Understanding the Sales Force

NOVEMBER 15, 2012

We can't let you know who is actually making the decision. The decision maker won't meet with you. Prospects must think that salespeople are morons. How well equipped are you, Sales Managers and Sales Leaders to recognize, identify, train and coach salespeople to overcome these weaknesses?

Airlines 269

Airlines Prospecting Decision Maker Vendor 269

Understanding the Sales Force

NOVEMBER 13, 2013

They can get feedback, they can ask questions, they can get answers, they know that their version of Houston - their prospect or customer - can hear them and will respond if there is a good reason. It''s their sales managers, who are almost as much in the dark as their salespeople. So why do salespeople continue in the dark?

Decision Maker 313

Decision Maker Proposal Sales Cycle Exact 313

Zoominfo

FEBRUARY 17, 2021

Sales reps look to increase conversion rates by upping their cold call game. Along with actionable intelligence, guidelines for cold calls allow both sales managers and SDRs to tailor their sales processes. Be upfront and transparent with your prospects. Cold Call Sales Script Template. Reason for Calling.

Cold Calling 264

Cold Calling Guidelines Prospecting Face-to-face 264

Sales 2.0

OCTOBER 25, 2021

Sales process efficiency. Sales processes have room for improvement in nearly all companies. Prospecting : Companies routinely run cold calling prospecting processes that fail 99% of the time, with 1 in 100 calls getting a meeting. Smarter approaches to prospecting are needed. Sales management.

Territories 396

Territories Compensation Scale Decision Maker 396

No More Cold Calling

JULY 29, 2021

But not closing sales is never the real problem. The problem is that sales reps neglect important activities during earlier stages of the sales process. Unless you address the broken links in your prospecting system, your sales reps will continue to struggle with closing the deal. It’s just a symptom.

Closing 409

Closing Sales Qualified Lead Lead Rank Lead Scoring 409

Mr. Inside Sales

JANUARY 8, 2021

Two weeks into the New Year, and are you already stressed about picking up the phone and making prospecting calls? Think about it: Not everyone you speak with is going to be a prospect or a deal, are they? And regarding fumbling a good lead—my experience is that if a prospect is interested, then they’ll speak with you.

Face-to-face 313

Face-to-face Cold Calling Gatekeeper Licensing 313

Understanding the Sales Force

OCTOBER 21, 2013

This elite salesperson is also described in my 2005 best-seller, Baseline Selling , where I introduced a sales process milestone called SOB Quality (speed on bases, a baseball expression). Questions that challenge the prospect''s thinking is the essence of the Challenger. In this scenario, without context, James is correct again.

Lead Rank 255

Lead Rank Decision Maker Call-back Sales Qualified Lead 255

Vengreso

MARCH 2, 2021

Prospecting to generate sales leads is one of the most important jobs of the modern sales professional. In fact, if you ask any sales leader what their teams struggle with the most (and I have), they would say it’s prospecting, especially now that virtual selling is the norm. What is Prospecting?

Pipeline 145

Pipeline Prospecting Ideal Customer Profile Sales Qualified Lead 145

Sales and Marketing Management

JUNE 25, 2018

I know, you fell into sales, and perhaps from there, sales management. How do I stay fired up when I prospect? I listen intently and try to figure out what makes each business model unique and each prospect like a snowflake. Are you obsessed about getting that key decision maker live even if they tell you “no.”

B2B 319

B2B Banking Conference Decision Maker 319

MTD Sales Training

DECEMBER 4, 2017

The way I view LinkedIn is as the biggest and best DECISION MAKER SEARCH ENGINE the world has ever seen! So the real question then is how do you use LinkedIn to prospect and connect to potential leads? Prospecting On LinkedIn. Managing Director. MTD Sales Training. Keyword Searches. Set Up A Company Profile.

LinkedIn 154

LinkedIn Prospecting Ideal Customer Profile Decision Maker 154

SBI Growth

JANUARY 27, 2014

As a sales manager, your team looks to you for coaching and strategic help. Most reps struggle with prioritizing their accounts and prospects. A tactical plan should include items such as: Meeting the Decision Maker. Establishing a decision timeline. Make a proceed or cut bait decision. Let’s face it.

Strategy 303

Strategy Decision Maker Face-to-face Influencer 303

DiscoverOrg Sales

MARCH 5, 2019

Read it: How to Time Your Sales Outreach with Opportunity Data. A DiscoverOrg study revealed that 71% of newly-hired or recently promoted decision-makers lead 3+ initiatives within their first 3 months in a new position. ” New decision-makers want to show early success to gain the trust of superiors.

Hiring 218

Hiring Decision Maker How To SalesForce 218

Sales and Marketing Management

SEPTEMBER 4, 2018

Often, the differentiator may come down to the sales rep, whose product knowledge, experience and ability to solve the customer’s problem end up being the deciding factor in turning a prospect into a customer. It’s not enough to hire the appropriate sales profile. Companies have very little room for error in this environment.

Hiring 222

Hiring Decision Maker Ideal Customer Profile Sales Qualified Lead 222

Zoominfo

JULY 13, 2021

The acquisition of Chorus will support our aim to be a champion for sales professionals, helping them to identify, connect with, and sell to decision makers at the companies who are most likely to buy their products and services. I still remember how painful the process used to be to prepare for important sales calls.

Conversion 70

Conversion Top of Funnel Marketing Lead Rank 70

No More Cold Calling

OCTOBER 25, 2013

Referral selling is the most effective, most efficient prospecting strategy that exists. With referrals, you convert prospects into clients more than 50 percent of the time. When you receive referral introductions to your decision-makers, you convert a minimum of 50 percent to clients. Sure, you’re pressed for time.

Networking 270

Networking Referrals Decision Maker Small Business 270

Understanding the Sales Force

APRIL 17, 2013

It led to a significant number of comments with one of them being this question: "Dave, in your opinion, with all the training that is available and has been delivered to sales people over the years, how come sales people still fail at executing an effective approach to qualifying a prospect. What''s that?

Decision Maker 269

Decision Maker Consultative Selling Buying Cycle Proposal 269

Understanding the Sales Force

NOVEMBER 6, 2013

That fear - and most salespeople aren''t even consciously aware of it - prevents them from: Making prospecting calls. Making enough prospecting calls. Getting through to decision makers. Challenging a prospect''s thinking, plan, or position. Pushing back on put-offs. Asking tough questions.

Sales Qualified Lead 276

Sales Qualified Lead Hotels Hubspot Decision Maker 276

SBI Growth

JULY 22, 2013

There are 10 best practices Sales VPs have taken to ensure this doesn’t happen. Below are five of the 10: Sales Manager/VP field sales rides : Participating with your sales reps on more field calls leads to increased revenue. Make the sales job fun. Sales people get referrals more often through Linked In.

Hiring 325

Hiring Top of Funnel How To Social Selling 325

SBI Growth

DECEMBER 18, 2013

Today’s post focuses on the missing link: Enabling your front-line sales managers. Without strong front-line sales managers, your chances of making the number are low. How can you help your sales managers execute? Download the CEO’s Sales Manager Test to help with this. Why Sales Managers Fail.

Hiring 305

Hiring Strategy Handbook Face-to-face 305

No More Cold Calling

SEPTEMBER 9, 2014

Because decision-makers don’t care how your technology works. Don’t waste your prospects’ time with demos or put them to sleep with PowerPoint slides. Associations Enterprise Sales Management Salespeople Small Business' In fact, the best demo is no demo. Connect with No More Cold Calling.

Decision Maker 292

Decision Maker Cold Calling Small Business Small Business 292

No More Cold Calling

JANUARY 5, 2017

No salesperson should ever have to cold call to generate sales leads. It’s an ineffective prospecting strategy and a nuisance to buyers, most of whom ignore cold calls. Current clients at a prospect company are the best source of new business within their organizations. Stop Fooling Yourself—Your Prospecting Is Cold.

Cold Calling 222

Cold Calling Account Decision Maker Referrals 222

DiscoverOrg Sales

DECEMBER 4, 2017

Finding the right contact – and context – for sales outreach is time consuming. Prospect research doesn’t generate revenue, and historically it accounts for half of all sales time. This is where sales enablement technology comes in. Training, training, training.

Sales Enablement 295

Sales Enablement Collateral Decision Maker Study 295

Understanding the Sales Force

NOVEMBER 3, 2014

Dave Kurlan Inbound Marketing sales methodology closing sales performance sales selelction' I''m sure I''ve missed a few but you get the gist.

Sales Methodology 217

Sales Methodology Inbound Decision Maker Consultative Selling 217

Hubspot Sales

MARCH 8, 2023

While the position is in high demand, this type of salesperson has to have extensive technical knowledge to sell a product or service B2B to prospective customers.

Decision Maker 122

Decision Maker Pharmaceuticals Salary Travel 122

No More Cold Calling

AUGUST 1, 2013

Whether you are CEO, vice president, or a sales manager , you have a central role in your company’s sales process and in the decision to transition to referral selling—the only business-development strategy proven to convert prospects into clients more than 50 percent of the time. Comment Here.

Referrals 253

Referrals Sales Qualified Lead Cold Calling Penetration 253

Mr. Inside Sales

MARCH 2, 2024

I’ve helped sales managers and business owners interview hundreds of potential sales reps over the years, and I’ve identified 3 top mistakes that virtually eliminate sales candidates on the spot! Too many sales reps like to talk. Mistake Number Two: Talking past the close. Less is more.

Hiring 241

Hiring Face-to-face Gatekeeper Licensing 241

Sales 2.0

APRIL 27, 2014

If you spend your pursuing “account A” because you won’t accept that they told you there is not a fit then you can’t spend that time on prospecting for some new accounts where there may be a great fit for your product. Gathering all that information and packaging it for your prospect can take a big chunk out of your sales week.

Lead Rank 268

Lead Rank Lead Scoring Proposal Gatekeeper 268

Understanding the Sales Force

FEBRUARY 15, 2024

Before long, nobody will listen and worse, sales management won’t be inclined to provide feedback. That’s what salespeople and their sales managers should be doing – considering every variable. The problem is that these questions typically don’t get asked.

Forecasting 218

Forecasting Sales Forecasts Decision Maker Call-back 218

SBI Growth

MAY 11, 2013

Sales VPs need to make the number this quarter. Sales Managers want more new business. Sales Reps need more leads. Prospecting for leads is being replaced by Social Selling. Connect your customer to one of their dream prospects. Have your sales rep find out who his customer’s Sales VP wants to sell.

Hiring 300

Hiring Referrals Decision Maker Ideal Customer Profile 300

Hubspot Sales

OCTOBER 5, 2017

In this growing sales landscape, we’ll outline the various processes and key strategies for prospecting -- the phase of selling that often consumes the most time and energy (and is the most crucial to get right). What Is Prospecting? What's the difference between leads and prospects? Sales Prospecting Techniques.

Prospecting 145

Prospecting Tools Top of Funnel Lead Rank 145

Understanding the Sales Force

MAY 30, 2023

There four possible reasons and fairly obvious solutions: Salespeople aren’t prospecting as required because they have call reluctance. Salespeople aren’t prospecting as required because sales managers are not holding them accountable. Salespeople are prospecting but their messaging is awful.

Decision Maker 156

Decision Maker Hiring Proposal Sales Cycle 156

No More Cold Calling

OCTOBER 1, 2015

When you get referrals, you: Bypass the gatekeeper and score meetings with decision-makers every time. Earn trust and credibility with your prospects, who are pre-sold on your ability to deliver results. Convert prospects into clients at least 50 percent of the time (usually more than 70 percent).

Referrals 120

Referrals Lead Rank Lead Scoring Prospecting 120

No More Cold Calling

AUGUST 20, 2015

If you’re a sales manager, you’ve probably even said it. The problem is that sales reps neglect important activities during early stages of the sales process. Unless you address the broken links in your prospecting system , your sales reps will continue to struggle. That’s just the symptom.

Closing 120

Closing Sales Management Referrals Ideal Customer Profile 120

Pointclear

APRIL 17, 2014

From Chris Snell , Inside Sales Manager, SMB at Care.com. ISRs (inside sales reps) rely too much on being farmers, and when dry times come (just like they do for real farmers!) With that said, Joanne and I see eye-to-eye on the majority of other issues. Here''s what I see are the top two symptoms of inbounditis: 1.

Inbound 257

Inbound Marketing Sales Qualified Lead Outbound 257

No More Cold Calling

MAY 7, 2015

I know that feeling first-hand, and so does anyone who prospects through referrals. Our job gets even better with referral introductions from people our prospects know and trust. Think about the last time you contacted a referred prospect. “I want to purposefully attract the kind of clients where we can deliver our best work.”

Prospecting 120

Prospecting Referrals Ideal Customer Profile Decision Maker 120

Zoominfo

MAY 17, 2018

In fact, less than half of all forecasted sales opportunities actually result in a sales win. Just under a third result in a competitive loss, and nearly a quarter result in the prospect deciding to do “nothing” ( source ). Needless to say, this paints a less-than-promising picture of sales forecast accuracy.

Sales Forecasts 232

Sales Forecasts Forecasting Pipeline Scale 232

Understanding the Sales Force

APRIL 3, 2014

Today, prospects are much less inclined to take a salesperson''s call, return a voicemail or an email message, engage in a conversation, schedule a call or meeting, share important information, return calls to salespeople towards the end of the sales process or make a decision. The revenue of the prospect company.

Face-to-face 219

Face-to-face Decision Maker Call-back Inbound 219