sales process
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Embarassed by This Sales Article in The Economist?
- October 31, 2011
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
On October 22, The Economist published an article called, The Art of Selling – The Death of the Salesman Has been Greatly Exaggerated. Is the Economist really that far out of touch? I wrote the last of my 5-part Death of Selling Has Been Exaggerated articles 5 years ago! And how long has it been since anyone referred to salespeople at “salesmen”?
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The Advantage that Focused Salespeople Have
- October 17, 2011
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
Show me a focused salesperson – one who isn’t aware of what else is taking place in the office this very moment because he is so focused on getting his sales work completed; one who won’t stop to take a break until she makes all of the required calls; one who won’t go to sleep at night until all of the appropriate follow ups, responses, CRM updates, paperwork and details have been finished – and I’ll show you a good salesperson.
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Effective Sales Models
- September 15, 2011
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
I wrote this article about the difference between sales process and sales methodology. In addition to those two sales infrastructure components, companies should have a sales model. How is the model different from the other two key components of an effective sales organization?
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Top 10 Sales Disasters, 10 Steps to Recovery and Hurricane Irene
- September 7, 2011
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
Hurricane Irene left a large path of destruction along much of the eastern United States. What routinely took an hour to maintain could now take up to a week or more to get the same result. You can’t rush, you need to be extremely careful, you might have to get help and the work may be much more labor intensive and difficult.
What about a sales disaster? First, what are the sales disasters?
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Busy Salespeople are Lazy Salespeople
- August 8, 2011
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
Things aren’t always what they seem with your salespeople. Sometimes, the busier they are, the less they are doing! I had several conversations in the past week that explain my opening comment.
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Top 12 Questions to Ask Yourself About Sales Process
- June 14, 2011
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
Most people don’t understand the difference between sales process and sales methodology.
A customized, optimized, formal sales process includes the sequence of steps, to-do’s, milestones and goals that must be achieved during a sales cycle.
A sales methodology is the approach one takes to execute those steps.
For instance, using a few well-known companies and brands:
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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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Selling is All in the Timing
- May 9, 2011
- Posted by: Dave Kurlan
- Category: Understanding the Sales Force
Selling is like cooking.