March, 2024

article thumbnail

Homicide Detective Makes Best Case for Sales Process

Understanding the Sales Force

Although this is an article about sales process, the first two paragraphs have more to do with religion than sales. To fully understand this powerful analogy, you’ll want to read the next three paragraphs and allow me to make my case. It will be worth it! My wife thought I would enjoy a book she found at the airport bookstore and I agreed that it looked compelling.

article thumbnail

5 Reasons Sales Managers Are Reluctant to Coach Prospecting

Steven Rosen

In the highly competitive SaaS world, prospecting is often seen as the most challenging task—a test dreaded by many and mastered by few. Indeed, 40% of salespeople cite it as the most challenging part of the sales process, more daunting than either closing or qualifying. Despite this, it is the critical first step in a journey where every interaction has the potential to bloom into a significant deal.

Coaching 334
Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

article thumbnail

Likes Galore, Sales Zero?

Sales and Marketing Management

Social media likes offer a surface-level view of engagement that doesn’t necessarily translate to real business value. Aim higher. The post Likes Galore, Sales Zero? appeared first on Sales & Marketing Management.

article thumbnail

Achieving Sales Team Excellence – The Will to Manage

Anthony Cole Training

It's difficult to choose what the toughest part of any sales manager’s job is and it can vary by company, industry or geography. Undoubtedly, it will be about people – finding the right salespeople, hiring and onboarding, coaching them on important deals and for skill development. And don’t forget about holding them accountable to the goals established and their activity to achieve those.

Hiring 266
article thumbnail

5 Inspiring B2B Marketing Campaigns to Take Yours to the Next Level

Your next big B2B marketing idea starts here. Get inspired with these five successful B2B marketing campaigns. Ready to generate more leads, interest, and revenue with your B2B marketing? In this comprehensive eBook, you’ll get: In-depth studies of five successful B2B marketing campaigns spanning a wide range of industries Key takeaways and lessons from each story to implement in your own strategy Resources to help your own B2B marketing thrive By submitting this form, you agree to have your con

article thumbnail

Leaders: Here’s Why Your Sellers Are Underperforming

SBI Growth

CEOs want to retain the playmakers and managers that have proven themselves in the past. But for many companies, their talent may now be holding them back. It goes beyond tech augmentations and enablement, it is the fundamental hiring framework that is flawed. How has sales evolved from the past, and what should leaders look for when finding new talent?

Hiring 279

More Trending

article thumbnail

New Data: Top Salespeople are 7562% Better at Winning RFPs

Understanding the Sales Force

Lately, when I talk with people, the most popular topics for discussion are Politics, March Madness, and the movies and TV shows they are streaming. Personally, I substitute Baseball for the middle topic because college baseball is in full swing and we’ve been traveling to watch our son, a college senior, play college baseball. But lately, when I talk with the Kurlan & Associates team, the topic is consistently about salespeople who push back when our sales training and coaching is sp

article thumbnail

(4:39 Video) “The Power of Face-to-Face Sales: Building Trust and Rapport”

Steven Rosen

In this 4:39 video , Hosts Colleen Stanley and Steven Rosen discuss the importance of in-person interactions for building rapport, trust, and empathy. They highlight the biological aspect of human connection and the release of bonding hormones during face-to-face meetings. By getting off Zoom and meeting clients in person, salespeople can read the room better and strengthen relationships.

article thumbnail

The Impact of Web Hosting on User Experience

Sales and Marketing Management

Who you choose to host your website can have drastic effects on your marketing efforts and in turn, your sales. The post The Impact of Web Hosting on User Experience appeared first on Sales & Marketing Management.

Marketing 294
article thumbnail

Why Hiring a Fractional Sales Manager Can Drive Sales Results

Anthony Cole Training

Running a company is very different than managing a sales team, so you need someone skilled in the specific strengths of coaching and motivating your sales team. Companies have choices and often it makes sense to hunt, interview, hire and pay for a full-time sales manager, but this is a position very difficult to fill. It will take time, money, lots of effort and then onboarding to your systems, people and culture.

Hiring 289
article thumbnail

3 Sizzling Ways to Warm up Cold Calls

Even in today’s data-driven sales world, cold calling remains a fact of life for many go-to-market professionals. Fortunately, today’s sales leaders have a crucial advantage over their predecessors: market intelligence and outreach platforms that can warm up virtually any introduction.

article thumbnail

Here’s What a Successful Talent Initiative Looks Like

SBI Growth

If you have been following our podcast and latest blogs, you would have heard many of our experts talk about how talent initiatives are the quickest way to drive growth. This is a particularly good strategy to turn to in situations where a company needs fast returns and cannot afford to wait for longer-term strategies to take effect—for example, with companies that need to manage EBITDA or in companies that are struggling to meet the growth objectives set by their private equity owners.

article thumbnail

3 Interviewing Mistakes to Avoid!

Mr. Inside Sales

Have you ever interviewed for a job you really want, thought your interview went well, and then didn’t get called back for it? I’ve helped sales managers and business owners interview hundreds of potential sales reps over the years, and I’ve identified 3 top mistakes that virtually eliminate sales candidates on the spot! Study these 3 interviewing mistakes and make sure YOU don’t make them the next time you’re trying to land your next sales position.

Hiring 241
article thumbnail

10 Unfavorable Selling Conditions That Prevent Sales Success

Understanding the Sales Force

College baseball is in full swing and my wife and I watched our son and his college team play eight games over the past 10 days as they traveled from Orlando, FL, to Saratoga Springs, NY. While one of the sales lessons from this trip comes from baseball, the actual travel generated the other two sales lessons. Lesson #1 – Unfavorable Conditions Last Friday’s game was played in horrible baseball conditions.

article thumbnail

Leading Transformation in a Fast-Paced World

Steven Rosen

Ryan Thomas , the sales VP of Elastic, Americas, shares his insights on effective leadership, team motivation, and driving business growth. He emphasizes the importance of inspiring and motivating teams, aligning individual success with the company’s vision, and making data-driven decisions. Ryan also discusses the challenges of leading sales teams in a complex and fast-paced industry and provides valuable advice for sales leaders.

Leads 225
article thumbnail

Supercharge Your Sales: 5 Steps to Effortless Selling

Sales teams often lose precious time hunting for updated sales materials, while marketing struggles to keep these assets accessible and current. It's not just about managing; it's about seamlessly finding, presenting, and sharing critical sales content. All of this takes place within an intuitive, unified platform. Dive into Showell's groundbreaking content management realm.

article thumbnail

How to Keep Your Sales Kickoff Energy from Fizzling

Sales and Marketing Management

In this episode, we talk with two leaders of incentive program providers about the science behind keeping the energy and enthusiasm generated by sales kickoffs going throughout the year. The post How to Keep Your Sales Kickoff Energy from Fizzling appeared first on Sales & Marketing Management.

Energy 296
article thumbnail

How to Respond to Common Sales Objections

Anthony Cole Training

Sales objections typically arise in several key areas during the sales process. The first is when you’re trying to secure someone’s time during prospecting, attempting to schedule a meeting on their calendar and obtain a few minutes of their attention. The second occurs when you are delivering a presentation and seeking a commitment or decision.

article thumbnail

Navigating the New Sales Landscape: Strategies for Accelerating Your Sales Cycle

SBI Growth

In today's dynamic commercial environment, accelerating the sales cycle is not just a goal but a necessity for thriving in a competitive market. The landscape has evolved, with buying behaviors becoming increasingly conservative and consensus requirements reaching new heights. The challenge? Many sellers find themselves poorly equipped to navigate these changes effectively.

article thumbnail

Stop Selling: How Business Conversations Improve Value Across the Buyer Journey

Force Management

If you’re leading an organization that’s selling a solution, whether in an established market or a new vertical, you’re competing for your buyers’ attention. The competition is high – we are all faced with hundreds of sales messages each day. Successful sales organizations know how to consistently rise above the noise and command greater market share.

Lead Rank 153
article thumbnail

1st, 2nd, and 3rd Party Intent Data: Which Is Right for You?

How do 1st, 2nd, and 3rd party intent data compare? 1st, 2nd, and 3rd party data each have specific advantages and disadvantages. It comes down to four factors: accuracy, cost, control and quantity. This infographic explains the pros and cons of each and helps you understand which one is best for meeting your business objectives. Intent data can be a great way to fill your pipeline and close more deals.

article thumbnail

Sales People Create Longer Cycles, Not Customers

Partners in Excellence

We know buying cycles are getting longer. It’s easy to chalk it up to buyers, blaming them for not focusing, getting distracted, not prioritizing the project, or all sorts of other things. Or we have other excuses. Perhaps it’s the economy, all the social/global disruptions. And then there is always VUCA, a great yet abstract excuse around why things are getting more difficult.

Customer 138
article thumbnail

Empower Your Desire to Succeed with Small Business Growth

Smooth Sale

Photo by Geralt via Pixabay Attract the Right Job Or Clientele: Empower Your Desire to Succeed with Small Business Growth Typically, as a relatively new business venture begins to pick up steam, excitement reigns! But the thought of sitting back to watch the money roll is unrealistic. Truthfully, small business growth brings a collection of unique headaches.

article thumbnail

Managing Marketing Organizations In a Tough Economy

Sales and Marketing Management

Two marketing veterans share their insights into how CMOs should be managing through an uncertain economic climate. The post Managing Marketing Organizations In a Tough Economy appeared first on Sales & Marketing Management.

Marketing 283
article thumbnail

Achieving Sales Team Excellence with a Coaching Culture

Anthony Cole Training

Most sales managers spend less than 10% of their time on coaching, and only one third of managers actually coach their people on a weekly basis. Yet, the Coaching Competency is the most critical part of a sales manager's responsibilities; it is also the most difficult skill set to learn and master. There are many reasons for this, but among them are: the managers themselves were not coached or they had a bad experience with coaching; they were elevated to a team lead or manager position based on

Coaching 229
article thumbnail

Retail Reimagined: What It Means To Be An Innovative Retailer

Speaker: DeAnna McIntosh, Retail Growth Strategist

The past three years have forever changed the retail landscape. Companies of all sizes were forced to welcome change with open arms and surrender to total flexibility in order to be agile in the ever-evolving economic environment. In 2023, we are navigating inflation and its impact on consumer spending, various lasting side effects from the pandemic, and a looming recession in the back half of the year.

article thumbnail

Five Essential Steps to Building an Effective Sales Playbook

SBI Growth

For many commercial leaders, helping sellers to be more effective poses significant challenges. Despite innovative methods constantly being introduced into the sales process, commercial leaders often find their sellers relying on ineffective approaches that aren’t tailored for today’s buyers. Then, how do you scale up any improvements made across the sales organization?

Hiring 194
article thumbnail

Preventing Slipped Deals at the End-of-Quarter

Force Management

When one deal slips, that’s a deal problem. Nobody likes a missed opportunity, though sales professionals accept that some slippage comes with the territory. But when slipped deals are a consistent end-of-quarter occurrence, that’s an organizational problem with serious negative consequences. Companies that can’t rely on forecasts feel ripple effects across the organization, impacting manufacturing, delivery, operations, and finance.

article thumbnail

You Are Your Company’s “Value Proposition”

Partners in Excellence

We still have very antiquated views of our “value proposition.” Most of the time, we restrict it to the value that might be realized through the purchase and implementation of our solutions. Ideally, we will have developed a business case for our solutions, perhaps looking at cost reduction, ROI or some other financial return the customer should expect from our solution.

ROI 144
article thumbnail

Updating Your CV with Professional Help Is Beneficial

Smooth Sale

Photo by Mr-Panda via Pixabay Attract the Right Job Or Clientele: Updating Your CV with Professional Help Is Beneficial One of the most vital parts of your job hunt is your CV. It’s the document you choose to use that lays out your entire professional and educational history to entice employers to hire you. It is your first chance to make a positive impression on a recruiter, and it can make an impressive impact when in front of the right person during the interview.

article thumbnail

Mastering Intent Data: Understanding its Importance & Best Practices

Speaker: Joe Apfelbaum, CEO of Ajax Union

In this webinar, Joe Apfelbaum, CEO of Ajax Union and business strategist, will take you through the ABCs of intent data. You'll learn how to effectively use it to drive business results, with practical tips on how to leverage both company and contact intent data to maximize your marketing efforts. Whether you're a seasoned marketer or just getting started, this webinar is a must-attend for anyone looking to stay ahead in the ever-evolving world of digital marketing.

article thumbnail

Driving Leads and Sales Through Private Engagements

Sales and Marketing Management

Offsite events are not a "build and they will come" endeavor. Here are five ways to make your in-person event more enticing and successful. The post Driving Leads and Sales Through Private Engagements appeared first on Sales & Marketing Management.

Leads 294
article thumbnail

Renewal Realities: Navigating the Challenges of Client Retention

The Center for Sales Strategy

The 5th Annual Media Sales Report asked salespeople where their jobs are getting easier and where they are harder. 31% of salespeople responded that renewing clients is more challenging than ever before. It's indeed crucial to recognize the evolving dynamics of client renewals in today's market landscape. With the increasing options available to clients, retaining them has become more challenging and important than ever before.

Retention 114
article thumbnail

Do You Have the Right Talent in Sales?

SBI Growth

Recruitment is a key component of any company’s initiative to build up talent in their organization, but without any clear guidance, leaders may end up overpaying for things that don’t make better sellers. What competencies should companies look out for in prospective sellers, and how can leaders leverage recent developments in generative AI to help them build their talent up?