Search Results
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This is How Sales Managers Should Coach Their Salespeople
- January 6, 2015
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
Last week I posted an article that linked to two additional articles I wrote for EcSELL Institute and Top Sales World. [Speaking of Top Sales World, they just published a page showing all of the greats (I’m honored to be included) that have been inducted into their Sales & Marketing Hall of Fame in the past 3 years.] Apparently there were issues with those links from last week because I got dozens of emails letting me know that you couldn’t get to those two articles. I will share the article I wrote for EcSell below.
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Now That You Have A Sales Process, Never Mind
- January 6, 2015
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Categories: Sales Process, Understanding the Sales Force
It’s amazing what Harvard Business Review will print on their pages when it comes to the subject of sales. This post marks the 6th time that I have strongly felt the need to question an article appearing on their pages. The November 2013 issue featured an article titled Dismantling the Sales Machine.
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Is the Concept of Sales Process Really Antiquated?
- January 6, 2015
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Categories: Sales Process, Understanding the Sales Force
We read about yet more school shootings, abductions, madmen dictators’ plans to rule the world, and any of the other recurring events that must be the work of pure evil. Do you get to the point where you say to yourself, “The world is going crazy!”? I do. I also think the sales world is going a bit crazy too.
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Exposed – Personality Tests Disguised as Sales Assessments
- January 5, 2015
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
Yesterday, I met with a long-time client who, in his previous company, used OMG’s Assessments to identify what needed to change in order to double revenue from $30 million to $60 million. In his new company, which is already about 12x that size, he wants to double revenue again. He said, “I just wasted two years with the _____ Assessment.” The assessment to which he referred was a personality assessment marketed as a sales assessment. It could have referred to any personality or behavioral-styles assessment.
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You’re Afraid to Sell Because You Think There is Hope
- November 24, 2014
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Categories: Books, Movies, Theater and Television, Understanding the Sales Force
It may have been in episode 4 or 5, in season 1. It was definitely in the HBO series Band of Brothers. Thanks Chris, for recommending it. I can’t believe I’m a decade late watching this!
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Top 5 Sales Issues Leaders Should Not Focus On
- November 19, 2014
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Categories: Analogies, Best Top 10 Lists, Understanding the Sales Force
Did you ever watch Peyton Manning, Tom Brady or Aaron Rogers have a bad day at Quarterback? Did you notice that the following day, everyone was saying that he sucked? While it’s possible that these three Quarterbacks could have a bad day, most of their bad days are less about them and more about whether or not their offensive lines gave them the time and protection they needed to find an open man and make a good pass. It could also have something to do with whether or not their receivers were able to quickly get open.
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Sales Success is Like Making Great Tasting Soup
- November 3, 2014
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Categories: Analogies, Understanding the Sales Force
Sales success is no more about any one competency than great-tasting soup is about one ingredient. If you omit one ingredient, like salt, the soup will taste bland. If you omit one competency, like Qualifying, your sales effectiveness will suffer. While you can’t leave one ingredient out of the soup, it’s also not possible to make soup by focusing on and including only one ingredient. Likewise, with sales, you can’t expect to succeed, dominate your market, and celebrate your results if you focus on and include only one of the competencies on my list.
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Why Prospects Don’t Buy From You Today!
- October 29, 2014
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
Engagement. There is a huge connection between what I experienced with the World Series, and what prospects experience with salespeople. If you can understand and apply this analogy it will make a huge difference in the quality of your calls and meetings. Here are the four most important things for you to know.
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The One Thing Most Salespeople Are Unable to Do
- October 27, 2014
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
Can you guess what it is – the one thing most salespeople are unable to do?
Based on what I most frequently write about, you might think that it would be consultative selling, but that’s not it. You might also guess that it’s the sales equivalent of eating right – not doing demos and presentations so early in the sales process. But that’s not it either.
However, there really is one thing that all but the most elite salespeople are unable to do. It is partly a result of their inability to sell consultatively while continuing to demo, present, quote and propose too early. Can you guess what it is now?
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Not the 3 Most Important Sales Hiring Attributes
- October 24, 2014
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
One topic that never gets stale is how to make sure that you nail sales selection. Whether or not salespeople actually fail, or they simply stick around, but fail to have an impact, the common theme is still failure to select the right salespeople. Recently, I stumbled upon this article about 3 Uncoachable Sales Attributes that you should focus on to get hiring right.
