Understanding the Sales Force

FEBRUARY 1, 2025

If you have a pile of files on your desk, a to-do list that is so long it must be scrolled to read, past-due proposals, and an empty pipeline, you are probably not very well organized, don’t manage your time very well, and likely behind on quota. Back to the sales leaders. Pretty amazing, isn’t it? Want some help ?

Sales Leadership 286

Sales Leadership Buying Cycle Coaching Proposal 286

The Pipeline

SEPTEMBER 2, 2020

From the time of the first salesperson, sales leaders have been trying to figure out how to get their teams to prospect. In a recent survey, 42% of sales and corporate leaders identified prospecting as a skills gap in their organizations. But while prospecting part/start of the sales cycle.

System 316

System Prospecting Quota Decision Maker 316

The Pipeline

MARCH 19, 2019

With regularity, most active sales trainers and I get the following question: “When is the best time to prospect?”. First, wanting to stay real and all, what they are really looking for is either a reason not to prospect or absolution from having not prospected for a while for all the wrong and usual reasons.

Prospecting 306

Prospecting Proposal Cold Calling Quota 306

The Pipeline

APRIL 16, 2019

We live in stressful times , no matter what we do, stress will be a factor, especially in sales. While there are distinct sources of stress for a sales rep, their manager, customers and the ever-present quota. There is a reason why successful salespeople seem less wound up: they do not have the quota stress. Prospecting.

Quota 236

Quota Real Estate Pipeline Ideal Customer Profile 236

Hubspot Sales

JULY 30, 2024

As a B2B salesperson for companies like IBM and Open Text, scheduling in-person meetings or phone calls was often challenging, regardless of my prospect or client’s industry or business size. Read on to hear my tactics for ending a sales email.e Read on to hear my tactics for ending a sales email.e

Closing 122

Closing Quota How To Webinar Metrics 122

The Pipeline

FEBRUARY 9, 2021

31 seconds that make a prospecting call. Yes, the phone is a numbers game, and so is a quota. The post 31 Seconds That Make a Prospecting Call appeared first on TiborShanto.com. Not only do people answer their phones, but they also take calls from strangers. And when they do, they give you 31 seconds. By The Numbers.

Prospecting 369

Prospecting Real Estate Quota Video 369

No More Cold Calling

JANUARY 9, 2020

million per sales manager. But I don’t think any sales manager listened, because more than half of reps are still missing quota. But I don’t think any sales manager listened, because more than half of reps are still missing quota. So, why is it acceptable for half your team to miss quota?

Sales Management 390

Sales Management Hiring Cold Calling Quota 390

Hubspot Sales

FEBRUARY 10, 2025

Successfully executing a sales process is a lot like growing a flower, and in the context of this half-baked analogy, prospecting is like finding seeds. Anyway, this week's edition of The Pipeline covers some key mistakes experts say you need to avoid when prospecting. 7 Fatal Sales Prospecting Mistakes You Might Be Making 1.

Ideal Customer Profile 98

Ideal Customer Profile Prospecting Hiring Lead Rank 98

Zoominfo

JANUARY 23, 2021

If your sales pipeline is colder than a Siberian spigot in January, it’s time to rethink your sales prospecting techniques. Here’s the thing though, reps need actionable techniques and tips to make their prospecting systematic, smooth, and, of course, profitable. What are Prospecting Techniques? Let’s jump in.

Ideal Customer Profile 264

Ideal Customer Profile Prospecting Cold Calling Decision Maker 264

The Pipeline

NOVEMBER 15, 2020

Not the right question, reaching someone is a single point on a continuous prospecting journey. Many of those distractions impact our prospecting, making the challenge of a full pipeline even more critical. Which is why Sunday is crucial to your prospecting success. Hard to do when the world is unfolding around you.

Prospecting 241

Prospecting Call-back Quota Objections 241

The Sales Hunter

JANUARY 23, 2019

Prospecting is not an afterthought. Prospecting is the foundation sales should be built upon. Furthermore, sales is what business is built on, and business is what drives the economy. If you remove prospecting from the equation, business and in turn the economy will be affected very quickly.

Prospecting 51

Prospecting Face-to-face Networking Motivation 51

Sales 2.0

DECEMBER 17, 2024

I am continuing to report on findings from my new sales project. The project has already thrown up a few reminders I see time-and-time-again in the sales world. I am taking over a sales territory from a salesperson that has recently left the clients company. Reminder 2: Sales are driven by the customers.

Ideal Customer Profile 195

Ideal Customer Profile Territories CRM Account 195

The Pipeline

JUNE 1, 2021

Executing a prospecting call well, requires competencies and skill different from selling; prospecting is in many ways counter to sales. Making many things that are acceptable while in the selling phase of the client life cycle, are useless while prospecting. Simply put, if you can’t prospect, what will you sell?

Prospecting 222

Prospecting Cold Calling Lead Rank Research 222

No More Cold Calling

APRIL 15, 2021

Every sales leader says their #1 prospecting challenge is getting leads in the pipe. Despite the fact that most companies have marketing automation solutions, targeted outreach by SDRs, and intense social media strategies, account execs are still missing quota en masse. None of us stands out during prospecting.

Lead Gen 397

Lead Gen Sales Qualified Lead Marketing Qualified Lead Leads 397

Hubspot Sales

SEPTEMBER 6, 2024

When a prospect first reaches out for more information, I’ve found that engagement is at its peak. Many times I’ve been frustrated trying to chase down a once-excited prospect whose priorities have already shifted to the next item on the list. Wondering how to achieve this lofty goal? AI can help.

Closing 115

Closing Ideal Customer Profile Top of Funnel Lead Rank 115

No More Cold Calling

AUGUST 2, 2018

The odds might not be in your sales team’s favor … yet. I’ve interviewed many sales reps over the past two months, trying to better understand the challenges they face in today’s fast-paced, digital-first sales environment. And still they are expected to prospect and bring leads into the pipe.

Data 297

Data Quota Face-to-face Cold Calling 297

The Pipeline

MAY 11, 2021

We all accept that sales is about taking a fact and giving it possibilities; but all within reason. He would demonstrate how easy it was to exceed quota if you only did “these things.” For things to unfold the way he presented, the stars and the gods would have to align in perfect formation. We used to call it “The Magic Show.”

Quota 341

Quota Lead Rank Forecasting ROI 341

The Pipeline

AUGUST 5, 2021

In sales the go to is often sports, and one can understand why. With nearly half of B2B reps missing quota , it follows that they are failing to deliver value to their prospects. It start with how sellers think about time; which is why in sales, time is value not money. By Tibor Shanto. Customer Value Management.

Lead Rank 352

Lead Rank Lead Scoring Ideal Customer Profile Objections 352

Hubspot Sales

MARCH 13, 2025

According to a 2023 survey of over 450 sales leaders, 91% of their teams missed quota that year. And even with revenue up in 2024 , reps are still struggling to meet their sales goals. Getting stuck on YTD sales. Projecting a sales cycle ahead of time gives sellers a better chance of making their numbers.

Revenue 95

Revenue Meeting Top of Funnel Forecasting 95

Sales and Marketing Management

JANUARY 20, 2020

Or worse, could you lose your sales job altogether? You could be vulnerable if you’re not sharpening your sales skills and honing the tactics that will help you succeed in 2020. Forrester analyst Andy Hoar didn’t mince words when he spoke at the 2015 Forrester Sales Enablement Forum. Adapt to the Digital Business Environment.

Sales Goal 312

Sales Goal Meeting Trade Show Ideal Customer Profile 312

No More Cold Calling

OCTOBER 18, 2018

priority in your sales prospecting techniques. Message to sales leaders: Your job is to get the rocks off the road so your team can close deals, exceed quota, and blow past revenue goals. Oh, and they’re not making quota—not even close. You know who doesn’t have to worry about reps making quota?

Referrals 325

Referrals Cold Calling Quota Sales Qualified Lead 325

Zoominfo

AUGUST 8, 2024

To be successful, sales professionals need to be experts in many different areas at once: their product’s strengths and weaknesses, their prospects’ pain points and needs, and the broader economic and competitive landscapes. To give sellers a fighting chance, sales leaders need to build an effective, flexible sales enablement program.

Sales Enablement 130

Sales Enablement Strategy Scale Hiring 130

Zoominfo

JUNE 28, 2023

And for revenue leaders, that means the tug-of-war between sales capacity and quota attainment is perhaps more important than ever. While a larger sales team can be an asset, it’s also one of the biggest expenses for companies already facing pressure to mitigate costs. partner Jordan Lee said at a recent ZoomInfo event.

Quota 130

Quota Hiring Scale Face-to-face 130

The Pipeline

NOVEMBER 16, 2021

Unfortunately, many salespeople see their pipeline as a holding tank for opportunities, rather than a means of driving to quota. Pipeline reviews involve flows and paths to success, quota. I have shared my views on time , it is the currency of sales, time and pipelines are finite. And time to quota. Pay To Play.

Pipeline 308

Pipeline Quota Video Resources 308

The Pipeline

NOVEMBER 19, 2020

Your prospects sure don’t! What really counts in the real world (you know where sales are made), is the prospects’ and clients’ perception and definition of value. What really counts in the real world (you know where sales are made), is the prospects’ and clients’ perception and definition of value. No, seriously!

Lead Rank 398

Lead Rank Lead Scoring Margin SME 398

The Pipeline

FEBRUARY 12, 2019

Salespeople are preoccupied with closing; makes sense, that seems to be where the pay-off is for everyone, at times even the prospect. However, the biggest challenge most sales organizations have is not closing but opening. One challenge is that most salespeople do not know what they “need” to close to make quota.

Closing 292

Closing Quota Proposal Face-to-face 292

The Pipeline

JULY 7, 2021

Want to split a room of salespeople, just ask if “sales is a numbers game or not?” Full disclosure, I came from the sales is a numbers game camp. But there is no escaping the fact that while sale may not be a numbers game, your numbers have to add up. The debate has raged on for years with few converts. Behind The Numbers.

Discount 361

Discount Quota Sports Objections 361

The Pipeline

MAY 14, 2019

I can understand why someone getting feedback like this, would line up with the “Sales is not a numbers game” camp. Not just individually as reps or managers, but collectively as a team, or the whole sales organization. As a small change in one sales number can lead to significant changes in unanticipated or untracked ways.

Sage 313

Sage Quota Coaching Proposal 313

Sales Gravy

MARCH 18, 2025

Gaius, who runs an insurance brokerage in Ohio wants to know how to get his new sales agents cold calling and building pipeline earlier in their training cycle, without making them feel overwhelmed and sabotaging their confidence. The question is, how soon can they start generating leads and setting up sales conversations?

Cold Calling 83

Cold Calling Hiring Guidelines GoldMine 83

The Pipeline

AUGUST 24, 2021

And the one thing in abundance in B2B sales, is talk, often just for the sake of talk, not communication. One thing people talk about are the attributes of successful salespeople, let’s make that a low bar, making quota. Curiosity is not a sales skill; curiosity is a way of life. Be Curious About Things You Don’t Know.

SME 391

SME Margin Video Quota 391

The Pipeline

FEBRUARY 22, 2022

Despite advancements in tools, methodologies, and other attempts, sales as a profession continues to struggle. Quota attainment remains under 60%, closed forecasted deals aren’t much better. Even before you identify specific prospects, we need to understand why they would interact with us. But to get the prospect to think.

Objections 351

Objections Forecasting Quota Buyer 351

Hubspot Sales

JANUARY 14, 2025

Have you ever wondered what sets top sales performers apart from the rest? All sales champions employ specific strategies and have particular mindsets that allow them to constantly drive deals forward. Table of Contents: What is a sales champion? How to Attract and Engage a Sales Champion Want to Seal a Deal?

Data 111

Data Hubspot Negotiation B2B 111

The Pipeline

AUGUST 10, 2021

Questions are the weapon of choice for consistently successful salespeople, so listen up the half that aren’t making quota. But most sales professionals don’t approach question in a strategic fashion, meaning going beyond the obvious. Your Swiss Sales Knife. Bad as with any weapon it comes down to how and why.

Fashion 329

Fashion Campaigns Outbound Quota 329

Sales and Marketing Management

JANUARY 21, 2019

To stay ahead of the competition and thrive, it’s essential to identify and adopt sales techniques that can boost your productivity and results. The front-runners focus on data hygiene and ensuring they have accurate and holistic customer information across sales, marketing and service departments. Automated sales prospecting.

Trends 297

Trends B2B Social Media Telemarketing 297

The Pipeline

JUNE 18, 2020

Urgency is always a battle cry at sales meetings, one on one or the team. The quarter-end is coming, and there are only two left behind it, “we need to get our ass in gear if we’re gonna hit quota.” The problem that needs to be fixed in their inability to prospect and bring enough viable opportunities to play. By Tibor Shanto.

Discount 297

Discount Quota Face-to-face Margin 297