Game-Changing Sales Training
- November 17, 2025
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Categories: Analogies, Understanding the Sales Force
In sales, just like in sports, anyone can start playing—but mastery takes real effort. Drawing parallels from baseball sandlots to golf courses, this article explores why most salespeople plateau early and why companies must step up with proper training. Discover the 8 essential requirements for sales training that delivers measurable results, from clear expectations to proven content, and why skipping it keeps teams stuck in mediocrity.
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How a Trip Back 50 Years Uncovered my Secret to Sales Success
- November 9, 2025
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Categories: Music and Sales, Understanding the Sales Force
Ever wonder how a nostalgic skim through 1972’s Top 40 hits could unlock a game-changing sales insight? I didn’t realize during my 40 years in the sales training business that pattern recognition is my ultimate secret weapon. From clashing tunes like The Doobie Brothers’ “Listen to the Music” vs. The Band’s “Don’t Do It,” to weather vibes, loneliness flips, and political nods, spotting patterns is like a BS detector for prospects. Dive into a real sales chat example where catching contradictions sparks urgency and closes deals. Capped by Johnny Nash’s “I Can See Clearly Now”—talk about fate!
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How Salespeople Can Differentiate Themselves with Their Introduction
- November 4, 2025
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Categories: Analogies, Understanding the Sales Force
Discover how adopting a catchy moniker—like my new “Sales Analogy King”—can set you apart in sales intros. Inspired by Verne Harnish and a “Tree-Stump Guy” hire, this reflective piece explores personal branding, legacy, and uncovering hidden talent with assessments like OMG.
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The Golf to Sales Analogy: When You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know
- November 4, 2025
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Categories: Analogies, Understanding the Sales Force
Discover how a late start in golf taught me the ultimate sales lesson: “I didn’t know what I didn’t know.” From clueless reps sending premature proposals to managers without accountability, this post reveals the blind spots killing sales performance—and how a savvy CEO fixed it all.
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Sales Cholesterol Reveals If Your Sales Pipeline Is Clogged (And How to Fix It)
- October 31, 2025
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Categories: Analogies, Sales Pipeline and Forecast, Understanding the Sales Force
In this follow-up to my viral LinkedIn rant on pipeline blockages, I dive deeper into “sales cholesterol”—a new way to measure the health of your sales pipeline. Drawing from my quadruple bypass experience and inspired by comments from sales pros like Larry Levine, we map heart health metrics (HDL, LDL, ratios, and inflammation) to sales milestones using my Baseline Selling framework. Learn how to score opportunities, reps, and teams to spot clogs early, improve forecasts, and avoid those deadly stalls. No more unreliable probabilities—get objective diagnostics to tweak your lead gen “diet” or “medicate” with coaching.
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The Salesperson’s Survival Kit: 236 Sales Attributes, Traits, Competencies, and Behaviors to Crush Quotas
- October 24, 2025
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Categories: Music and Sales, Understanding the Sales Force
I dug through 20 years of blog posts to compile every sales trait, competency, attribute, characteristic, element, component and desirable skill I’ve ever written about. From the 21 Sales Core Competencies to Steve Jobs’ deal-making magic, this cheat sheet is your roadmap to elite selling—packed with data, humor, and no-BS advice to up your sales game.
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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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How Half-Measures in Your Sales Process Can Kill Your Win Rate
- October 15, 2025
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Categories: Bible and Sales, Sales Process, Understanding the Sales Force
Dr. Charles Stanley’s take on The Lord’s Prayer sparked a revelation: just like prayer, a sales process needs belief and intent to work. Too many companies compromise, settling for “good enough” results. Learn how a no-compromise approach with Baseline Selling doubled win rates for clients, including a $24M-to-$65M Oracle acquisition, and how it can boost your win rate by 30% or more—guaranteed.
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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.
