Expert Tips & Actionable Insights

Ask ten different people what makes an ultra high performer, or A player, so effective, and chances are you’ll get ten different answers. That’s why leveraging a sales performance framework is so important, because it allows you to organize and maintain success not just at the individual level, but across the organization as a whole.

There are those out there who don’t understand the difference between a sales process, a true framework, and more tactical types of training.

Sales is tough. It’s not an easy thing to figure out for any company. Especially, when that company is a MarTech company that is growing faster than they can implement systems.

We’ve all listened to them. But, how do you get your target audience to choose the right ones to listen to–yours? What secret sauce can you add to make it more alluring than the rest?

In the digital era, customer engagement is a top priority for businesses across industries.With the rise of technology, customers have more information and choices at their fingertips than ever before.

AI has emerged as a game-changer in various industries, and sales is no exception.With its ability to analyze vast amounts of data, automate repetitive tasks, and provide valuable insights, AI has the potential to revolutionize the sales process.

Sales compensation is a sensitive topic for many.When it comes to money, things get tricky.Yet it’s critical to bring themes, such as an effective sales compensation plan determining the success of your business, into discussion.

More sales, more revenue.Every business wants that.Sometimes, your numbers seem like they’re getting stuck in the same place.

Pursuing greater revenue is a universal goal, correct?Absolutely. In the competitive arena of today’s business world, one crucial element contributing to corporate success, driving revenue, and ensuring sustained customer satisfaction is the seamless integration of sales, marketing, and customer success teams.

In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, security compliance has become a critical concern for organizations of all sizes.

In today’s bustling business world, making a mark in the market and boosting revenue is perpetually challenging.With so many things trying to grab people’s attention, consumers are growing more selective about where they invest their money.

In the dynamic landscape of modern business, embracing data-driven practices has become paramount for companies aiming to thrive in their revenue operations. The significance of such practices derives from their ability to offer invaluable insights into customer behavior, market trends, and other crucial factors that foster business growth and success.

In today’s cutthroat business landscape, companies need to have a well-coordinated and efficient go-to-market strategy. This includes everything from making the product to marketing it.

When it comes to sales enablement, many sales leaders expect immediate and exceptional results. However, this is not a realistic expectation.Effective sales enablement requires consistency, patience, and time. By improving just 1% each day, we can see a significant impact over time.

With over 900 million users, LinkedIn has become a powerful tool for lead generation that offers an unparalleled opportunity to connect with professionals across industries and generate high-quality leads for your business.

Building strong relationships with customers is crucial for long-term success. Gone are the days when salespeople could solely rely on product knowledge and persuasive tactics to seal deals.

Is fear influencing your career? Are you focusing on your customers’ problems instead of providing solutions?

GUEST: Dorene Rettas, Managing Director of Cyber Security Hub

GUEST: Harry Maziar, author of Story Selling: Sage Advice and Common Sense About Sales and Success

GUEST: Terry Lammers, Author | Co-Founder and Managing Member of Innovative Business Advisors

The impact of AI on sales and marketing is a pressing topic for many today, yet there is a lack of true clarity around what artificial intelligence really means in general and varied perspectives in our field specifically.

Do you want your future filled with your industry’s equivalent of Super Bowl rings? Then you better stop managing your people and start coaching them instead.

Every company wants to be great. But a select few companies have what it takes, or more importantly, are willing to do what it takes to truly achieve greatness.

When was the last time you really laughed at work? I mean genuine laughter.

With or without a pandemic, today’s world runs on video.

Understanding the different culture types on your team is the key to improving productivity.

The challenges of balancing work and personal life are . . . challenging.

Empathy in sales has become a popular topic in recent years. Yes, it’s good to understand the emotional state-of-mind your prospect is coming from. It’s also useful to realize how their situation and challenges are affecting their decision-making.

In Juliana Slye’s long career throughout the private and public sectors, two things have stuck with her more than anything:

The sale is going well – you may think you know where it’s going. Then suddenly things start falling apart. “I need to take this to my boss.” It’s a phrase we dread hearing, yet are all too familiar with in the world of sales. So how can we combat chaos?

There is power in transparency in every aspect of your business. Having a culture of transparency is a valuable tool in equipping your reps, engaging your potential buyers, and creating an environment where value-adding methodology flourishes.

Dynamic industries – those that have gone through significant changes in recent years – have faced a unique set of challenges in sales and product development. FUJIFILM North America Corporation, is one of them. Their Imaging Division, which has historically been a B2B sales and marketing organization, has shifted to become a product development organization.

The journey to compliance with recent privacy acts proves to be one of increasing complexity.

Are you looking for ways to become a better leader, develop more effective business cultures, and increase the impact of your teams and the results they produce?

You’ve seen plenty of companies focused on pushing sales organizations hard to generate more revenue. There’s often a focus inside companies to get more out of the salespeople they have.

B2B companies are missing out on a huge opportunity.They’re either not paying attention to it or don’t know how to apply it to their specific situation: Using inbound marketing principles to influence and grow their existing clients.

Change is inevitable. Whether you’re working for a small business, or a company of forty thousand people, at some point you’re going to go through some sort of major organizational change.

Everybody wants more leads… And when it comes to getting more leads, content is king.

Everyone loves throwing around the word “experience.” Buyer, employee, customer, insert-anything-here experience … Is it a platitude?

We wanted to kick off 2018 by talking about something on the top of everybody’s mind as they plan out the new year – prospecting. Time and time again, prospecting is ranked as the highest priority among sales professionals.

There’s a lot of talk out there about how to understand value from the buyer’s perspective. New companies are trying to engage with prospective clients in ways that provide them value instead of just showing the value the company thinks it has.

Before you send that email – ask yourself, “Am I being authentic?”

You’d probably rate the importance of a sales presentation at 10/10.

Developing a more meaningful experience for your customers takes more than just first-party data. Imagine if you could uncover more pieces of the puzzle to create a holistic CX.

There are new tools out there to help sales reps cut down the amount of time it takes to find the right content, organize it and put it into a pitch that is going to be compelling and move a sales cycle forward.

Often discussed but rarely understood, Account-Based Sales (ABS) and Marketing (ABM) are the buzzwords of the industry. How has this new approach changed B2B Sales?

Sales professionals are interested in making their deals larger, increasing the revenue gains and hitting quota with fewer deals. The challenge – few know how to consistently accomplish this. There are tactics and approaches which have proven effective and continue to be table steaks for sales professionals selling today.

Sales and hustle are often considered synonymous, but that’s not always a good thing.

Sales is a rollercoaster profession – everyone who’s been doing it for a long time knows there’s days where you feel like you’re on a treadmill going nowhere.

“How do you plan to maximize your income?” We get asked this question a lot by sales leaders and coaches.

A few weeks ago we discussed five things that make a great comp plan. It’s still early in the year and comp plans are a hot topic. Many sales reps don’t believe they can negotiate their comp plans, but that’s not always true.

With the onslaught of artificial intelligence and new technologies impacting the sales profession, the question is often asked: “Will people still be relevant?” It’s generally agreed that yes, salespeople will still be needed – at least those that are the A players.

Demos play a critical role in every sales process. Oftentimes, just being prepared to give a demo isn’t enough. Sales professionals need to be mindful of other factors besides knowing their products to have their demo be a success.

Sales Managers are often faced with ever-increasing challenges, only one of which is making sure the team is delivering the results the company demands. Working to understand their perspective, we are diving in to identify five key things sales reps should be aware of in order to be not only an A-player, but a valued member of the team.

It’s the beginning of the year and companies are beginning to roll out new comp plans. For salespeople, especially ultra high performers, comp plans are one of the primary motivators for structuring out the year and harnessing focus.

It’s common for sales professionals to move around a lot. In fact, the average tenure of a sales executive is just 18 months.

While curiosity may have killed the cat, it also helped the sales rep close the deal … Successful sales professionals are curious by nature. They are interested in learning about their prospect’s business, their circumstances, challenges, and the situations in which they find themselves. When sales reps authentically engage with a human-to-human connection, they are much more effective than reps who only focus on presenting and pitching their solution.

There are times when sales reps identify opportunities that, for whatever reason, they just can’t win.

How do you have a conversation with a prospect that focuses on value, rather than the “P” word – price? We all understand that price will be a consideration when making a purchase, but when you compete solely on price, you’ve pigeon-holed your offering as a commodity. The first step to competing on value is to make sure your solution is differentiated in the buyer’s mind.

Renewals, especially when it comes to the “as a service” business model. After all, we’re living in a subscription-based world. A friend of mine just had a baby, and she gets her baby food via subscription. That’s how I get my multi-vitamins. We even have an associate who’s wild about a sock subscription service!

It’s time to get back to basics. That means developing the sales prospecting techniques to reliably fill the pipeline with qualified opportunities. Here’s a real-world example of what I’m talking about.

When it comes to digital experiences, B2B buyers are drifting through a sea of sameness. In his opening keynote for the recent Gartner CSO & Sales Leader Conference, Brent Adamson shared a shocking statistic: 64% of B2B buyers cannot differentiate one brand’s digital experience from another’s. Yikes.

Pitch verb; gerund or present participle: pitching to throw or fling roughly or casually. “He crumpled the can and threw it into the alley.” By definition, “pitching” is done without care and often ends with a lackluster result. While the definition we use in sales may be more targeted, the outcome is the same.

As many of you know, our headquarters is in Southern California — an area famed for its breathtaking coastline, beautiful beaches, fantastic restaurants and traffic, lots of it.

When you hear the word negotiation, what comes to mind? It likely conjures images of your CRM, a ring light shining in your eyes, a giant cup of cold brew and a computer monitor covered in sticky notes. Your palms might even start to sweat a little at the thought — and that’s only natural.

’Tis the season of the double-edged sword. On the one hand, it’s exciting to look forward to the holiday season. On the other, the end of the quarter and the year loom large, with the finish line already in sight.

What better way to kick off winter in the northern hemisphere than with something a little tropical? Specifically, a tropical thought experiment. Now, I know it’s not as exciting as the giveaway for an all-expenses-paid trip to some exotic locale that you were hoping for — but stick with me.

How do I be me virtually? Sure, if you’re a remote worker who has one weekly stand-up on Zoom, you may be tempted to laugh that question off. For sales professionals, it’s another story.

Think back to the last time you shared a meal with a good friend. You likely recall the restaurant and the food, the little sensory details like the man smoking the cigar across the street or the squawking birds in the background.

You’re scrolling through your LinkedIn feed when you receive a request to connect from an account executive. They recently saw you speak at a sales conference, and your talk resonated with them — seems harmless enough.

Accurate and reliable forecasting will transform a sales organization. When it comes to a process as vital as this, you would assume there’s no room for guesswork — but the reality plays out differently:

I attended the Sales 3.0 Conference in Philly last week, where many of the talks had a shocking theme running through them: Discovery is dead. The premise was that buyers hate it. They view sales discovery calls as an annoyance — a roadblock to the demos and nuanced answers they crave from vendors.

Summer means sailing adventures off the coast of Crete and golfing holidays in southern Portugal — and executives anxiously checking emails and monitoring economic developments.

Over the past two years, the sales profession has seen more than a few headlines that turn heads:

Early in my sales career, my company hired a phenomenal negotiator to put us through a rigorous one-day training. We learned how to focus on the other individual, generate a feeling of safety, use their language to increase rapport, and tactics for isolating and overcoming obstacles

The understatement of the year? Selling in 2022 has been difficult. As we look to the end of Q4, external factors continue to play havoc with our ability to win new business. From the lingering effects of the pandemic to supply chain disruptions to continued inflation, we’re fighting an unpredictable economic environment – and yet, there are reasons to be hopeful.

Generating reliable, top-of-funnel activity is notoriously difficult these days, not to mention expensive and time-consuming. After all, your outreach must be hyper-personalized, timely and add value to the potential buyer. We all agree on this – at least, in principle

You’re the SVP of Sales at an engineering firm that designs braking technology for major car manufacturers – and you’ve been tasked with growing revenue 20% YOY.

What do revenue operations, buyer-centric selling and value-based selling have in common? At their core, they are concerned with one principle: aligning the revenue engine to the way buyers want to buy. And while most organizations understand the concepts and their theoretical impact on customer experience (CX), there remains a significant gap between theory and practice:

Three weeks ago, I attended the Gartner CSO & Sales Leader Conference in Las Vegas – let me tell you why it was the ideal location.

When you’re sick, what do you do? Google your symptoms, right? Instantly, you’re presented with a slew of information: A headache is most likely a headache – though it could be hay fever, a sinus infection, the flu or even the prelude to a rare neurological condition.

On the surface, strategic account planning seems simple. You have access. You have the relationships. And the customer has a vested interest in meeting with you to ensure they receive the value they expect – what could go wrong?

Over the past several months, I’ve spent more time at my satellite office on the East Coast. It’s a beautiful location that sits along a tidal river whose shores I walk most evenings.

What’s the biggest misconception about value selling? A good business case is the only thing needed to win the business.

When it comes to objection handling and sales negotiations, there’s much overlap and important moments of nuance. We’ll start by covering the types of objections you may face, along with a proven process for overcoming them. Then, we’ll dive into dependable tactics for negotiating a win-win with your most demanding buyers.

The world is changing. If you’re a B2B marketer, you know that one of biggest challenges facing marketing professionals today is meeting the buyer where they are.

The uncertainty and challenges surrounding COVID-19 are impacting every business right now. Company leaders everywhere need to make difficult decisions quickly. This is no time for sentiment. Wait, no. Scratch that. This is actually the perfect time for sentiment.

One thing I’ve always been fascinated by is the way most companies usually approach promoting sales reps to management.

When it comes to sales, everyone talks about driving more pipelines these days. However, to stay competitive and meet the ever-evolving customer needs and expectations, businesses must constantly adapt and refine their messaging strategies.

If you have ever wanted something you saw in a science fiction movie to be real, you are not alone. For most of us, it’s a pipe dream. For Adam Honig, Founder and CEO of Spiro, it is now a business that he believes can slay Salesforce.

Sales effectiveness is not a new theme on our podcast, nor in the sales world in general. But for many salespeople, it’s still something mysterious, and they don’t quite understand why they should even bother about it.

The bounce rate on requested demos on websites is 85%. That’s…wow. It’s a sign that 85% of people are fed up with filling out a form before finding out what they want to know about your product.

Keeping employees around is not at all the same thing as keeping them engaged. Creating the right culture, setting goals, and motivating your teams requires so much more.

When you’re doing a puzzle, do you just pick up any random piece and start looking for one it fits with? Obviously not. Everyone knows you start with the corners! Prioritizing them makes the rest easy.

In Q1 you’re setting the stage for your success in the coming year – at least, you should be. There are typical mistakes we see sales reps make again and again that get in the way of their ability to achieve an ultra high performer status.

In a world where more B2B buyers are demanding a refined sales experience, enterprises have an opportunity to achieve differentiation with their sales process if they are willing to make some changes. Regardless if you are a Chief Revenue Officer or an individual sales professional there are five key elements you need to be focused on.

Sales has become an increasingly dynamic profession – from AI, to the evolving use of social media, to ever more complex decision making from buyers. As a result, team structures that used to work, will not work in the future.

Owning a service-based business is hard. Not only are you expected to be a master of your product, you’ve also got to be a professional at marketing and getting your service out there in front of people. And if you’re not careful, you can take the habits that you’ve had to establish in your beginning years as a scrappy start up and never grow past them.