12 Sales Management Tips for 2012
Don’t become a “rainbird coach.” I had a neighbor who would wait until his lawn had turned brown, and only then turn on his rainbird water sprinkler. I see a lot of sales managers who act the same way: they wait until there’s a meltdown before coaching their people. Far… Read More
TopLine Leadership October Newsletter
Sales Podcast: Ever had a good first meeting – and then nothing happened after that? by Kevin Davis, author, “Slow Down, Sell Faster!” In this podcast you’ll learn how the common “Need-Satisfaction” method of selling can actually cause you to lose communication with the customer in the middle of their… Read More
What’s Your Plan for Developing an Elite Sales Team? (Part 2)
Last time, I talked about the importance of having a plan if you want to develop an elite sales team. The first part of that plan should list specific actions you can take in the next 90 days to improve your teams overall performance. This might include showing your consistently… Read More
What is Your Plan for Developing an Elite Sales Team? (Part 1)
Is Your Sales Force an Elite Sales Team? If you took an honest look at your sales force, could you call it an “elite sales team?” Or would you have to admit that what you have is a collection of sales reps, some achieving at high levels, some well below… Read More
5 Tips for Hiring Your Next Peak Performer
The best sales hires I’ve ever made were those who were slightly under-qualified for the position. They see this sales position as a “step-up” in terms of professionalism, income opportunity, and challenge. That’s what you need for someone to have the “fire-in-the-belly” instinct. If your favored candidate is not pursuing… Read More
Becoming a Flexible Sales Manager
Are you directive, or supportive? A bottom-line driver? Or a cheerleader type? A coach? Hopefully, you are a combination of all of the above. Being flexible is the key, and your flexibility needs to be rep-specific. Consider the skill and will of an individual salesperson. What does this rep lack:… Read More
TopLine Leadership Releases The Biggest Sales Mistake
“The Single Biggest Sales Mistake” Identify the 4 Stages of Buying to Increase Sales September 19, 2011 – Reno, NV – More companies are increasing the quotas for sales people while win rates on new business are at an all-time low. Meanwhile, sales people are faced with an ever-changing landscape… Read More
How to Manage a Prima Donna
Most sales managers I know have a love-hate relationship with the prima donnas on their sales teams. They love the star player’s passion and hard work. They hate the self-centered behaviors that demoralize or discourage the rest of the team. This puts the sales manager in a quandary. If they… Read More
Are You Creating Prima Donnas on Your Team?
I published an article early in 2011 about dealing with prima donna salespeople, and got a lot of feedback that the article was very popular online. One of the issues I pointed out in that article is that we sales managers often have a part in creating the prima donnas… Read More
