Understanding the Sales Force

  • Top 5 Reasons Why Salespeople Don’t Make Quota

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

    I received the IDC Sales Advisor Newsletter in my email today and while it was about the importance of cross-selling, they said it is important because 50% of reps aren’t making quota.

    Forget cross-selling!  If 50% of your reps aren’t making quota you have bigger problems than whether or not they are cross-selling!

    There are only five possible reasons why reps are not making quota:

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  • Are Your Salespeople Jerks or Just Different From You?

    • June 1, 2011
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    Last week I conducted a 3-day Sales Leadership Intensive for a very small group.  Working with a small group has advantages because everyone receives more individual attention, we can go at their pace, and spend as much time as we need to on their issues.  Working with a small group also has disadvantages because their diverse learning styles tend to stand-out and can be a distraction.

    For example, in last week’s group, I had:

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  • How to Compensate Sales Hunters, Farmers and Account Managers

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

    Today I received an email from a long time reader with this interesting question:

    “We’ve heard a good hunter won’t farm and a good farmer (account manager) won’t hunt. If this is true how do we tackle the model of compensating hunters who bring in new customers who then turn it over to an account manager to grow the business?  Is it possible to expect someone who can hunt and then manage a book of business or does that create a conflicting sales profile?”

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  • 10 Steps to More Sales Opportunities

    • May 23, 2011
    • Posted by: Dave Kurlan
    • Category: Understanding the Sales Force

    Last week, no fewer than 8 salespeople sent emails to me explaining that they committed to the 8 attempts rule and, as a result, had scheduled meetings with prospects they had been chasing for a long time.  The key is not to only make 8 attempts, but make 8 attempts Halloween style – haunt them –  8 attempts in 8 days.  

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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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  • 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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