Articles

My son, Steven, is a senior in high school. During the early part of the school year is when he, like other kids his grade, makes his college decision. During his junior year, my wife and I were constantly asking Steven to research colleges and schedule tours.

  When I introduce the subject of differentiation to salespeople, they immediately point their fingers at their employers. “It is their job to create a differentiated product for us to sell,” they’ll say. In their minds, differentiation is entirely the responsibility of the company. Certainly, a company has a responsibility to create a differentiated offering […]

  If you are a follower of my articles and blogs, you know I reside in Minneapolis, but I’m not originally from here. I grew up in the New York/New Jersey area. I don’t need to tell you how brutal the winters are here as the media does a great job of painting that picture. […]

  At a very young age, I was told that I should pursue a career in sales. I heard it in high school, again in college and, yet again, post-graduation. Perhaps, people told you that you have what it takes to be a great salesperson. Why did people tell us that we should pursue a […]

  For the last five years, a hardware supplier sold screws to a national home building company. Whenever the home builder ordered screws, the supplier delivered them accurately and on-time. If the home builder wanted Philips screws, the supplier delivered them. If they wanted flathead screws, the supplier had those, too. The supplier had screws […]

  Executives and salespeople often use the expressions “customer service” and “account management” synonymously, but with little context. They rarely give thought to the differences between these two important functions. Yes, customer service and account management are functions, not people. While you may have customer service and account management teams, there are roles others play […]

  A few years ago, a massive storm came through the neighborhood where I live. It hit during the middle of the afternoon and turned day into night. Winds blew at speeds I had never experienced before. These were straight-line winds with speeds in excess of 80 mph which, had they been funneled, would have […]

There’s been much talk about the future of the sales profession. Yet, there are steps salespeople can (and should) take right now, not just to survive, but to thrive!

One of the most significant investment companies make is in their sales teams. From adding headcount, to onboarding salespeople, to paying commissions; the sales team should be managed as exactly that…an investment.

If you HIRE sales people, you may be creating unnecessary risk for the company.

Sales people often say they want to be managed as if they were operating their own business. And, that’s exactly how they should be managed. Yet, there is a disconnect between how sales people perceive running a business works…and real-life. A sales business plan can help bridge this gap.

Price has always been a main reason that keeps sales people from selling. At least, that’s what sales people say. Here is some humorous evidence to the contrary.

Before promoting your top salesperson into sales management, make sure you’re making the right move for your company and the salesperson.

There are many misconceptions about LinkedIn. It’s not just for job searches or networking. It is a unique lead generation platform.

Sales people are searching for the secrets to selling success…These two words are the drivers that will take their income to a new level.