Now That the NFL Draft is Over, What Did It Teach You About Selling?
While both of us are fans of professional football, it’s tedious and confusing to wade through the myriad of articles and blogs on NFL draft predictions. Fortunately, the process is over for this year and every team has declared themselves a winner. By their own calculation, the much-heralded predictions by sport writers, channel talent experts […]
What Should You Do With Stalled Sales Opportunities?
Stalled sales opportunities account for between 10 and 15% of most sales funnels, yet little is written about stalled opportunities and the implications for both the sales representative and the sales manager. They are the dirty little secret of sales. Let’s consider for a moment “what” constitutes a stalled opportunity, “why” opportunities stall, and “how” […]
The Four Coaching Challenges Sales Managers Face
When a sales representative or account manager is promoted to a district, region or team sales manager, they often face challenges they’ve never considered before. For example, how much time do I spend “managing up” to my boss and the senior staff versus “managing down” to my team? Managing up can be problematic because it […]
What Sales Reps Can Learn From Peter Drucker
“Peter F. Drucker was a writer, professor, management consultant and self-described “social ecologist,” who explored the way human beings organize themselves and interact much the way an ecologist would observe and analyze the biological world. His 39 books, along with his countless scholarly and popular articles, predicted many of the major developments of the late […]
Are You Ready For A New Sales Quota & The Annual Sales Meeting?
It’s January and for most organizations it’s the beginning of a new fiscal year. This usually means: A new sales quota An annual sales meeting and an awards dinner Every sales representative knows that the New Year will bring a larger sales quota. For front line sales managers (FLSMs) this is an opportunity to lead, […]
“Negotiating the Complex Sale: 10 Questions to Guide Your Preparation”
Preparation is key to every effective negotiation strategy. Brian Mandell, Senior Lecturer in Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School, says that a good negotiator prepares by understanding fully what he/she wishes to accomplish. A great negotiator prepares by understanding what the other side wishes to accomplish. At the heart of your preparation should be […]
Do Checklists have a Role in MedTech Sales?
A significant number of professional organizations have integrated the use of checklists to manage time-sensitive projects. Astronauts, IT professionals, and others in high risk industries use rigorous checklists to help them avoid potential hazards. As an example, every pilot goes through a pre-flight checklist before he pulls away from the gate; its standard operating procedure […]
Are You a Sales Representative That is on the Bubble?
Another quarter went by and you didn’t make plan. For many sales representatives this is not unusual. CSO Insights reported in 2012 that only 63% of sales representatives made quota for the year.1 If you are consistently missing your sales quota it’s not unnatural for a sales professional to wonder if they are on the […]
10 Things Not To Do at Sales Quarterly Business Reviews!
In a previous blog we described the 5 Bs of Success at Quarterly Business Reviews (QBR). They were Be Prepared: Be Polished: Be Brief: Be Memorable & Be Gone. If you missed it you can access it here. In this blog we would like to take the opportunity to tell you what not to do during […]
At Sales Quarterly Business Reviews-Use the 5 Bs! Be Prepared: Be Polished: Be Brief: Be Memorable & Be Gone
Many sales professionals have to attend and present their previous quarters sales performance at Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs). Success or failure depends on the following factors: 1. Be Prepared Use the reporting template provided by your company and think through carefully how you will present your sales and financial results. Recognize that this will be […]
