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Why are Half of All Sales Reps Still Missing Quota in a Booming US Economy?

December 10, 2018
Posted by: Dave Kurlan
Category: Understanding the Sales Force

Between 2010 and 2016, and soaring revenue during 2017-2018, the percentage of reps making quota has not only remained flat, but the percentage hasn’t even returned to pre 2008 rates. This article attempts to explain why.

Which 4 Sales Competencies Best Differentiate Top from Bottom Salespeople?

October 9, 2018
Posted by: Dave Kurlan
Category: Understanding the Sales Force

I reviewed data from nearly 511,000 sales evaluations and assessments from among the that Objective Management Group (OMG) has produced to date. I compared 21 Sales Core Competencies (you can see much of that data here) of the top 5% (elite) with the bottom 50% of all salespeople. Then I identified the 4 competencies with the biggest gaps and you can see those in the image below.

Data Shows 1st Year Sales Improvement of 51% in this Competency

September 18, 2018
Posted by: Dave Kurlan
Category: Understanding the Sales Force

I looked at the before and after scores for eight of the 21 Sales Core Competencies as well as the Reaches Decision Makers, Account Manager and Farmer competencies for a total of 11. See the table below:

Discovered – Data Reveals the Second Biggest Obstacle to Closing More Sales

May 7, 2018
Posted by: Dave Kurlan
Category: Understanding the Sales Force

Whichever way you turn, wherever you look, and whatever you listen to there is data. Polls, surveys, metrics, analytics, analyses, white papers, graphs, charts, infographics, tables, spreadsheets and more. There is data everywhere. 5 of my last 10 articles were based on data and I know that my regular readers love the articles that are based on data so I am writing about data again today.

Discovered – Data Reveals the Biggest Obstacle to Closing More Sales

April 30, 2018
Posted by: Dave Kurlan
Category: Understanding the Sales Force

Humans have been waiting for thousands of years to discover the secrets of life. Why are we here? Why do bad things happen? What happens after we die? Is Heaven real? What is God’s plan for us?

While many experts have attempted to answer all of these questions, most of us lack proof. There’s no data. If we wake up tomorrow morning and suddenly there are not only answers to these questions, but science-based proof, that would be a game-changer for us.

Likewise, every day most companies try to determine why their salespeople don’t close more business, why so many opportunities die on the vine, and what they need to do differently to change their results. They try everything! Most leaders think it’s an issue of closing skills. It’s not. Others think it’s about prospecting. While that has an impact on the size and quality of the pipeline, it has little to do with results. But I have discovered the cause, will show you the data, and discuss how to fix it.

Sales Success is Like Making Great Tasting Soup

November 3, 2014
Posted by: Dave Kurlan
Category: 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.

Your Salespeople Can’t Even Do That?

February 3, 2010
Posted by: Dave Kurlan
Category: Understanding the Sales Force

The biggest concern is that the VP/Sales Manager should have known about and solved this problem the first week it was an issue – months ago – right after the salespeople began with the company.

Sales – What the Data Tells Us – The Series

August 14, 2008
Posted by: Dave Kurlan
Category: Understanding the Sales Force

This article series is called Sales – What the Data Tells Us. While some of the articles simply report the research and/or data, others share either my insights about the data or provide data to support my insights. Here are the articles:

Coaching and The Truth About AI in Sales: Great at “Or,” Terrible at “And”

March 19, 2026
Posted by: Dave Kurlan
Category: Understanding the Sales Force

Futuristic AI robot holding smartphone with neural network data and code in background, symbolizing strengths and limitations of AI in sales prospecting

The Sales Process Milestone You Can’t Get Wrong

May 9, 2025
Posted by: Dave Kurlan
Category: Understanding the Sales Force

Every year, I observe that May 11th marks the day when tree leaves reach full size, a natural milestone that mirrors the critical timing in sales. Just as leaves may appear early or late due to weather, prospects reach buying decisions at varying times. Salespeople often assume the end of their pitch signals the moment to close, but prospects may not be ready—or may have been ready earlier. Missing these cues can lead to lost sales. A well-structured sales process like Baseline Selling accounts for this, but unexpected delays or accelerated decisions can still disrupt timing. Mastering the art of aligning with a.prospect’s decision-making moment is key to closing deals effectively.