The Center for Sales Strategy

JUNE 12, 2024

You’ve researched to identify the key decision-makers of your target prospects. You can’t sell anything until you first talk to a decision-maker. But you can’t get a decision-maker to pick up the phone or even open your emails. But you can’t get a decision-maker to pick up the phone or even open your emails.

Decision Maker 109

Decision Maker Ideal Customer Profile Strategy Research 109

Sales and Marketing Management

JULY 7, 2022

When selling enterprise software and software as a service (SaaS), a proof-of-value exercise (POV) can be an accelerator for the decision maker, especially when working with a prospect that has complex requirements. The post Proving Business Value in the Software Sales Process appeared first on Sales & Marketing Management.

Software 334

Software Software Sales Process Decision Maker 334

Mr. Inside Sales

JULY 20, 2021

Top pros are using this time to sharpen their sales skills so they can make a killing in the fourth quarter. For a proven way to make more money, with less rejection, and a way to become more confident and make more sales, take advantage of our Summer Sale! Connect with decision makers easier. Summer kind of slow?

Gatekeeper 315

Gatekeeper Decision Maker Face-to-face Licensing 315

No More Cold Calling

OCTOBER 1, 2021

I’m embarrassed by the bad sales behavior that blasts us every day. Obviously, I’ve never been a fan of cold calling, but now the uninvited sales pitches are multichannel. LinkedIn invitations to connect from people who immediately send you a sales pitch. Rude, rude, rude sales behavior. Sales Reps Not Closing Sales?

Referrals 316

Referrals Decision Maker Cold Calling Social Media 316

No More Cold Calling

JULY 29, 2021

This broken link is to blame for sales teams’ biggest closing mistakes. “My This is the frustrated lament I hear regularly from sales leaders. 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. It’s just a symptom.

Closing 409

Closing Sales Qualified Lead Lead Rank Lead Scoring 409

Sales 2.0

OCTOBER 25, 2021

If you know someone that runs a business with a sales team, or they lead the charge themselves, have them take a look at the areas below for ways they can increase their sales. Improving even one of these areas could take their sales to the next level. Sales process efficiency. Sales time sucks. Sales management.

Territories 396

Territories Compensation Scale Decision Maker 396

Mr. Inside Sales

OCTOBER 25, 2021

Influencers are key to both getting through to decision makers, and to eventually making a sale. The question is: How do you properly qualify them and get them to influence the sale in your favor? To avoid that, always both assume the influencer has a voice in the decision, and then qualify her/him for that.

Influencer 288

Influencer Decision Maker Face-to-face Gatekeeper 288

Mr. Inside Sales

MARCH 17, 2023

So many sales reps are anxious when they speak with a prospect. And, if they are an influencer collecting information, then: “What is the timeline of the (decision maker) to put something like this to work for them?” And, to qualify the influencer: “How do you get involved in the decision process?”

Decision Maker 261

Decision Maker Face-to-face Gatekeeper Licensing 261

Understanding the Sales Force

MARCH 20, 2024

Although this is an article about sales process, the first two paragraphs have more to do with religion than sales. I’m sure by now you’re thinking, but Dave, what the heck does that have to do with sales process? Most of that group believes that a sales process is helpful. It will be worth it!

Sales Process 348

Sales Process Sales Methodology Decision Maker Pipeline 348

Understanding the Sales Force

APRIL 11, 2024

Should I adhere to a policy designed to snag sucky salespeople who waste people’s time, and keep them away from decision makers? If all of the other salespeople give up, and you’re like the toad and don’t give up, then you’ll be the only one talking with the decision maker. You should not either.

Coaching 218

Coaching Decision Maker Scale Hiring 218

Understanding the Sales Force

MARCH 25, 2024

While one of the sales lessons from this trip comes from baseball, the actual travel generated the other two sales lessons. Lesson #2 – The Power of Meeting Decision Makers We stopped for lunch at the best restaurant in the village, inside the hotel at which we have stayed more than sixty times in the past four years.

Decision Maker 194

Decision Maker Hotels Cancellation Travel 194

No More Cold Calling

JULY 12, 2024

Sales leaders complain that reps don’t get enough qualified leads, their pipelines are fluff, and it takes them way too long to reach their prospects. Referrals can also help you more than double your sales team without adding to payroll, because your customers and networks become an extended sales force. They’d better.

Scale 317

Scale Referrals Penetration Sales Qualified Lead 317

Understanding the Sales Force

SEPTEMBER 18, 2023

One major key to success in sales is a salesperson’s ability to reach decision makers. Salespeople who reach THE decision maker are 341% more likely to close the business than those who fail to reach the decision maker. However, working with them also lengthens the sales process.

Decision Maker 207

Decision Maker Insurance Insurance Call-back 207

Mr. Inside Sales

JUNE 11, 2021

Sales people like to talk; if you don’t believe me, just listen to a recording of one of your reps (or of yourself!). Also, learn to use layering questions when you get answers you either don’t fully understand, or when you get an answer that makes you want to know more about their process, decision making, budget, etc. Rewrite it.

Face-to-face 317

Face-to-face Gatekeeper Licensing Decision Maker 317

Mr. Inside Sales

MARCH 6, 2021

This may sound elemental, but I rarely hear sales reps use it when speaking with gatekeepers. ON DEMAND SALES TRAINING THAT GETS RESULTS! The post Two Simple Words to Open More Doors—and Close More Sales appeared first on Mr. Inside Sales. The first word is “please.”. Or they just say they’re trying to reach so-and-so.

Gatekeeper 316

Gatekeeper Closing Face-to-face Licensing 316

Steven Rosen

MARCH 12, 2024

Hosts Colleen Stanley and Steven Rosen discuss the importance of face-to-face conversations in sales and how sales leaders can encourage their teams to embrace in-person interactions. These reactions make it easier to be empathetic and build trust, essential for successful sales relationships.

Face-to-face 296

Face-to-face Video Decision Maker Loyalty 296

Mr. Inside Sales

DECEMBER 12, 2020

In case you missed this, I received the following email last week: Dear Mike: The people have spoken and your article, “3 Keys to Dealing with Difficult Prospects,” has won 2nd place in our 2020 Sales Pro Central MVP Awards Social Selling category!” Then: “And also, I’m not the decision maker on this, I’m just an influencer.

Decision Maker 291

Decision Maker Face-to-face Call-back Gatekeeper 291

Understanding the Sales Force

AUGUST 16, 2023

If they were anything like the bottom 56% of all salespeople, who don’t effectively follow a sales process, they would begin with step 4 so that they could quickly get to steps 7-9. The post How Building a Stone Walkway Makes the Case for Sales Process appeared first on Kurlan & Associates, Inc.

Sales Process 227

Sales Process Decision Maker Proposal Follow-up 227

Understanding the Sales Force

NOVEMBER 26, 2024

.” Them there’s some really great rules for selling but if you’re going to break a rule, make sure it’s not sales process! There are plenty of other rules to break, especially those that are meant to prevent you from reaching decision makers! When you follow the sales process, good things will happen.

Decision Maker 334

Decision Maker Proposal Sales Process Video 334

Anthony Cole Training

DECEMBER 13, 2024

Actually, 'tis the season for every sales leader and company to wonder: Are my people reaching out to enough prospects and customers so that we can begin the year strong? The runway is shortening, and this can be a challenging time to reach decision-makers because they, too, may be out of the office or otherwise busy.

Prospecting 174

Prospecting Decision Maker Sales Company 174

Anthony Cole Training

NOVEMBER 11, 2022

Thou shout never present without making sure your prospect is committed to making a decision. Are you certain you're getting the decision-maker to a point of clarity? This video is a part of our new series with Mark Trinkle: The 10 Commandments of Sales Success. Watch Commandment #5 now!

Decision Maker 232

Decision Maker Video Sales Prospecting 232

Understanding the Sales Force

MARCH 13, 2024

But lately, when I talk with the Kurlan & Associates team, the topic is consistently about salespeople who push back when our sales training and coaching is specific to RFPs. When you partner with those decision makers, they write you into the spec and/or dictate to procurement to whom the business must be awarded.

Decision Maker 207

Decision Maker Data Hiring Proposal 207

Mr. Inside Sales

AUGUST 14, 2020

Have you ever stopped and examined your attitude about sales? When someone asks you what you do for a living, are you embarrassed to say you’re in sales? See, I was smarter, better, had more to offer than just “sales.”. My real attitude was that sales was a pushy occupation for people who couldn’t do anything else.

Face-to-face 295

Face-to-face Call-back Gatekeeper Licensing 295

Sales and Marketing Management

JUNE 25, 2018

I know, you fell into sales, and perhaps from there, sales management. studying sales methodologies, you know that you are obsessed. Are you obsessed about getting that key decision maker live even if they tell you “no.” If hesitation, don't work there - that's an anti-sales culture. is more cowbell!

B2B 319

B2B Banking Conference Decision Maker 319

Sales 2.0

APRIL 23, 2020

Adapting your sales collateral/marketing pieces to the specialized needs of large accounts. Adapting your sales collateral/marketing pieces to the specialized needs of large accounts. Managing your pipeline to the longer decision-making timelines of large accounts.

Enterprise 432

Enterprise Enterprise Penetration Gatekeeper 432

The Pipeline

DECEMBER 3, 2019

Sales, and the corner my fellow pundits and I occupy is no different. People often talk about changes we face in sales but continue to try to deal with theses changes using old schtick. While that may have made sense in more traditional organizations, in 2020, there is a better way to chart sales success. Going High.

Decision Maker 293

Decision Maker Face-to-face Buyer Sales 293

Sales and Marketing Management

FEBRUARY 8, 2021

Author: Shawn Finder Ask sales and marketing leaders what digital channels they leverage to generate leads and help their teams hit quota and you’ll likely get the same answer over and over: cold calls and emails. You can start chatting with your accounts and have them make an introduction for you to the decision-maker at a company.

Quota 296

Quota Channels Decision Maker Cold Calling 296

Zoominfo

SEPTEMBER 7, 2021

They’re the key decision-makers when it comes to making major investments in their businesses. Yet, historically, getting the CEO, CFO, or even the CTO to engage early in the sales process—if at all—has been a long shot. CXOs will want to hear about these details as soon as possible — like, in your first sales meeting.

Decision Maker 259

Decision Maker Analysis ROI Sales Meeting 259

The Pipeline

AUGUST 22, 2019

I understand connecting with decision-makers or influencers is a challenge, we are all looking for good ideas. By Tibor Shanto. But some things sellers are told to do are not just silly but can cost them opportunities. See what I mean: [link]. Please, don’t ask them that. Ask them something worth answering.

Decision Maker 276

Decision Maker Influencer Opportunity Video 276

Mr. Inside Sales

APRIL 23, 2021

If you find the real objection even half the time, you’ll be that much closer to closing more sales! ON DEMAND SALES TRAINING THAT GETS RESULTS! appeared first on Mr. Inside Sales. And then use it for a month and see what you find. Need More Proven Responses to the Selling Situations You Face Every Day? Get Access Today.

Face-to-face 334

Face-to-face Gatekeeper Licensing Decision Maker 334

Mr. Inside Sales

DECEMBER 23, 2023

What are your plans to make this your best year in sales ever? Here are three things I did all those years ago that changed my sales career, and my life, forever: #1) For the first ninety days in 2024, make a commitment to listening to at least ONE call a day. ON DEMAND SALES TRAINING THAT GETS RESULTS! All the best for 2024!

Face-to-face 233

Face-to-face Gatekeeper Licensing Decision Maker 233

Zoominfo

MARCH 4, 2021

On the other hand, a faster sales cycle keeps your buyer’s attention on your offering. Understanding the sales cycle in separate stages helps predict buyer behavior and selling outcomes. Sales reps can also pinpoint specific obstacles and make improvements with a stage-focused sales strategy. Prospecting. Negotiation.

Sales Cycle 246

Sales Cycle Ideal Customer Profile Lead Rank Lead Scoring 246

No More Cold Calling

MARCH 14, 2019

Since then, I’ve spent a lot of time reading, writing, and talking about women in sales. Yet, we still hear of discrimination against women and, frankly, anyone who looks different than decision-makers and hiring managers. That prompted me to write “ Men with Daughters Get It ” in honor of International Women’s Day 2015.

Cold Calling 322

Cold Calling Hiring Decision Maker Sales Qualified Lead 322

Understanding the Sales Force

FEBRUARY 28, 2024

Some observations: The data represents the forecast and funnel for 7 sales teams. Was the sales manager afraid the question the salesperson? Was the sales manager afraid to remove it because the gap to target would increase? Are they decision makers or are they simply contacts?

Pipeline 177

Pipeline Opportunity Decision Maker Top of Funnel 177

Mr. Inside Sales

JULY 30, 2021

Use the following questions to help open your prospect up and to get them to reveal where they really stand, and what you need to do to move closer to the sale: #1 “I can tell that’s important to you; why does it mean so much?”. #2 If you’re a manager, this is a great exercise for a sales meeting. Happy Selling! Get Access Today.

Closing 334

Closing Gatekeeper Face-to-face Licensing 334