Sales Management Challenges: 6 of 6 - Managing for maximum performance

In the current market, we are seeing some complacency creeping into how sales leaders are operating. They seem to be thinking, "Business is going well, so what do we need training or development for?"  This doesn't refer to you, of course. You would not get complacent--you are far too professional! I'd like to share the benefits of my 30-year experience in sales and marketing with you. This series of blogs tackles 6 of the top sales management challenges with sound advice and a practical ... Read more

Sales Management Challenges: 5 of 6 - Gauging experience as you hire your Team

The poet Ralph Waldo Emerson is quoted as having said, "The years teach much which the days never know." In general, I agree. HOWEVER, it depends what kind of education is happening during those years. I'd like to share the benefits of my 30-year experience in sales and marketing with you. This series of blogs tackles 6 of the top sales challenges with sound advice and a practical 'do today' tip. Sales Challenge #5: How to measure the experience of your team 10 years exper ... Read more

Sales Management Challenges: 4 of 6 - Motivating your Team

Quiz time: How 'engaged' (passionate/enthusiastic about their work) are the members of your sales team? If they are like today's U.S. workers, then about half of them (51%) are not engaged and almost one fifth (18%) are actively disengaged. I'd like to share the benefits of my 30-year experience in sales and marketing with you. This series of blogs tackles 6 of the top sales challenges with sound advice and a practical 'do today' tip. Sales Challenge #4: Motivating your team ... Read more

Sales Management Challenges: 3 of 6 - Where are you on the Sales Management Continuum?

It's so important that universities offer courses about it, scholarly publications are written about it, and towns hold meetings about it. We're talking about management. In particular, the sales management continuum. I'd like to share the benefits of my 30-year experience in sales and marketing with you. This series of blogs tackles 6 of the top sales challenges with sound advice and a practical 'do today' tip. Sales Challenge #3: How to choose the correct spot on the Sales Ma ... Read more

Sales Management Challenges: 2 of 6 - Building the Right Team

A recent article in the Harvard Business Review reports on current research into teamwork. It seems that the fault may lie more with managers who do not know how to get the best out of their teams rather than the team members themselves. I'd like to share the benefits of my 30-year experience in sales and marketing with you. This series of blogs tackles 6 of the top sales management challenges with sound advice and a practical 'do today' tip. Sales Challenge #2: Considerations for building ... Read more

Sales Management Challenges: 1 of 6 - How to Create Clearly Defined Sales Processes and Sales Objectives

Read Forbes, Fortune, or any other top sales and business publication. What will you find? Articles about the top sales challenges commonly faced, no matter which product or service you are marketing.   I'd like to share the benefits of my 30-year experience in sales and marketing with you. This series of blogs tackles 6 of the top sales challenges with sound advice and a practical 'do today' tip.   Sales Challenge #1: How to create clearly defined sales processes and sales ... Read more

How Power Base® Sellers have adapted to a changed sales eco system

Having been in the sales business for a long, long time, having trained literally thousands of salespeople, having sold and trained around the world, I am often asked "Has selling changed over the years?".     Well, if you were to read one of the most famous sales books ever, Dale Carnegie's, "How to Win Friends and Influence People", and you read the first few paragraphs without reading the preface, you'd think, "Hmm... this is quite relevant today." Then, when you do read the prefa ... Read more

Sales Tip No. 28 - New Year Rapport Building

New year, new accounts, new opportunities for many sales people and account managers. Then, as we enter 2017 many markets seem to be heating up and so some sales people start to get a little complacent, some even aggressive (thinking they are being assertive!).  Even in an up-market taking time to build rapport is still important, so here are 5 reminders for building rapport: 1.     Be empathetic - put yourself in the customer's shoes. 2.     Use go ... Read more

Sales Tip No. 26 Negotiation - are you really in a position to negotiate?

The current presidential election campaign in the US has me talking to quite a few clients and participants about negotiation skills.  As one candidate claims to be such a good negotiator it has become a hot topic!   In any real negotiation there has to be two conditions in play.  Both parties must have the will to vary the terms and both parties must have the authority to vary the terms.  So here is the challenge in many negotiations - unless you have true executive author ... Read more

Sales Tip No. 25 - Cold calling, no names policy?

Are you cold calling (yes many people still do it) or following up on leads or cleaning lists - but can't get hold of the right contact, especially when the target company has a "no names policy" on the switchboard?   Try this - it sounds counter productive but its not.  Do the research call and the sales call as two separate calls.   Call the target company's switchboard - in a  very friendly non threatening tone say "I wonder if you can help me, please do not put me thr ... Read more