Search Results
-
The Delayed Impact of Lack of Sales Commitment
- June 2, 2010
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
While commitment is a single data point – not the be-all-end-all – it’s a very powerful and predictive data point as well.
If you are a client, upon learning that a top producer lacks commitment you might be asking, “How can that be?”
-
Effect of Optimism and Commitment on the Sales Force
- March 31, 2010
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
I’m reading Sarah Miller Caldicott‘s book, Innovate Like Edison.
There are some noteworthy quotes which, although written in the context of innovation, apply equally, if not even more to selling and sales management.
-
Commitment on the Sales Force – Becoming More Rare
- January 17, 2008
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
As more and more is expected of salespeople today, I see less and less commitment to do what it takes.
-
Golf Nuts and Commitment to Sales Success
- October 10, 2007
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
Based on my research data of more than 300,000 salespeople, it’s evident that no more than 6% of the sales population is so motivated as to get coached, attend seminars, watch videos, read books and practice every day.
-
250 Best Articles on Sales and Sales Leadership by Category
- April 4, 2024
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
These are the top 10 articles in 25 categories on sales, sales leadership, sales assessments, sales performance, sales excellence, sales process and more.
-
The Data: What Percentage of Salespeople are Really Coachable?
- April 3, 2024
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
While coaching is private, training is more public as it usually takes place in front of others. Salespeople who have the greatest incentive to change are those who are the most trainable. Those salespeople have high scores in Desire for additional sales success and Commitment to additional sales success. When a salesperson scores below 60 on Desire and/or Commitment, you aren’t likely to see much of a change in their effectiveness or performance. If they are already generating acceptable results and more of the same would be OK, then it doesn’t matter. On the other hand, if their performance is lacking, and more of the same would not be acceptable, then a salesperson lacking Desire/Commitment would be a great candidate for replacement.
-
Was the Easter Sermon About Salespeople?
- April 1, 2024
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
As someone who for thirty-eight years has led a sales consultancy specializing in sales, sales management and sales leadership training, I can easily say the exact same things about people “who belong” to the sales profession. They should be attending at least weekly training. They should be practicing their profession as we practice our faith. They should be reading about sales. But most in the sales profession are content to sit on the sidelines, and attend training only when the company forces them to. More and more, we are seeing:
-
New Data: Top Salespeople are 7562% Better at Winning RFPs
- March 13, 2024
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
RFPs aren’t going away, and there are two ways that salespeople can approach them, the companies that write them, and the people associated with them:
Passively – in this capacity, they are nothing more than facilitators, waiting for an RFP to drop in their inbox, so they can get it off to the folks who write the proposals. When complete, they email the proposal back to procurement and hope to win.
Proactively – in this capacity, they regularly meet and develop relationships with the appropriate CxO’s and Sr VP’s of manufacturing, engineering, design, IT, IS, Finance, Marketing, HR, R&D, Operations, Facilities, Fulfillment, Distribution, Sales, Learning and Development, Enablement, and any other organizational head they might possibly sell to. They become a resource, an asset, a partner and not only help to write the specifications of the next RFP, but write the specs in such a way that they are the only company that can win the business.It seems obvious, doesn’t it? Option 1 is stupid and Option 2 is brilliant. But if option 2 is so brilliant and obvious, then why do so many salespeople become so defensive and dug in to option 1?
-
How to Identify Candidates Who Will Succeed in Your Sales Roles
- February 9, 2024
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
Suppose you have a project or task that you don’t particularly enjoy doing, but despite your lackluster feeling, must complete it. Do you seek out the most efficient way to complete the project or task, or default to the most inefficient way to complete it?
Let’s take recruiting, selecting and hiring salespeople. For HR, that’s part of their job. Despite how important new salespeople are to the future of a company, Sales Leadership attempts to get recruiting over with as quickly as possible, often prioritizing speed to hire over cost to hire, talent and capabilities. Why? They aren’t using the most efficient process and tools to hire the best salespeople.
I’m hiring a salesperson for a client and using my time-tested process which we also train clients to use (so that WE DON’T have to recruit!). My experience shows that 10% of the candidates will be viable but, of more importance, how do we know which 10% to focus on? The stats for the first week were:
-
12 Powerful Sales Lessons from “The Chosen”
- February 6, 2024
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
I’ve written hundreds of articles with analogies to sales using athletes, musicians, actors, CEOs, politicians, inventors, songs, movies, TV Shows and their characters and you didn’t need to be a fan of them to appreciate the sales lessons. While watching this enjoyable TV series, I identified eleven solid analogies to sales and selling so we’ll get right to them because I’m sure you aren’t reading my sales articles for my opinions on faith or religion!