Coffee is for Closers….and for Coaches

You’ve likely watched the iconic scene from David Mamet’s Glengarry Glen Ross where Blake, a young hotshot from downtown with an $80,000 BMW and a holier-than-thou attitude, browbeats a room full of downtrodden salesman.

The Questioner’s Art

Today we look at one of the nuances of the SPIN questioning model. It’s the “forking paths” dilemma: During a sales call, you uncover a buyer problem that has multiple implications, some of which lead, in turn, to further implications

To Coach, or Not to Coach?

To coach, or not to coach: that is the question.
Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of occasional “time lost,”
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles…

5 Tips for Finding Your Core Competencies

Imagine if during an interview process, you could tell a sales recruit what sales performance competencies are needed and measured… and what levels are necessary to be successful at the sales poistion being considered. All based off of real performance numbers and average benchmarks. Before you can do that, learn how to boil the fat off of mere sales activities and define what legitimizes a ‘Sales Competency’.

10 Tips to Increase Your Referral Ratio

It’s good to possess great cold calling skills, but it’s great not to have to use them. Here’s some ‘Grass roots’ tips to warm up a sales Prospecting call.

Adopt the ‘T’ Method to Sales Performance Improvement

What’s your approach to sales training? Do you have a process that defines which sales performance competency to train to and what impact it will have on selected performance silos if the training objective is successfully met? Or do you rely on ‘field feedback’ not associated with actual performance numbers and related ROI to decide where to put your training dollars?
Here’s a simple blueprint to gain more revenue in less time while maintaining fiscal accountability to the ‘Top-floor’.

Characteristics of a True Sales Leader

In the average sales organization, successful sales reps get promoted to managers. These “new” sales managers are suddenly tasked with leadership and training. In these situations, there is one common liability. The salesperson’s biggest strength now becomes the sales manager’s biggest weakness in leading a team. Here are some steps to take to avoid sales leadership transitional mis-steps.