questioning skills

  • Data: The Top 10% of All Salespeople are 4200% Better at This
    • September 7, 2021
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    My wife and I entered the small jewelry shop and were greeted – not with a warm welcome – but with a matter of fact “my name is…and I’m the owner…and I created everything in the store” which was followed

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  • My Dog Has Better Listening Skills Than Most Salespeople and I’ll Prove It
    • December 10, 2020
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    Short article today.  Prospects don’t pay a lot of attention so the less you say the better.  It helps them listen and comprehend more of what you share with them when you use fewer words.  But prospects aren’t the only

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  • The Key to Powerful Sales Conversations
    • August 28, 2013
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    ContextEarlier this week, I wrote this article about the importance of using specific words and phrases at specific times.

    That article discussed some of the milestones in the sales process where just the right word or phrase can make such

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  • Drivers and Your Salespeople Need to be Patient
    • November 30, 2012
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    slow driverI was driving to a meeting when I became frustrated with the car in front of me.  The driver was traveling much too slowly and, despite the fact that I had plenty of time to get to my meeting, I

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  • Sales Traction – The Key to Measuring the #1 Sales Competency
    • November 16, 2011
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    One of the KPI’s I introduced in my Moneyball article two months ago was Traction, the ratio of suspects that become prospects.  Using the Baseline Selling process, that is also the ratio of opportunities that move from 1st base

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  • Get Your Veteran Salespeople to Take Baby Steps
    • May 12, 2011
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    baby stepsWe expect newer salespeople to be sales challenged, that is, not very effective when it comes to listening and questioning.  But the reality is that for at least 74% of the sales population, veteran salespeople aren’t very effective at this

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  • The Myth of Sales Habits and Competencies
    • February 23, 2011
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    egoI get a kick out of the feedback we get from some veteran salespeople and sales managers after their first training sessions.

    We hear things like:

    • It reinforced the importance of…
    • It reminded me to always…
    • It provided more clarity
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