sales leadership
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The Biblical Sales Force Part 7 – Blessed Are the Prospectors
- February 9, 2026
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
Does the Bible reward hard work and prospecting? Explore how diligence pays off in sales, with verses from Matthew, Proverbs, Torah, and Quran. Dave Kurlan shares 40+ years of insights.
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The $370 Fuse: Broken Trash Compactor Offers Lessons to Fix Sales Problems
- January 12, 2026
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
A $1 blown fuse cost me $370 in service fees because I misdiagnosed the problem. Sound familiar? Sales leaders often do the same thing—blaming negotiating, closing, prospecting, or new business acquisition—when the real issues are deeper: poor qualifying, weak differentiation, missing KPIs, and lack of accountability. Stop treating symptoms and start solving root causes.
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The 42 Best Sales and Sales Leadership Articles, Videos and Innovations of 2025
- December 17, 2025
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
Celebrate 20 years of sales wisdom on Understanding the Sales Force with Dave Kurlan’s 2025 roundup! Dive into the Top 10 Video Rants that roast common pitfalls (from demo disasters to quota mysteries), the Top 7 game-changing innovations like the Sales Cholesterol diagnostic and SCAM/SCAR retention radar, and three killer Top 10 lists: Dave’s personal faves (golf analogies to BANT takedowns), Grok’s picks (cringe sales moments to grit audits), and engagement champs (Trump economy tips to duck-vs-owl hacks). Capping it off? The undisputed #1: “The Sales Cholesterol Analogy,” the only article nailing three lists. Merry holidays—here’s to bolder selling in 2026!
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Why 72% of Sales Reps Miss Quota: The Participation Trophy PTSD in the C-Suite
- December 5, 2025
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
Why do 72% of sales reps miss quota—and still keep their jobs? Blame the participation trophy mindset creeping into the C-suite, aka Participation Trophy Stifling Determination (PTSD). From Little League fails to sales floor flops, here’s how to crush it with real accountability in 2026.
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Is Your Sales SCAM Leaving a SCAR on Your Sales Team?
- December 1, 2025
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
Remember high school free periods vs. rigid bells? Your sales team’s dealing with the same drama—SCAM cultures and SCAR comp plans that fit half the reps and flop the rest. Time to offer options and slash turnover. (Read how!)
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From Practice Range to Sales Mastery: The 8 Requirements for Game-Changing Sales Training
- November 17, 2025
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
In sales, just like in sports, anyone can start playing—but mastery takes real effort. Drawing parallels from baseball sandlots to golf courses, this article explores why most salespeople plateau early and why companies must step up with proper training. Discover the 8 essential requirements for sales training that delivers measurable results, from clear expectations to proven content, and why skipping it keeps teams stuck in mediocrity.
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How to Differentiate with 4 Response Options and 10 Must-Have Traits for Sales Success
- October 17, 2025
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
It happened again—a sales leadership candidate imploded over an automated job email, firing off snarky replies like demanding a call, calling me a “timid man,” and later slamming my business as a “sinking ship” seeking “submissive corporate slaves.” But that’s a win: It exposed his attitude early via predicted weaknesses like emotional blow-ups and rejection issues. Pivoting to sales pros, use a highway frustration analogy (stuck behind a 30 MPH slowpoke) to explore 4 response options: scream, pass, ram (yikes), or follow patiently. True differentiation? Nail option 2 with 10 must-have traits, from ditching fear to asking killer questions. Gauge your team’s fit and boost your sales game.
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Sales Grit: Why Only 20% of Salespeople Have It (And How to Fix the Rest)
- October 12, 2025
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
Discover how baseball’s evolving stats mirror the need for relentless sales grit. Drawing from real CEO and VP insights, explore why most salespeople fall short on commitment, perseverance, and more—and what it takes to elevate your team.
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Top 5 Ways to Stop Striking Out on Your Sales Forecasts
- September 21, 2025
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
The Boston Red Sox are whiffing 62% of their bases-loaded, no-outs chances—way worse than the MLB’s 15% fail rate. Sound like your sales pipeline? Discover why high-probability deals fizzle out and how to fix it with five key strategies, from robust qualifying to predictive scorecards.
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Revolutionizing Sales Forecasting with a Baseball Twist
- September 12, 2025
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
Discover the “Power Alley,” a revolutionary sales forecasting strategy inspired by baseball. Learn how this KPI aligns pipeline, forecast, and revenue to boost accountability and solve CEOs’ biggest frustration.