This site uses cookies to improve your experience. To help us insure we adhere to various privacy regulations, please select your country/region of residence. If you do not select a country, we will assume you are from the United States. Select your Cookie Settings or view our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Cookie Settings
Cookies and similar technologies are used on this website for proper function of the website, for tracking performance analytics and for marketing purposes. We and some of our third-party providers may use cookie data for various purposes. Please review the cookie settings below and choose your preference.
Used for the proper function of the website
Used for monitoring website traffic and interactions
Cookie Settings
Cookies and similar technologies are used on this website for proper function of the website, for tracking performance analytics and for marketing purposes. We and some of our third-party providers may use cookie data for various purposes. Please review the cookie settings below and choose your preference.
Strictly Necessary: Used for the proper function of the website
Performance/Analytics: Used for monitoring website traffic and interactions
Raise the performance bar: Actionable feedback helps reps refine their sales techniques, objectionhandling , sales presentation skills, and pipeline management. Sales development representatives (SDRs), account executives (AEs), and accountmanagers (AMs) have different responsibilities and success indicators.
Internal teams don’t think in terms of “objectionhandling,” but they have skills at resolving differences of opinions, contention/conflict within their own organizations.
Many sales development reps are moving into quota-carrying roles such as account executive & accountmanagement but skills needed for SDRs don’t perfectly match with AE or AM, it is important to identify those gaps and deliver training to close those gaps.
He needs to grow the sales team, hiring BDRs, AccountManagers and others. The customer had brought up a concern, the manager responded, “That’s a bunch of BS, this is what the real issue is… ” (I certainly didn’t learn that approach in my objectionhandling courses.).
Demos, objectionhandling, closing. Like tasks in a specific project, sales activities are interrelated and need to be managed closely to fix overlaps. When the strident discipline of project management meets the hyperactive process of selling, good things happen. These activities commonly include: Prospecting.
I can count, on one hand, the number of training initiatives I’ve seen that focus on critical thinking, curiosity, collaboration, project management, problem solving, financial acumen/value creation.
She was trying to get out of the call, suggesting a follow up call from an accountmanager or a demo—I have to give her credit, she went for the demo. Here’s why we’ve chosen what we’ve done… ” At this point, the call was going downhill very fast. To the sales person’s credit, she understood.
.” That is, most of what we look for in recruiting and train for are classic sales competencies around prospecting, questioning, listening, objectionhandling, closing, deal management, pipeline, accountmanagement, and all sorts of other things.
It might be because another rep is handing off the deal, there’s been a territory change, or the deal has closed and an accountmanager is taking over. Objectionhandling. You should welcome objections: They give you a chance to address your prospect’s reservations and reasons not to buy. It’s been a while.
Ever get tongue-tied when prospects raise objections? Josh Braun knows a thing or two about handlingobjections. In this talk, he’ll break down the 5-step objectionhandling process that he’s tested and refined over his 20+ years of sales experience. Jamal Reimer – Strategic AccountManager, Oracle.
AEs (Account Executives). AMs (AccountManagers). CSMs (Customer Success Managers). Sales Manager, Leader, or VP. AccountManagers and Customer Success Managers are responsible for managing existing customers (meaning once an AE closes a deal, buyers become the responsibility of AMs and CSMs).
Many sales development reps are moving into quota-carrying roles such as account executive & accountmanagement but skills needed for SDRs don’t perfectly match with AE or AM, it is important to identify those gaps and deliver training to close those gaps.
Despite changes to our selling marketplace, too many sales professionals are rooted in beliefs about customer engagement that simply aren’t true. That’s why today, I’m going to dispel the three big sales engagement myths. Myth #1: Being on social media … Read More »
So far in this series, we’ve looked at how you can apply the hard-earned wisdom of top sales professionals who thrive in crowded, commodity-driven markets and apply it to any organization—even yours. One method is to focus on rethinking the … Read More »
Recently I was at a large gathering of CEOs: all sharp thinkers who want to see their companies grow. While I’d been invited to address their forum to talk about the sales process, what many of them really wanted to … Read More »
Here are the key things to include in a winning sales playbook: A high-level overview of your sales funnel Up-to-date buyer personas Guidelines on the tone of voice and messaging Details about your product or service, including its benefits, features, and technical characteristics Pricing options, payment plans, and discounts that sales reps can offer (..)
Kiva Kolstein : We have about 40 people on my team and my team consists of customer success, which includes accountmanagement and product specialists and sales. It begins with a phone call or an email and you move into that first meeting, the sales deck , the demo, the discovery call, objectionhandling, negotiation, closing, etc.
Workshops and learning events can be the least effective—and for some, even the worst—places for your salespeople to get the training they need. You heard that right. Now, let me explain. I’ve worked directly with sales pros for a long … Read More »
"Customer" used to be a one-size-fits-all word in sales. Either someone bought from you or they didn’t, and the steps you implemented to make a sale didn’t change all that much from one person to the next. It’s not like … Read More »
Technology in sales is not a solution to a problem. It’s a means of solving a problem, and it hinges critically on how well you apply it as one part of your revenue generation system. Do it wrong and you’re … Read More »
Smart companies today measure their lead acquisition cost, their marketing costs and their sales cost. But what about the overall cost to serve your customer? That often gets overlooked. And yet that’s precisely where you can see both the risk … Read More »
It’s the worst question in sales and marketing today: How do I get better at cold calling? Spoiler alert: Cold calling is dead. Stop wasting your time with it. Here are the better questions to ask: Why do sales teams … Read More »
No matter how persuasive, compelling or brilliant you may be, it’s difficult to build a relationship with a prospect if you can’t get them to call you back. Most sales people use boring, outdated voice and email methods, which leave … Read More »
You know how it goes. You’re having a hectic week of client meetings or at a tradeshow and things begin to slide in the self-care department. Eat a greasy meal here, pull a late night there, and then load up … Read More »
You’ve heard the naval expression before: “all hands on deck.” It neatly sums up how teams of people with a range of responsibilities unite to do one job: to keep a ship afloat in rough seas. Business leaders sometimes have … Read More »
Want to create and sustain a top-performing sales team and get the steady growth you need for your business? Rethink the relationship your sales team has with the money you pay them for what they do. Conventional commission plans are … Read More »
Far too often these days, businesses are practically falling over themselves to attract Millennials to their sales teams, making compromises in all kinds of places where they shouldn’t. And I’m tired of it. Don’t get me wrong: every generation is … Read More »
This article from Colleen was originally published by Salesforce.com. How can we ensure satisfaction and loyalty within our client communities? By documenting and communicate intangible value as well as tangible. Intangible and tangible value are not mutually exclusive. They are … Read More »
The best companies don’t tolerate boom and bust mentalities. The instead focus on how to create a perpetual sales boom. While this may be considered unconventional, my research and experience has shown that, left unaddressed, boom and bust cycles will … Read More »
In my work with top performing sales teams I’ve found that leaders who exhibit three consistent traits create perpetual revenue growth. Enforcing a High-Performance Culture In a typical sales organization 10 percent of salespeople overachieve. Another 20 percent underachieve … Read More »
Today, the way people buy multimillion dollar products and services is no different than how you and I buy a pair of jeans. It wasn’t always this way. Selling used to fall into one of two groups: B2B (business to … Read More »
Success—the measurable and lasting kind—only happens when you make deliberate choices about structuring your teams, communicating expectations and holding them accountable … Read More » When it comes to accelerating sales and motivating people to deliver peak performance, nobody gets better on their own.
“What does the future look like for sellers?” ” There will be fewer salespeople, with a more of a well-defined focus on what they are there to do. Skills will be hybridized. Sales structures will be imploded and rebuilt to redefine … Read More »
The customer at the other end of the phone was out of ideas. He talked to me about how his internal team was no longer breaking sales records or getting results the way they used to. As we spoke more, … Read More »
You’ve heard the naval expression before: “all hands on deck.” ” It neatly sums up how teams of people with a range of responsibilities unite to do one job: to keep a ship afloat in rough seas. Business leaders sometimes have … Read More »
It was as hot as a summer’s day can get and my 5 km run was not going well. Starting out that morning, I had set two ambitious goals for myself: achieve both my distance and pace targets. But as … Read More »
When a business fails to meet its sales target, blame usually gets pointed squarely at members of the sales team for not doing their jobs properly. Bad salespeople! Sound familiar? Don’t be so quick to jump to conclusions. To be … Read More »
“What do I do when my customer says our price is too high and that they can get what I’m selling for less elsewhere?” ” I’ve been running sales workshops for over fifteen years and without fail, this question comes up … Read More »
They used private customer information to create bogus accounts, forged signatures and authorized charges that customers were not made aware of. Let’s call a spade a spade. What Wells Fargo did was illegal. I, for one, am sick of the … Read More »
You can’t grow your business unless you are first able to predict losses. That’s not done with guesswork. It means having a reliable system to accurately forecast when clients are going to leave, so you can take steps either to … Read More »
In my last article, I talked about the importance of being able to anticipate lost customers as part of having a healthy growth strategy for your business. That included a case study that identified several loss triggers. Now, using that … Read More »
Strong partnerships between sellers and buyers were once considered the key to success in the marketplace. Yet, despite having the ability to customize products and include clients in the sales process, there was often a barrier that made buyers feel … Read More »
One of the big mistakes I see in sales today—at all levels within an organization—is the belief that coaching and training are owed to us. Don’t get me wrong: both are wise investments for employers to make in their people, … Read More »
You can learn a lot from watching political panels, especially during an election year. The behavior you see—both between the panelists and in how they relate to their audience—is a microcosm of what we see as sales professionals in the … Read More »
We organize all of the trending information in your field so you don't have to. Join 26,000+ users and stay up to date on the latest articles your peers are reading.
You know about us, now we want to get to know you!
Let's personalize your content
Let's get even more personalized
We recognize your account from another site in our network, please click 'Send Email' below to continue with verifying your account and setting a password.
Let's personalize your content