sales process

  • Dave Kurlan’s Predictions for Sales Organization in 2020

    • December 16, 2019
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    Before I can make any predictions for 2020, let’s start with these ten simple truths about selling for proper context.

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  • The Most Successful Negotiation is The Negotiation That Isn’t Needed

    • December 9, 2019
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    This week, one company said that their terms are Net 75.  I said, “I’m sorry, but we can’t solve your problem and be your bank.  Our terms are due on receipt of invoice and it’s non-negotiable.” 

    They said, “Oh, OK.”

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  • The Top 15 Sales and Sales Leadership Articles of 2019

    • December 4, 2019
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force
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  • Sales Process and Why So Many Salespeople Lose Their Way

    • October 17, 2019
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    Last night I was on Interstate 90, the MassPike, driving home from the airport in a wind-driven rainstorm.  It was so bad I couldn’t see the white lines that divide the three lanes nor could I see the Jersey barriers dividing the eastbound from the westbound traffic.  It was almost as scary as the plane’s rocky decent from 30,000 feet in gale-force winds last night or driving in a blizzard! 

    The inability to see where I was and where I was going is what most salespeople experience when they sell.  Most salespeople don’t have a formal, structured, milestone-centric sales process to follow so they can’t possibly know where they are, and where they need to go.  

    Consider the following alarming statistics from Objective Management Group’s evaluations and assessments of 1,908,143 salespeople with regard to sales process:

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  • How to Know if You Are You Really Selling Consultatively

    • June 4, 2019
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    Most of the CEOs and sales leaders I speak with agree that their sales organizations need to be more effective at taking a consultative approach to selling. At the same time, they insist that they talk about it often and that their salespeople are doing OK with a consultative approach.  OMG’s Sales Force Evaluation usually reveals that they aren’t doing much more than talking about it, as their scores for the Consultative Seller competency are quite low.

    How can you determine if you or your team are being effective at using a consultative approach?  I created this list of outcomes that would be true if your consultative approach was working effectively.  You and/or your salespeople are :

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  • Salespeople Make This Mistake – The Dumb Question I Was Asked in a Hotel Restaurant

    • February 15, 2019
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    I pulled up to the entrance of the Doubletree Hotel, greeted Chris, and we walked into the hotel restaurant.  As we approached the table, a well-meaning server asked, are you an Honors member?  I said, “yes.”  

    A moment later she returned and said she couldn’t find me in the system.  She asked me to spell my name, went back to her computer, and returned again, saying, “I can’t find your reservation in the system.”

    I explained that I wasn’t a hotel guest and we were here for breakfast.  “Oh, then you’ll have to pay for your breakfast!”  

    “OK,” I said.  After all, I was expecting to pay for breakfast!

    Can you imagine how much simpler it would have been if her first question was, “Are you staying with us?”

    Salespeople make the exact same mistake.  How do I know?  I can prove this with several examples.

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  • I’m Sorry But Your Sales Process Sucks

    • February 1, 2019
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    Perhaps you saw this too.  Yesterday, a post appeared in my LinkedIn feed that talked about the power of sales process.  The article was clearly written to support the author’s technology application, which helps track sales KPI’s; so they should know a little about the topic of sales process.

    Towards the end of the article, they provided a sample of what an effective sales process should look like.  The following text is exactly what they wrote:

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  • Do the Least Informed Salespeople Have the Loudest Voices

    • January 22, 2019
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    Do the least informed among us have the loudest voices? 

    Consider two very different salespeople working a new opportunity. 

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  • The Top 8 Requirements for Becoming a Great Salesperson

    • January 14, 2019
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    Do you remember the moment you became a Salesperson?  Not a presenter, Not an order taker, but a true consultative sales professional?

    Here are some guidelines to identify the moment you turned professional. 

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  • Dave Kurlan’s 10 Surefire New Years Resolutions For All Salespeople

    • January 3, 2019
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    I’ve compiled a list of resolutions that all salespeople should make and follow.  Some will likely surprise you but they are all necessary to become more successful.  Enjoy the 10 most important elements for New Year’s Resolutions That All Salespeople Must Make.  Here we go!

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