There was a time not so long ago when the tools-of-the-trade for a salesperson were a Rolodex, a landline phone, and a pair of comfortable shoes.
Not anymore.
Rolodexes of relationships have been replaced by LinkedIn connections, landline phones by synchronized communication streams, and comfortable shoes by online meetings and note takers, all powered by artificial intelligence.
Tue, Sep 24, 2024 — Salesforce’s “State of Sales” report surveyed 5,500 sales professionals earlier this year. Two findings caught my attention. First, sales reps spend only 30% of their time selling during an average week. Second, 81% of sales teams said they are investing in AI. Of those using AI, 41% believe that they have “fully implemented AI.” The remaining 59% range from having no strategy at all, to tinkering with tools.
Tue, Jul 2, 2024 — Out for a walk on a cool May morning, I saw a pickup truck pull alongside. It was Ray from up the street. “Are you around May 31st?” he asked. “I’m having a 99th birthday party.” That’s funny, I thought, Ray can’t be much over 70. “Yep, this one is my 99th. Last year’s party was my 100th. Figured there’s no way I’d ever live to be 100, and I really wanted to have a 100th birthday party. So I did!
Tue, May 7, 2024 — CEOs often struggle with why their sales team doesn’t close more deals. A common reason why deals don’t close is the proposal is not being presented in a way that communicates the most value to the prospect. Worse, the salesperson is having trouble getting feedback from the prospect regarding the proposal's status and, therefore, keeps it on their forecast for a ridiculous amount of time. This article will provide a way to ensure your team creates the most value for your product and service, enabling your company to win more deals and increase revenue.
Thu, Apr 11, 2024 — Does your company provide customers with expensive business inputs? Or are you crucial in other ways to your customers’ business success?
Tue, Oct 24, 2023 — Attention, bargain shoppers! In the realm of business-to-business (B2B) sales, blue lights, doorbusters, Black Friday sales, or penny pinchers don’t apply. That said, in our ever-evolving battleground, the age-old theory that "everyone buys a bargain" still holds.
Fri, Jul 14, 2023 — Part 5: Moving Your KPI Levers Into Alignment Managing a sales team can be a lonely job these days. Just a few years ago, the energy in a typical sales office was positively electric. The office reverberated with the sound of ringing phones, demonstrations, strategy sessions, pipeline reviews, and the clanging of the sales bell after a deal was closed.
Mon, Jul 3, 2023 — Part 4: Is Your Sales Process Supporting Revenue Growth? At the dinner table, you tend to get immediate feedback when the recipe of the dish being served is not quite perfected. In the business world, where the steaks….er….stakes are higher, it is no less important to have a plan which appropriately combines the ingredients for world-class success.
Fri, Jun 23, 2023 — Part 3: Technology Platforms for the Win The market for sales enablement platforms has never been more robust. As companies like yours clamor for clients, revenue, and growth, they’re showering billions on the latest technology tools to help get them there. In fact, a recent report projects that the global market for sales enablement tech will grow at a 15 percent rate over the next five years, topping $9 billion by 2028.
Thu, Jun 15, 2023 — Part 2: Finding the Right Talent for the Game Here today, gone tomorrow: Did you know that the average tenure of a sales professional is just about a year and a half? It’s a mind-blowing statistic that is, on the surface, an indicator of the rigors of a sales role, in any market segment.