Sales Coaching
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How to Compensate Sales Hunters, Farmers and Account Managers
- May 27, 2011
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
Today I received an email from a long time reader with this interesting question:
“We’ve heard a good hunter won’t farm and a good farmer (account manager) won’t hunt. If this is true how do we tackle the model of compensating hunters who bring in new customers who then turn it over to an account manager to grow the business? Is it possible to expect someone who can hunt and then manage a book of business or does that create a conflicting sales profile?”
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10 Steps to More Sales Opportunities
- May 23, 2011
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
Last week, no fewer than 8 salespeople sent emails to me explaining that they committed to the 8 attempts rule and, as a result, had scheduled meetings with prospects they had been chasing for a long time. The key is not to only make 8 attempts, but make 8 attempts Halloween style – haunt them – 8 attempts in 8 days.
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Get Your Veteran Salespeople to Take Baby Steps
- May 12, 2011
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
You cannot script these questions. Your salespeople must be able to identify the questioning opportunities in real time while their prospects are responding to the question currently in play. This requires VERY focused listening, note taking, and patience. And the biggest challenge? Your salespeople must avoid the temptation to jump to a different question topic, jump to presentation, or jump in with a solution!
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Salespeople Failing to Get Prospects to the Phone
- April 28, 2011
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
This is a great example of why so many salespeople waste so much time chasing down their prospects and why prospects do such a fantastic job of avoiding these calls and emails.
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Bad Things That Happen When You Leave it Up to Your Salespeople
- April 27, 2011
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
Here are the 10 most common things that your salespeople will do when they aren’t managed effectively, or, in many cases, when they are only managed on an as needed basis.
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Does Fear Prevent Salespeople From Executing Your Sales Plan?
- April 22, 2011
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
These are just a few examples of self-limiting sales management beliefs! Is it possible that you or your sales managers have some of them?
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Is it Good to Have Perfectionists on Your Sales Force?
- April 20, 2011
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
The best thing about perfectionists on your sales force is that you don’t usually have to worry about their administrative accuracy. Their emails, letters, proposals and quotes are well done and not prone to typos. The information they input into your CRM or SFA is accurate and done on a timely basis. Their call reports are meticulous and submitted on time. What’s not to like about that?
The downside of course. And what’s that?
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The Prospect Isn’t Talking with Any Other Salespeople
- April 4, 2011
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
It’s not that this can’t happen. Some people don’t need to compare, talk with three companies, look at several options or get three quotes. I don’t. Most great salespeople don’t. And your salespeople should never assume that a prospect NEEDS to shop around.
On the other hand, when the salesperson says, “They aren’t talking with anyone else”, and it turns out that they were, you have to wonder how the salesperson missed it.
There are several reasons why it could get missed. They include:
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Top 6 Factors for Killing a Sales Opportunity or Prospect
- March 30, 2011
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
I hear this question a lot…”When should I move on?”
You have left 6 messages and haven’t received a return call.
You have a prospect and things were moving along pretty well and now you can’t get them back on the phone.
Should you move on?
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Getting Deals Closed – End of Quarter Sales Gone Mad
- March 3, 2011
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
In the 26 years that I’ve been helping companies grow and develop sales and revenue, I have rarely met with an executive for the first time and not heard about —it.
It all begins around week 11 of the quarter. A frenzy of calls, increased activity, sales management and sometimes C-Level intervention, discounts, offers that can’t be refused, and more. For 3 weeks every quarter, the entire sales force – hell, the entire company – takes on a do whatever it takes attitude to bring those deals in house.