sales process

  • Sales Just Can’t be This Easy…Can it?

    • July 1, 2010
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    Last month, Reuters posted this article, describing research by Columbia University, which determined that both men and women are more likely to respond positively – and buy – when touched by a woman.

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  • 5 Advantages That Overcome Inequities on the Sales Force

    • June 28, 2010
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    There are five areas where the sales force can develop a huge advantage over its competitors:

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  • Compelling Reasons for Your Salespeople to Go Mobile

    • June 14, 2010
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    Good Sales Managers know how important it is for their salespeople to uncover needs.

    But it goes way beyond needs. 

    As I detail in Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball, it requires that your salespeople learn about their prospects’ compelling reasons to buy.  Not just their needs. The issues, problems and frustrations – and even the consequences – that would cause them to spend money and spend it with your company, instead of your competitor.

    But it goes well beyond compelling reasons.

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  • Secrets of Effective Sales Development

    • March 29, 2010
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    “I’ve heard it all before.”

    That comment applies to the music AND it can be attributed to some veteran salespeople after reacting to their first day of sales training.  No matter  what you read about selling, not much has changed in the last 40 years. Even my book, Baseline Selling, is based on concepts that go back as far as 1935.  Did I improve on those concepts?  Yes!  But Selling itself is not a new concept. 

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  • Top 10 Rules for Getting Salespeople to Follow Your Sales Process

    • March 8, 2010
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    A lady approached the priest after the service and felt terrible because she had been leaving early to tend to her sick husband.  The priest said that this didn’t apply to her; she was already making a sacrifice by attending, and should care for her husband.  She paused and finally said, “But he passed away three years ago!”

    This story got me wondering about the widespread misuse of the sales process. 

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  • What Makes You Think You Have a Sales or Recruiting Process?

    • January 22, 2010
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    It’s true.  Executives brag about their processes.  “Oh, yes, we spent the last 15 years developing our process and it’s wonderful – wait until you see it!”  It never matters whether they’re talking about a recruiting process or a sales process, the common denominator is the pride they take in what they created.

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  • The Defining Moments in your Sales Cycle

    • January 13, 2010
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    What are some of the more subtle, but important, key moments in your sales process that affect every sales outcome?

    If I were to review some recent conversations with clients and their salespeople, crucial accomplishments included:

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  • Are Sales Cycles Really Getting Shorter?

    • December 11, 2009
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    I read an article that claimed that winning sales cycles are getting shorter. 

    While I agree with everything else in the article, I questioned the 23% shorter because our substantial data does not support this claim.  So where could the discrepancy be?

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  • Sales Systems and Processes – 8th of the 10 Kurlan Sales Management Functions

    • December 1, 2009
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    the 8th in my series of the Top 10 Sales Management Functions but it is #10 on my list.  Why am I going out of order? 

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  • Sales Velocity – 6th of the 10 Kurlan Sales Competencies That are Key to Building a Sales Culture

    • October 20, 2009
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    This is the 6th is my series of articles on the 10 Kurlan Sales Competencies That Are Key to Building a Sales Culture.

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