4 Sales Costs That Are Killing Your Profits

an iceberg

After leading organizations as a CEO and working with a myriad of senior leaders in a wide-range of industries it is our firm belief that many organization waste significant resources because there is little or no financial over-sight in four key areas of selling and customer relations. We believe organizations could improve their financial results […]

Sales Reps: Are You Promotable, Sustainable or Replaceable?

silhouette of businessmen in suit with tie

Regardless of tenure or experience, every sales representative is placed in one of three categories by their First Line Sales Manager (FLSM) and senior management. Either your promotable, sustainable or replaceable. Your category is defined by the results you deliver and your perceived value. The results you deliver are typically monthly, quarterly or yearly. Management’s […]

Six 2018 New Year’s Resolutions for Sales Managers

new year, new you written on a paper pinned on a board

The New Year is here…so if you want to sell more you better prepare yourself to sell smart. Take a serious look at how you and your team sold in 2017. Where are the performance gaps?  Who are your “under performers” and how are they adjusting their selling strategy? Is your sales funnel overloaded with […]

Seven Fatal Flaws in Qualifying Sales Opportunities

stopping dominoes from falling

In large measure, the difference between highly productive sales professionals—those who exceed their quota year after year—and those sales representatives who seem destined to underperform lies in a single explanation: the productive seller chases good business and the underperformer chases bad business. For the most part, it’s not how hard they work—it’s how smart they […]

Do You Take a “Posse” to Sales Calls?

As we discuss call planning and execution with sales professionals we often come across organizations that send several company personnel on a sales call. This selling approach is much like dispatching a  “posse”–a metaphor from the frontier era–when a band of citizens, led by a sheriff, chased down and cornered a bandit. Sales calls can […]

Why Map the Customer’s Buying Process?

It seems like such a simple question, but if your company hasn’t defined and mapped the process your customers go through to make a purchase decision you are just guessing and guessing can cost you time, money and market share. According to CSO insights and other research organizations, many sales organizations haven’t taken the time […]

The Win Rate of Forecasted Sales Opportunities is Only 45.8%!

Yes, you read the headline correctly. In 2015 the average win rate of forecasted deals was a meager 45.8% according to data provided by CSO Insights, a division of MHI Global.1 The statistic is not pretty and it’s not one that sales representatives, managers or vice presidents would like to defend. Why is the win […]

4 Sales Reviews That Every Organization Should Conduct Routinely!

In meeting with sales executives and global account managers who exceed their revenue goal each year, discussion invariably focuses on the benefits of four review processes that pave a pathway to sales success.  Successful sales executives meticulously conduct four types of sales review processes: Win-Loss Analyses, Global/Strategic Account Reviews, Must-Win Reviews and Funnel Reviews.  Let’s […]

Another Sales Year–Another Sales Quota Miss!

It’s a new sales year and last year is behind us. The slate is clean and everyone begins at the same starting point. In every sales organization optimism soars at this time of year.  Recent research findings, however, suggest there are reasons for grave concern. The Fact CSO Insights, a division of MHI Global, paints […]

Do the Questions Asked in a Sales Call Make You Memorable or Forgettable?

Recently we had the opportunity to lead a round table discussion with several sales professionals from diverse industries. One of the questions we posed to them was “Do the questions Sellers ask a Buyer during a sales call differentiate them?” In other words, does the questioning process alter a Buyer’s perception of the Seller? As […]