• Some Salespeople Possess This Non Stop Sales Motivator

    • July 11, 2011
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    Do you have anyone on your sales force that isn’t motivated by the usual methods but may something to prove?

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  • Top 20 Conditions that Dictate a Sales Force Evaluation

    • June 29, 2011
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    One of our Partners recently said, “We know how comprehensive a sales force evaluation can be, and we know how it works.  We know how powerful the findings and insights are, but when are the conditions right?”

    So, the Top 20 Conditions for a Sales Force Evaluation

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  • The Sales Manager as Ice Cream Man

    • June 27, 2011
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    You may not be able to promise them ice cream in return for scheduling 8 new meetings this week, but I’m sure there is something that will motivate them to do it.  The question is, “what?”

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  • Is Moving From Vendor Up the Ladder Scary to Sales Executives?

    • June 20, 2011
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    This is actually the third article on this subject. Last week I posted this article which contains a link to the original article.

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  • Are Your Salespeople Vendors, Partners or Trusted Advisors?

    • June 15, 2011
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    Now here is what you can do on your end.  Get your salespeople to stop referring to themselves as vendors and salespeople.  How far does that get them when attempting to differentiate from everyone else?

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  • Top 12 Questions to Ask Yourself About Sales Process

    • June 14, 2011
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    Most people don’t understand the difference between sales process and sales methodology.

    A customized, optimized, formal sales process includes the sequence of steps, to-do’s, milestones and goals that must be achieved during a sales cycle.

    A sales methodology is the approach one takes to execute those steps.

    For instance, using a few well-known companies and brands:

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  • What Customers Expect From Your Salespeople and More

    • June 13, 2011
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    On average, salespeople have only 22% of the attributes required to be effective at selling consultatively.  

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  • How to Interpret Sales Revenue and Economic News

    • June 13, 2011
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    Perhaps the disconnect between what I see and what is being reported is simply this.  While there are some isolated geographies and industries that are doing poorly, others are doing quite well.  But when we look at the overall numbers, they just don’t provide an accurate reflection of what is actually taking place.

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  • Why Do Salespeople Quit in the First Year?

    • June 9, 2011
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    When companies do everything correctly in the sales hiring process, they do these 10 things, …and they are still vulnerable to salespeople leaving within the first 9 months.  Why?

    The reasons fall into 4 basic categories:

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  • Top 5 Reasons Why Salespeople Don’t Make Quota

    • June 8, 2011
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    I received the IDC Sales Advisor Newsletter in my email today and while it was about the importance of cross-selling, they said it is important because 50% of reps aren’t making quota.

    Forget cross-selling!  If 50% of your reps aren’t making quota you have bigger problems than whether or not they are cross-selling!

    There are only five possible reasons why reps are not making quota:

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