Kurlan & Associates
Kurlan & Associates
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  • Hiring Salespeople – How Deadpool Would Fare as a Sales Candidate

    • August 16, 2024
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force
    deadpool vs wolverine

    Hiring salespeople doesn’t have to be complicated but most companies get the entire process wrong from expectations, to job description, specs,  job posting, vetting, phone interview, first interview, final interview, selection and on-boarding.  The companies we help attract more candidates, better quality candidates, conduct fewer interviews, have significantly less turnover, and new salespeople producing out of the gate.  We could probably help you too, but you must want the help.  That means getting your ego out of the way, embracing a different way to hire salespeople, paying for the help, and being more patient than before.  If you are willing to do that, you can be a big winner and build a kick-ass sales team.

    read more
  • Is Sales Today Nothing More than its Tech Stack?

    • August 9, 2024
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force
    sales tech stack

    If you are on the sales team in any function, focus on selling and ignore the noise and distractions of anything that isn’t directly helping you develop your skills to book more meetings, improve your ability to reach decision makers, build relationships and trust, take a consultative approach, sell value, qualify and close business.  

    To everything else simply say “fuck off.”

    read more
  • Baby Fish and New Salespeople Experience the Same Fate

    • August 1, 2024
    • Posted by: Kurlan & Associates, Inc.
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force
    turnover

    If your turnover is less than 10% you have a turnover problem – not enough turnover!  If your turnover is between 10-20% you’re good.  If it’s greater than 20% it’s worth exploring what is contributing to your high turnover rate and how to fix it.  Sometimes it’s because you are hiring the wrong salespeople.  Sometimes it’s lack of effective onboarding, lack of effective sales training, lack of coaching, lack of accountability, or lack of leadership.

    read more
  • The Biggest Mistake That Salespeople Make When Closing

    • July 31, 2024
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force
    smart chair

    Aggressive salespeople are no more effective than passive salespeople but if I had to choose one over the other I would take my chances with the aggressive salesperson and attempt to get them to tone it down.  While the challenges with passive salespeople are obvious, there is one mistake I consistently observe being made by aggressive salespeople and wouldn’t you know it, the salesperson approached us and made the mistake.  That made me want to sit in a messaging recliner to get the stress out.

    read more
  • How Practice Can Increase Sales and Commissions by 33%

    • July 9, 2024
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Categories: Uncategorized, Understanding the Sales Force
    practice

    According to data from more than 2.5 million salespeople assessed by Objective Management Group (OMG), only 72% of all salespeople are committed to their sales success and if we look at the largest population – the weakest 50% – only a little more than half of that group are committed.  Why would they practice?

    read more
  • Is Fred a Top Salesperson or a Horrible Imposter?

    • July 2, 2024
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force
    Nissan Cube

    Fred’s sales manager sees both sides.  He told me that Fred is an imposter and the OMG evaluation perfectly described his sales capabilities. So yes, Fred is both a top salesperson and a horrible imposter.

    read more
  • How to Prepare for the Big Sales Presentation

    • June 24, 2024
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force
    presentation

    The goal of the big presentation, as with the debate, is to differentiate, but that requires knowing your competition’s strengths and weaknesses and being able to point out those where you are superior.  Assuming that your price will be higher, you must represent its value and it must be that value that stands out above and beyond everything else.  How can you be the value?

    read more
  • Stop the Dysfunction in the Sales Function

    • June 17, 2024
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force
    dysfunctional sales

    For some reason, a plurality of executives think way too highly of their company’s sales capabilities and believe they will figure it out themselves.  Egos and hurt feelings take priority over best practices, right people in the right seats, sales competencies and sales processes.

    read more
  • 10 Reasons Why You Can’t Outsell an Incumbent

    • June 7, 2024
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force
    winning strategy

    When the strategy is correct, the messaging can be perfected.

    When the strategy and messaging are correct, the sales process can be optimized.

    When the sales process is optimized, the sales tactics will work.

    Stop winging it.  Stop struggling.  Stop losing.

    read more
  • Time for Closing Arguments

    • May 29, 2024
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force
    closing arguments

    When salespeople master the abilities to meet and build relationships with decision makers, use a consultative approach to uncover their compelling reasons to buy, sell their personal value to differentiate and throughly qualify, win rates will go from too low to hello!

    read more
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Latest News
  • OMG Names Kurlan a Diamond Award Winner for 2024

    OMG Names Kurlan a Diamond Award Winner for 2024

    January 31, 2025
  • Dave Kurlan’s Homicide Detective Article Was a Finalist for Top Sales Article of 2024

    January 7, 2025
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Kurlan & Associates

Kurlan & Associates, Inc. was founded in 1985 by Dave Kurlan, a renowned expert in sales force assessments, training and strategic growth strategies.

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    Westborough, MA 01581 USA
  • 00 +1 + 508-389-9350

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