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Top 3 Keys to Convert Phone Calls to Meetings
- April 6, 2015
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
I had just finished speaking in Bozeman, Montana and was sitting in a delicious little breakfast cafe (think cowboy truck stop). That’s when I was asked to explain how to maintain control of a cold call. Well, the environment screamed rodeo, my inner voice yelled riding and taming a bull, but my voice of reason began talking about the concept of flow, patience, listening and staying in the moment.
There are really only three primary things required to keep a call going long enough to get a disinterested prospect engaged:
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Can the Lack Commitment to Sales Success Finding be Wrong?
- April 1, 2015
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
Have you ever witnessed salespeople who go part of the way, but not all the way to get the business? They make the call, but don’t convert the call? They hold the first meeting, but walk away without traction? They add a new opportunity to the pipeline, but don’t move it forward? They do all of the right things, but with the wrong people? They qualify an opportunity, but don’t get any further? They forecast an opportunity as closable, but it doesn’t close? Those are all examples of salespeople with conditional commitment. They do what it takes, but only when it’s comfortable for them.
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30 Reasons Why 1 Million Sales Jobs Will be Obsolete
- March 30, 2015
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
On March 8, this article on the Hubspot Sales Blog reported that one million B2B sales jobs will be lost. Are you, or any of your salespeople at risk? The article talked about four archetypes of salespeople and the two types at greatest risk. While I agree that there won’t be a place for order takers, and those who sell consultatively will always have work, I see the shakeup a bit differently. Here’s why.
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30 Reasons Why 1 Million Sales Jobs Will be Obsolete
- March 30, 2015
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
On March 8, this article on the Hubspot Sales Blog reported that one million B2B sales jobs will be lost. Are you, or any of your salespeople at risk? The article talked about four archetypes of salespeople and the two types at greatest risk. While I agree that there won’t be a place for order takers, and those who sell consultatively will always have work, I see the shakeup a bit differently. Here’s why.
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Can the Worst Salespeople be Saved?
- March 25, 2015
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
Recently, I was asked to explain what a company can do with the bottom 74% that I write about so frequently. It’s a great question…and I will share several examples…Depending on the size of your sales force, the relative effectiveness of your sales coaching, the degree to which you embrace sales best practices, and your track record at selecting and hiring only A players, your sales force might not have a top 6%, next 20% and bottom 74%. Nope. It could be better – or worse. Your sales force might have salespeople that are all in the top 26% or all of your salespeople might belong to the bottom 74%. What’s interesting is how that plays out.
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Closing Sales, Process, Hauntings, Training & More
- March 23, 2015
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
Today I will explore the least-read articles I have ever written. That’s right. The least read. It’s very fashionable – and a best practice – to continue promoting the most-read, most-liked, most-favorited, most-shared, most-tweeted and most-commented articles; but I don’t think anyone has gathered up their worst work and said, “Look at this!” It’s actually not my worst writing.
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How Music Can Definitely Help You Sell More
- March 18, 2015
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
Next week, I have a special treat for my readers. I will post an article that features my least read articles of all time – sounds very exciting, doesn’t it? While I was looking for the least read articles, I consistently came across a whole bunch of my articles that were related to music.
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How to Close a Sale using Proof of Concept
- March 16, 2015
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
New salespeople have even greater challenges when they sell products and services that must be proven. Do they have to prove that they’re better, quicker, smarter, cooler or easier? Do they have to prove that their ROI is better? Do they have to prove a new technology or concept? Do they have a powerful, consistent way to do that?
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Beach Ball of Death Predicts Lack of Sales Growth
- March 11, 2015
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
And then there is the beach ball I want to share today – the sales beach ball of impending doom. You might be wondering how there could even be a sales beach ball, never mind one that spells impending doom; but, there is.
Last week I saw it for the first time on a slide from a deck that Objective Management Group (OMG) prepares when we evaluate a sales force. This particular slide answered the question, “Why Aren’t We Generating More New Business?”
Here’s the slide:
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Top Sales Academy – Mastering the Art of Sales Coaching
- March 9, 2015
- Posted by: Kurlan & Associates, Inc.
- Category: Podcasts & Webinars
Top Sales Academy Webinar