Understanding the Sales Force

OCTOBER 26, 2020

The s**t show known as 2020. Many of us have heard that term used to describe this uniquely strange year. Despite everything unusual about 2020, there have been some normalcies too. We celebrated births, birthdays, anniversaries, Mother's and Father's Days, and we will all celebrate the upcoming holidays.

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Sales Process Groups Objections Sales 368

Understanding the Sales Force

FEBRUARY 1, 2019

Yesterday, a post appeared in my LinkedIn feed that talked about the power of sales process. The article was clearly written to support the author's technology application, which helps track sales KPI's; so they should know a little about the topic of sales process.

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Sales Process Exact LinkedIn Sales 209

Understanding the Sales Force

JUNE 15, 2021

We attended last night's Red Sox Game. Unlike most games at Fenway Park, this contest was a pitcher's duel and the Red Sox held a fragile 1-0 lead over the Toronto Blue Jays heading into the top of the 9th inning.

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Construction Sales Process Leads Marketing Qualified Lead 266

Understanding the Sales Force

MAY 14, 2013

While most attendees admit that they must be more effective at coaching, many who said they have some kind of sales process in place didn''t come to the same conclusion. So, why is it so obvious to sales leaders that they need to improve their coaching, but so elusive that they need to improve their sales process?

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Sales Process Coaching Sales Coaching Lead Rank 241

Understanding the Sales Force

JUNE 28, 2016

I've written dozens of articles on Sales Process an you can read many of them right here. While I have never wavered on the importance of sales process, I have modified my thinking on why it's so important, what it must consist of, how it should work, and how it should be integrated into CRM.

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Sales Process CRM Sales 136

Understanding the Sales Force

JULY 14, 2014

Is it the sales process that makes it so powerful? The big difference between the sales process in Baseline Selling and other sales processes is that rather than having outcome-based steps, time-based steps or task-oriented steps, it has customizable milestone-centric steps.

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Sales Process Sales Up-Sell Follow-up 243

Understanding the Sales Force

DECEMBER 6, 2013

Understanding the Sales Force by Dave Kurlan Yesterday I was leading a training program for a group of veteran Objective Management Group (OMG) Partners and experienced sales trainers. One attendee asked the hypothetical question, "What is the most difficult part of the sales process?" Remember this.

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Sales Process Webinar Metrics Intent Groups 302

Understanding the Sales Force

DECEMBER 16, 2013

I also think the sales world is going a bit crazy too. For me, it began two months ago when I posted, Now That You Have a Sales Process, Never Mind, in rebuttal to a stupid article about sales process being the cause of long sales cycles and low closing ratios. Continued. **.

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Sales Process Sales Cycle Sales Leadership LinkedIn 205

Understanding the Sales Force

OCTOBER 16, 2013

The November 2013 issue featured an article titled Dismantling the Sales Machine. Here''s the premise: Companies that have been rigorously enforcing sales process should stop doing so because it is resulting in longer sales cycles, decreased conversion rates, unreliable forecasts and depressed margins. So they say.

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Sales Process Margin Survey Forecasting 249

Understanding the Sales Force

JANUARY 14, 2013

Understanding the Sales Force by Dave Kurlan When a salesperson fails to land a deal, sale or order which they expected, projected, forecasted and pre-banked, nine times out of ten, you can lay the blame on one of the following ten conditions: The salesperson did not have an effective sales process.

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Sales Process Banking Forecasting CRM 255

Understanding the Sales Force

OCTOBER 17, 2019

Last night I was on Interstate 90, the MassPike, driving home from the airport in a wind-driven rainstorm. It was so bad I couldn't see the white lines that divide the three lanes nor could I see the Jersey barriers dividing the eastbound from the westbound traffic.

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Sales Process Sales 170

Understanding the Sales Force

MARCH 23, 2015

Dave Kurlan sales process sales training sales motivation Sales Tactics Closing Sales sales compensation sales opportunities bb king how to be memorable time management for sales managers sales methodologies'

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Sales Process Closing Training Sales Methodology 120

Understanding the Sales Force

DECEMBER 11, 2012

I write often about sales process. After all, one can't accurately predict outcomes to sales calls, meetings and cycles without a formal, structured sales process to follow. I present my Top 10 Articles on Sales Process. Do You Have a Sales Process? 12 Questions About Your Sales Process.

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Sales Process Automotive Sales Methodology Sales 175

Understanding the Sales Force

MAY 9, 2016

Sales Process is a topic I have chosen to write about around 25 times over the past 10 years. All 25 articles can all be found in my series on Sales Process. But recent statistics are showing that 20-25% of companies and their salespeople are finally following and using a sales process.

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Sales Process CRM Groups Objections 120

Understanding the Sales Force

SEPTEMBER 3, 2015

Earlier this week I received this inquiry form from our "Ask a Sales Expert" page: I am currently conducting a Research Project at school on the 5 step sales process. If I can help you to understand this and get your sales process correct, the data suggests that there is a corresponding 20% increase to sales!

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Sales Process Research Objections Sales 120

Understanding the Sales Force

DECEMBER 11, 2012

Understanding the Sales Force by Dave Kurlan I write often about sales process. After all, one can't accurately predict outcomes of sales calls, meetings and cycles without a formal, structured sales process to follow. I present my Top Articles on Sales Process: Baseball's Huge Impact on Sales Performance.

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Sales Process Automotive Sales Methodology Sales 120

Understanding the Sales Force

AUGUST 18, 2015

Sales Process isn't even the only thing that inbound marketers say is dead. Let's start with my recent Google search for "Sales Process is Dead." One article was written by a sales expert discussing the concept of following the buyer's purchasing process. Don't get me wrong.

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Inbound Inside Sales Sales Process Top of Funnel 120

Understanding the Sales Force

JUNE 12, 2023

Isn't that a great analogy for what happens when you miss, or skip a crucial step in the sales process? Yesterday, while watching our son play in a summer collegiate baseball game, I missed a step and tumbled all the way down the bleachers.

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Prospecting Sales Process Closing Opportunity 331

Understanding the Sales Force

SEPTEMBER 8, 2015

Here's a quote from an article I wrote that appears now on the SellingPower Blog. It's an analogy to help you understand why asking questions is so difficult for most salespeople. You’ve been driving a car since you were a teenager, but your cars have always had an automatic transmission and you’ve always driven on standard roads.

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Inside Sales Sales Process Course Sales 120

Understanding the Sales Force

SEPTEMBER 27, 2023

In July, I wrote about Dinger tearing his ACL , and how well the doctor executed her sales process. And that is a great analogy for what happens when salespeople are uncomfortable with certain aspects of the sales process. But when Sales DNA appears as a weakness, it serves to sabotage rather than support the salesperson.

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Sales Methodology Sales Process Proposal Objections 203

Understanding the Sales Force

FEBRUARY 22, 2023

Later, articles predicting the end of selling became both more prolific and more specific including the certain death of: Solution Selling Cold Calling Consultative Selling Sales Process SPIN Selling and more.

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Top of Funnel Positioning Scale Inbound 406

Understanding the Sales Force

FEBRUARY 25, 2024

Is the coaching in the context of your sales process and methodology? Image copyright 123RF The post 25 Sales Experts on the Importance of Coaching Salespeople appeared first on Kurlan & Associates, Inc. Is it to prepare them for an upcoming call (pre-call strategy)? What’s your excuse?

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Coaching Guidelines Margin Incentives 333

Understanding the Sales Force

MARCH 21, 2022

On Sales Process and Methodology - the difference between popular sales processes and methodologies. On Attracting Salespeople When Recruiting - a rant on the Two Keys to Attracting More of the Right Sales Candidates. Topics include: 1. Why Your Prospects Won't Talk with You and What to Do About it - a rant.

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Video Forecasting Cold Calling Consultative Selling 296

Understanding the Sales Force

SEPTEMBER 18, 2023

However, working with them also lengthens the sales process. ” It’s been years since Freddy was in training so why did it take so long for him to change his sales strategy? In my space, that is our buyer and signer. Could his reason be the same reason that prevents other salespeople from calling on Decision Makers?

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Understanding the Sales Force

NOVEMBER 10, 2023

As a result, they can’t anticipate when in a sales cycle or sales process they will be impacted, and don’t have the awareness to take steps to work around it and improve. The Example Salespeople (anyone, with any title, whose primary role is selling) don’t know about their own skill gaps and blind spots.

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Company Hiring Scale Forecasting 212

Understanding the Sales Force

OCTOBER 25, 2023

If they haven’t been exposed to professional selling methodologies and sales processes, and had those demonstrated to them via expert, unscripted role-plays, then they would have no clue that the presenting and proposing they have been doing is woefully inadequate. Hold everyone accountable to change. This can work.

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Outsourcing Services Territories Proposal Sales Methodology 193

Understanding the Sales Force

SEPTEMBER 22, 2022

Revealing Study of Salespeople Makes News at HBR Another HBR Article on Sales Leaves Me with Mixed Feelings Top 10 Questions for Salespeople to Ask and Stay Away From What Customers Expect From Your Salespeople and More HBR or OMG - Whose Criteria Really Differentiate the Top and Bottom 10% of Salespeople?

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Selling Skills Hiring Study Sales Process 257

Understanding the Sales Force

JUNE 12, 2023

Isn’t that a great analogy for what happens when you miss, or skip a crucial step in the sales process? ” The best part of including selection criteria into your sales process is that many prospects don’t know the answer to this question. ” That gives you a chance to ask, “Can I help?

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Prospecting Vendor Proposal Sales Process 156

Understanding the Sales Force

APRIL 9, 2020

Forget Consultative Selling, Value Selling and Sales Process - the things I talk about most often. Most companies expect their sales teams to be not only active, but proactive; to replace face-to-face meetings with virtual meetings; and to continue pipeline building so that there is business to close when we return to work.

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Company Face-to-face Consultative Selling Pipeline 353

Understanding the Sales Force

AUGUST 28, 2023

Relationship Building is one of the 21 Sales Core Competencies and on its own, is not as significant as five other competencies such as Sales Process, Reaches Decision Makers, Consultative Seller, Value Seller or Qualifier. There is another challenge with salespeople who struggle with Relationship Building.

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Decision Maker Compensation Sales Process Sales 156

Understanding the Sales Force

OCTOBER 5, 2023

Earlier this year, I wrote an article about building a stone walkway and how it is such a great analogy to sales process. Today I was watching stone masons build a stone column and while the focus is on the column itself, each stone represents a process unto itself. Now think about the sales process.

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Sales Process Guarantee ACT Exact 193

Understanding the Sales Force

AUGUST 21, 2023

Bookmark this article so that over time, if you want to improve your sales effectiveness, you can read more of the topics below: To shorten your sales process, differentiate, uncover compelling reasons to buy and create urgency, read articles on taking more of a consultative approach.

Hiring 156

Hiring Decision Maker Forecasting Face-to-face 156

Understanding the Sales Force

AUGUST 21, 2023

Bookmark this article so that over time, if you want to improve your sales effectiveness, you can read more of the topics below: To shorten your sales process, differentiate, uncover compelling reasons to buy and create urgency, read articles on taking more of a consultative approach.

Hiring 156

Hiring Decision Maker Forecasting Face-to-face 156

Understanding the Sales Force

JULY 17, 2023

Sales has become more professional, with more science, formal sales processes, tools, training and coaching to support the obvious changes to selling, and as with climate, there are two groups with differing opinions about selling.

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Groups Comparison Buying Cycle Exercises 156

Understanding the Sales Force

DECEMBER 9, 2019

Another thing that doesn't make any sense is the "Negotiate" step I see in the sales processes of most companies. Winter drivers are better equipped to deal with snow than at any time in history so cancelling school every time it snows doesn't make any sense. Why is it there? Why are we negotiating? What are we negotiating?

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Negotiation Cancellation Sales Process Closing 280

Understanding the Sales Force

NOVEMBER 14, 2023

Next we will discuss Sales DNA, which I write about quite often. Sales DNA is the collection of six Sales Competencies that support the execution of Sales Process, Sales Methodology, Sales Strategy and Sales Tactics.

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Sales Methodology Groups Up-Sell Motivation 193

Understanding the Sales Force

JUNE 27, 2023

Analyzing only the most recent 37,000 plus rows of 2023 data from Objective Management Group’s (OMG) assessments of salespeople globally, just 49% of all salespeople follow an effective sales process and only 10% are strong at a Consultative Selling approach. A sales process that is more complex than winging it?

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Hiring Consultative Selling Coaching Report 156