The America’s Cup race team is highly selective about which sailors are allowed to crew the ship. If the team wants to win, the best people are needed. A company should be equally selective about who sells its products or services. Your salespeople are your face to the customer and they play a large role ... Read Post

We’ve learned a thing or two about hiring salespeople in the 19 years I’ve been running a company of for-hire senior level Door Openers®. Most sales VPs–and, for that matter, business owners–know the difference between farmers and hunters in sales. What they may not know, however, is that not all hunters are created equally. There ... Read Post

Probably every salesperson at one time or another is derailed by an objection during a sales call. There is an endless variety of them–for example, “Why is your price so much higher than that of your competitor?” Or “We think we can do this in-house.” Or the ever-popular “We actually need to delay this for ... Read Post

The scene and the script are very common. A sales manager is approached by a sales rep pushing strongly for the pursuit of a large enterprise account opportunity. “It’s right in our power swing”, “We’re positioned to win”, and “It’s ours to lose” ring out in the pitch. Often, after some discussion around performance, the ... Read Post

Building a top-notch sales force is a dynamic endeavor. It requires a solid foundation of leadership, market focus, sales process and ongoing management. Many organizations have some – but not all – of these critical components in place and wonder why results may be lacking. Is your sales force ‘fit’? Are your sales people thriving ... Read Post

If you’re a member of a sales force, or in sales management, there is always practical information you must know. You need to know as much as possible about your own products. You need to have a firm grounding about your particular industry and market. Today especially you must have as much insight as possible ... Read Post

We recently interviewed top sales expert, bestselling author and leading sales and executive coach Deb Calvert on several topics of her expertise, including her new book Stop Selling and Start Leading. The interview gives some fascinating insight into sales questions, teamwork, and the amazing power of leadership in sales. 1. The name of your company ... Read Post

A variety of industries use inside sales as a popular high-growth sales model. According to Harvard Business Review, 46 percent of high-growth tech companies are expanding through inside sales, as compared to 21 percent growing through outside sales teams. The reasons for inside sales (SDR/BDR) team growth vary, but one fact is clear: buyers seem ... Read Post