Resources

Business-to-business sales has changed from being an isolated function with little cross-functional influence to becoming an integrated part of long-term customer management and from an operational practice to a strategically focused part of business strategy. This suggests a need to change the unit of analysis from the activities and attributes...Read more

Assigning territories are high-stakes decisions for sales organizations; firms who use an analytical approach to optimizing sales territory assignments stand to unlock a significant productivity gain. In this Sales Management Association Online Experts’ Exchange panel discussion, we review three perspectives on optimizing territory assignments, maximizing sales productivity, and administering territory...Read more

Productive sales organizations routinely change their sales processes. By first evaluating current processes, then implementing changes and measuring their impact, firms can profoundly impact sales results. In this Sales Management Association webcast, we present a framework for evaluating, optimizing, and measuring sales process effectiveness. Presenters also address participants’ sales process...Read more

The Sales Management Association encourages the formation of local chapters. Our chapter meetings provide sales management and sales operations professionals with opportunities to network with peers and thought leaders, exchange best practices, and discuss issues important to sales leadership.

As firms prepare to implement sales compensation plan changes, they must avoid common mistakes which can undermine the plan’s desired impact. In this Sales Management Association webcast we detail practical strategies for ensuring a successful plan rollout by identifying five “Roll-Out Watch-Outs:”  Chump Champions: choosing the wrong champion for leading...Read more

For most organizations, landing the major account is the ideal end goal for individual sales representatives, and the de facto definition of effectiveness for the sales organization. Yet focusing on account wins alone overlooks the importance of selling efficiency. Selling efficiency describes the productive use of firm resources in pursuit...Read more

Sales coaching programs have the greatest impact when they promote specific selling behaviors. In this Sales Management Association Case Study, we review a coaching initiative implemented at NCMIC Group, Inc., a leading US provider of insurance, equipment leasing, merchant services, and financing for dentists, medical doctors, veterinarians, attorneys, businesses and...Read more

Sales strategy aligns the sales organization with the firm’s business strategy, and provides an action plan for sales performance. One of several archived sessions from SMA's Advanced Sales Management workshop (held in June 2010 at DePaul University's Center for Sales Leadership), this session covers: A framework for understanding and explaining...Read more