Two-thirds (or more) of sales organization's total spend goes to compensate sales personnel, but how much do sales organizations really focus on the human resources they invest in? In fact, many sales organizations have a fragmented approach to people related processes, unlinked to a comprehensive program, leading to poor performance...Read more

Research Brief: Motivating the Sales Force [Spring 2012 Chapter Focus] 
9 July 2012
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This spring's Sales Management Association chapter meetings in Chicago and Atlanta included panel discussions on "Motivating the Sales Force." [Our spring meetings were the first featuring a common topic, something we'll continue as we add new chapters (including Houston and Twin Cities in the fall).] In support of these sessions,...Read more
According to recent Sales Management Association research, sales organizations are poised for a tidal wave of tablet PC adoption. Though only 40% of salespeople are currently equipped with tablets, 70% of executives in sales organizations using tablets are already realizing ROI, and more than 90% of sales organizations plan to...Read more
Sales organizations competing in increasingly commoditized markets seek ways to elevate the sales conversation, sell higher in the organization, and participate earlier in the buying cycle. In short, they seek entirely new ways of engaging prospects. Similarly, buyers are looking for new ways to interact with partners. More than 230...Read more

Five Moneyball Metrics Sales Executives Can’t Ignore 
14 June 2012
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We're all familiar with the Moneyball story: Billy Beane, General Manager of the struggling Oakland A’s baseball team, bypassed traditional decision-making methods and used data to make smart decisions. Today, many sales executives are overlooking some key Moneyball metrics and still doing business the old-fashioned way. Just as Billy Beane...Read more

Breaking the Sales Force Incentive Addiction: A Balanced Approach to Sales Force Effectiveness 
12 June 2012
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Andris A. Zoltners, Prabhakant Sinha, and Sally E. Lorimer Dating back more than a century, companies have used incentives such as commissions and bonuses to motivate anddirect the activities of salespeople. Today, sales force incentives comprise a large portion of sales force pay (approximately 40 percent on average for U.S....Read more
Do you know what the future of sales looks like? Demographics are shifting, the pace of change is accelerating, buyers are more informed, and the threshold for success has never been higher. Effective selling in a B2B world is a function of the salesperson's aptitude and attitude, but also is...Read more

Making the Most of Sales Compensation: A Guide for Sales Managers 
29 May 2012
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Sales compensation is supposed to be key tool for motivating your team to exceed their sales goals. Too often though, it's a source of complaints and distractions, as the sales organization struggles to make sense of quotas, crediting policies, and confusing plan rules. Learn the role you can play in...Read more