Dave Kurlan

  • Salespeople Failing to Get Prospects to the Phone

    • April 28, 2011
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    This is a great example of why so many salespeople waste so much time chasing down their prospects and why prospects do such a fantastic job of avoiding these calls and emails.

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  • Bad Things That Happen When You Leave it Up to Your Salespeople

    • April 27, 2011
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    Here are the 10 most common things that your salespeople will do when they aren’t managed effectively, or, in many cases, when they are only managed on an as needed basis.

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  • Does Fear Prevent Salespeople From Executing Your Sales Plan?

    • April 22, 2011
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    These are just a few examples of self-limiting sales management beliefs!  Is it possible that you or your sales managers have some of them?

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  • Is it Good to Have Perfectionists on Your Sales Force?

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

    The best thing about perfectionists on your sales force is that you don’t usually have to worry about their administrative accuracy. Their emails, letters, proposals and quotes are well done and not prone to typos. The information they input into your CRM or SFA is accurate and done on a timely basis. Their call reports are meticulous and submitted on time. What’s not to like about that?

    The downside of course. And what’s that?

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  • Little League and the Sales Force – It’s more Than Trophies

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

    The underlying premise for a contest is to change behavior that will drive revenue!

    Challenge your salespeople, provide incentives for them to modify behaviors to drive revenue, and reward them for leading the way.  It’s a formula that can’t be beat.

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  • Money Motivated Salespeople a Dying Breed

    • April 8, 2011
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    I mined the data on 150,000 salespeople that were assessed in the past three years, a period of time that includes both the pre and post economic crash. I noted that the only data point that has changed for salespeople is the percentage that were Money Motivated.

    50% fewer salespeople are money motivated today as compared to the findings from 2007.

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  • The Prospect Isn’t Talking with Any Other Salespeople

    • April 4, 2011
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    It’s not that this can’t happen.  Some people don’t need to compare, talk with three companies, look at several options or get three quotes.  I don’t.  Most great salespeople don’t.  And your salespeople should never assume that a prospect NEEDS to shop around.

    On the other hand, when the salesperson says, “They aren’t talking with anyone else”, and it turns out that they were, you have to wonder how the salesperson missed it.

    There are several reasons why it could get missed.  They include:

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  • Selling is Like Rocket Science Until You Do These 2 Things Well

    • March 31, 2011
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    Next, he said, “We just got some outdoor furniture in over here!”  Huh?  Outdoor furniture?  She’s falling in love with a sofa and he’s pulling her away to look at outdoor furniture?

    She ignored him.

    He’s not stupid.  No, he’s a moron and tried again.  “We have some really good deals on the outdoor furniture….”

    She ignored a second time.  Good for her!

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  • Top 6 Factors for Killing a Sales Opportunity or Prospect

    • March 30, 2011
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    I hear this question a lot…”When should I move on?”

    You have left 6 messages and haven’t received a return call.

    You have a prospect and things were moving along pretty well and now you can’t get them back on the phone.

    Should you move on?

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  • Startups and the Dilemma of the First Sales Hire

    • March 11, 2011
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    When a company is ready to hire someone for its first sales role, they often face a big dilemma:

    Should it be a salesperson?
    Should it be a selling sales manager?
    Should it be a selling Sales VP?

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