Sales Lessons from a Heisman Winner In his Heisman acceptance speech Caleb Williams said, “Don’t get bored with consistency.” His insight is valuable for sales performance. Most people tell me that it is not possible to have your questions for a sales call prepared in advance. While it’s true that no plan survives first contact with reality, it is not true that you should improvise … Read more
Four Reasons to Review Sales Calls with Your Team Many sales calls are recorded. Few are reviewed. Sales calls should not be recorded as a means to simply check boxes. That’s pointless. Effective sales managers use call recordings like game film to help their team analyze the outcomes, and learn what is effective. Here are four reason to review sales calls with your team: #1 … Read more
12 Sales Resolutions for the New Year We all know that most resolutions fail because people often call out large goals without an understanding of what it takes to achieve them. Rather than saying that this year you want to sell more, or make money, focus on small changes that will help you achieve big results. Use this list as a suggestion to brush up … Read more
Guidelines for Use of Call Recordings in Sales Coaching I just put this together for a new client who expressed concerns about his team’s response to the use of call recordings for coaching, since they had never done it. He was worried about resistance to a new level of accountability that might impact morale. He was also concerned it might make his folks fearful of … Read more
Why Reviewing Sales Call Recordings is Essential I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: reviewing your game film is essential to improving your performance as a salesperson. Why you might be asking? I was on the call, I know what happened. I would challenge you to listen to a sales call and then go back and read the call summary you wrote after … Read more
Sales: A Scientific Method Most people would argue that sales is an art, not a science. I don’t disagree, but I do believe you can apply the scientific method to the sales process. For those of you who’ve been out of school for a while, here’s a refresher on the steps: Ask a question Do background research Construct a hypothesis Test with an experiment Analyze … Read more
Don’t be Stagnant I have spent years testing and refining the sales process that I recommend today. I’m confident that I have uncovered effective methods that have been adopted by other salespeople. I believe sales success starts with a great process. But I’m alive to the possibility that what works today may not be the best solution two years from now. I don’t think I … Read more
The First Step When You Take Over a New Sales Team In A Proactive Sales Leader Knows How to Increase Sales I provide a sequenced checklist of recommended activities for a new Sales VP who is taking on leadership of a new sales team. This is the equivalent of what a new coach might do when she takes over a new team. In this sales … Read more
Leading Change through Sales Methodology Training Creating change in a sales organization requires a sales leader to utilize sales methodology training. Change is hard because most people take the path of least resistance and gravitate toward old habits. Leading a sales team starts with putting your sales playbook in place. If your new sales methodology makes their job easier, the sales team will use it. … Read more
A Proactive Sales Leader Knows How to Increase Sales This tip provides a series of sales leadership activities, recommended by sales leaders who know how to increase sales. The sequence starts with suggested actions when you first take over a new sales team. Following these initial actions is a cadence of annual, quarterly, monthly and weekly activities to drive a high level of sales performance. … Read more