Next time you’re in a room full of business owners, try asking ten of them to define business development. Chances are, you’ll get ten different answers. Some might use the term interchangeably with “marketing,” while others think of business development as whatever the sales team does all day. A lot of people go to classes ... Read Post

There used to be a time long ago when someone who wanted to start a retail business had to invest large amounts of capital for a storefront and a place to store their inventory. Along came the Internet and dropshipping, offering entrepreneurs a new way to do order fulfillment. Dropshipping is when the e-tailer receives ... Read Post

Building a sales organization that is able to respond to “the unexpected” is one of the most challenging roles for leaders to play in today’s environment. Market dynamics are significantly different than in the past where there were greater continuity and relatively less unpredictability. Today it is commonplace to see multiple new technologies shot into ... Read Post

Most everyone is familiar with Charles Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol, which relates the story of the greedy old Ebenezer Scrooge. Mr. Scrooge is visited by three different spirits who show him the various stages of his life—past, present and future—and how the various decisions he made led to his miserable existence. When Scrooge is ... Read Post

Most salespeople want recognition for their excellent work. Sales training teaches us a specific order for the steps of the sales cycle. Reading the classic sales books will boost our understanding of how to sell. However, when one follows the exact rules and procedures similar to everyone else, there is little hope for rising above ... Read Post

Why Lessons Learned Customer Meetings Always Offer a Strong ROI Your Return on Investment for Retrospectives Retrospectives, sometimes called a win/loss analysis, are powerful for the following reasons: Done correctly, you can uncover the real buying criteria and decision process. Since the sale is behind you, but still fresh in everyone’s mind, it’s a perfect ... Read Post

The purpose of process is to ensure consistency. A good process is like a checklist that ensures the right things get done by the right people at the right time. Unfortunately, sales is a discipline that often lacks documented processes. Consequently, sales results are often unpredictable from one quarter to another. Many organizations are now ... Read Post

Enterprise Selling: The Difference Between Owning a Cat and Herding Cats Herding Cats Winning, growing, and keeping enterprise accounts presents complexities far beyond those offered by small and medium-sized accounts. Unique challenges, such as vast, diverse buyer networks, long sales cycles, and the significant investments that accompany enterprise pursuits create problems we don’t encounter in ... Read Post