Understanding motivational needs or what some call the prospect’s motives is a necessary sales leadership talent. Yet human motivation still remains a subject that provides angst to many individuals from employers to parents. What prompts one person to take action, to jump up and down and yet leaves others still on the status quo line has small business owners, those in sales management to even parents scratching their heads in wonder and confusion. Drive by Daniel Pink provides some great insight as to what actually motivates people and what does not work. Share on Facebook. MORE >>

Several weeks ago I was in New York City doing a workshop for a client. left early to meet with the VP of Sales before the session began. At the front desk of the hotel, when I asked for directions to the coffee shop, I discovered it was almost eight blocks away -- which was a shocker since I thought it was just around the corner. Now I was going to be late. So, I called Herb to let him know that I was walking as fast as I could. When I got him on the line, he said, "Get a cab. It'll just take a minute.". That's okay," I replied. I like to walk.". But here's the truth. am a total taxi failure. MORE >>

Tweet Confession: I wish I could flash this across every marketer’s computer screen the moment it powered up: A universal lead definition (ULD) clarifies what a lead is to everyone in your organization. It also: Fits the profile of your ideal customer. Has been qualified as sales-ready. Spells out the responsibilities and accountabilities of Sales and Marketing. Makes Marketing and Sales more efficient. Still, most of the companies I meet with do not have a ULD. Are these truly leads? Not really. Anyone who expresses interest in what you sell is an inquiry , not a lead. Why or why not? MORE >>

The number one issue salespeople struggle with the most is sales prospecting. get at least one call or email a day with a salesperson asking me to help them with this issue.  Sales prospecting is not easy — I’ll admit it. It takes dedication and a process. The problem is far too many salespeople are quick to say they don’t have a good source of prospects or they don’t have a good process.   Think about this — if you wanted to become a real expert in anything, do you think it would happen if you never dedicated any time to it?  That’s the issue. MORE >>

How to Be Valuable on a Sales Call When You Are the Sales Manager is a post from: The Sales Blog | S. Anthony Iannarino. As a sales manager, you are going to make a lot of sales calls with your team. You need to make them valuable for the salesperson, for the client , and for you. Here are some ideas about how you can create value on sales calls. Take the Call. Sometimes the sales manager creates the most value for the salesperson for the client by making the call for the salesperson. This is not the same thing as “ buying a dog and barking yourself.” Observe and Coach Later. Questions. MORE >>