Resources

In developing on-going customer relationships required in a global business world, twenty-first-century businesses are demanding greater numbers of well-trained, entry-level sales representatives while at the same time expecting higher levels of professionalism and skill from these salespeople. With increased focus on professional selling, we address the question:has the delivery of...Read more

Effective pipeline management is critical to sales force productivity. With it, forecasts hit the mark and quotas are achieved. Without it, arrows begin to fly and casualties are incurred. The key to effective pipeline management? The ability of your managers to coach your salespeople through the opportunities in their pipelines....Read more

Salespeople work tirelessly to build bigger pipelines, but are they working against themselves? New research suggests that many sales pipelines are actually too big... Not too small. Bad deals get inside and bounce around, consuming sales reps’ time, while only a trickle of revenue drips out of the pipe. Erratic...Read more

Organizations that solve complex problems with engineered solutions often bolster their sales force with sales engineering resources. These resources are often referred to as “Pre-Sales;” their role is focused in scoping customer requirements, configuring complex offerings, and securing the “technical close” alongside the efforts of the account management and business...Read more

You’ve held the kickoff, launched the programs, and trained the sales force. Now what? How will you make sure training has a sustained impact on sales organization performance in the New Year? In this Sales Management Association webcast, we’ll review specific practices that ensure training isn’t simply an event, but...Read more

What’s the difference between a sales organization well-equipped with the right information, and one inundated by data overload? In this Sales Management Association panel presentation we’ll review guiding principles for information strategy, knowledge management, sales enablement, and best practice sharing. Panelists: Lee Levitt, Sales Transformation Expert Scott Sands, National Practice...Read more

A sick compensation plan is often the harbinger of much bigger problems with sales organization effectiveness. Diagnose the the comp plan problem quickly enough, and you stand a chance of heading off disaster. Frequent Sales Management Association contributor Scott Sands details how effective diagnostics keep productive sales organizations clear of...Read more

Planning is a critical discipline for sales leadership, and fundamental to success at every level in the sales organization. Effective sales plans analyze past performance, reveal coherent strategy, clarify sales objectives, and detail actionable steps required to achieve goals. This suggested strategic sales plan format provides an outline of essential...Read more