Dave Kurlan

  • What Automotive Technology Can Teach us About Sales Process

    • May 20, 2011
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    Much like the automobile drivers of decades past, the salespeople in companies lacking a formal, structured sales process don’t know what they don’t know.  They aren’t aware that they aren’t as safe as those with the process.  They don’t know they are out of control and at risk every time they conduct a sales meeting or call.

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  • The Complex Sale – Part 2

    • May 19, 2011
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    Yesterday, we discussed the elements of the complex sale and the factors that make it so challenging.  I also asked whether you should you attempt to incorporate some of the elements of the complex sale in order to outsell your competitors.

    Today, we will revisit the factors that make it so challenging and discuss how various selling weaknesses interact with those factors.

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  • Do You/Should You Have a Complex Sale?

    • May 18, 2011
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    The Complex Sale – it’s so—-complex!

    Today we will simplify the complex sale and even ask if you should have a complex sale.

    First, what makes a sale complex?

    In most cases, a sale is complex when it:

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  • Can Sales Candidate Assessments Drive Results?

    • May 13, 2011
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    They claimed that salespeople who scored highest on their assessments had 69% higher close rates.  That’s impressive, right?  But their assessment didn’t drive the results. Those salespeople drove the results.  Their assessment simply indicated that those salespeople would be more successful.  That is what an assessment is supposed to do!  They could just as easily said, “Our assessments do what they’re supposed to do!”

    So let’s take a closer look at a 69% higher close.  It means that if the salespeople with a lower score close 1 of every 10 opportunities, then the strong salespeople, who scored highest on the assessment, will close 69% more of their 10 opportunities, or 1.69.  It’s not nearly as impressive as it sounds, is it?  

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  • Get Your Veteran Salespeople to Take Baby Steps

    • May 12, 2011
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    You cannot script these questions.  Your salespeople must be able to identify the questioning opportunities in real time while their prospects are responding to the question currently in play.  This requires VERY focused listening, note taking, and patience.  And the biggest challenge?  Your salespeople must avoid the temptation to jump to a different question topic, jump to presentation, or jump in with a solution!

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  • Do Stories Make a Difference When Selling?

    • May 10, 2011
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    Perhaps you have some stories that you always share – to make a point, lower resistance, show a different perspective, break up a technical presentation, provide examples, or explain what you do.  

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  • Selling is All in the Timing

    • May 9, 2011
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    Selling is like cooking.  

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  • The Longest Sales Cycle Ever – How They Closed the Deal

    • May 3, 2011
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    If only your salespeople had that kind of commitment and staying power.  If only they were able to somehow get connected to their target prospects.  If only they could close the big ones on the first call.  It’s OK to dream big.  It’s OK to think about possibilities like this. It’s OK to want your salespeople to do more, more quickly, more often, and with more success.  Until your desires become expectations, you won’t do anything to change the behaviors that lead to results.

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  • The New Way To Train and Develop Salespeople – Does it Work?

    • May 2, 2011
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    The impact of these changes is that salespeople receive less information, less often, but focus more, for a longer period of time, on each important component of the sales process.  The net result is that they reach their potential and generate more revenue more quickly than in the past.  One hour – one topic – one thing to practice – two weeks to practice it.

    Simple.  Effective.  It works.   So the formula is LESS, LESS OFTEN = MORE, MORE QUICKLY.

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