If you’ve been in sales a while, you know that no two salespeople are alike. Your sales team is made up of very different people, all at different stages in their career. There’s the hire who is brand new to sales, the pro your organization hired away from a rival,... more
Sales is one of those jobs that can be mythologized and made into a mysterious magical art. Either a salesperson is naturally very good at sales, or they’re not. They “have it” or they don’t, right? This is obviously not the case. Sales is a collection of skills, and those... more
The digital age and the disruptions arising from COVID-19 have revolutionized the way businesses sell their products and services, but the transition to virtual sales has been a difficult one for many organizations and sales professionals. With buyers complaining about unprepared reps and sales teams struggling to perform due to... more
These days, customers expect a lot of the salespeople they interact with. According to Salesforce’s State of the Connected Customer Report, 73% of customers expect companies to understand their unique needs and expectations, 62% expect salespeople to anticipate their needs, and 56% of customers expect offers to be personalized. While some... more
You’ve hired a new member of your sales team. You’ve sifted through applications, gone through the interview process, and found the person who fits your requirements, your culture, and your organization’s revenue needs. You have high expectations for them. Maybe they’re replacing a top performer on your team. Perhaps you’ve... more
Salespeople are not known for staying at the same job for long. It’s difficult to pinpoint a definitive source that gives a firm annual sales turnover number, but most industry experts agree that turnover for sales representatives is around 33% – three times the turnover of all other jobs in... more
Selling is hard. Sales reps and sales managers have difficult jobs; it takes a special kind of person to be willing to go into a sales career, whether it be B2B or B2C selling. It’s even more special to be good at it. Sales reps need to be knowledgeable about... more
Think of your very best buying experience recently. You probably decided you needed something, did some research on your own, then bought the product with one click. It might have been delivered to you the next day with no shipping charge. The experience was likely simple, seamless, and most of... more
Sales has never been an easy job, but salespeople say it’s gotten more difficult recently. The last few years have been filled with uncertainty: the economy slowed down in the last months of 2022, bringing with it inflation, hiring freezes, and supply chain problems. None of this has been easy... more
Sales is all about closing the deal, no matter what, right? Not exactly. While making sales is the obvious mission of every sales department, the very best salespeople are most concerned with relationships. Their interest is in providing value to the customer, acting as trusted advisors, problem-solvers, and consultants. Top sales... more
