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There are some phrases I’m hearing my clients say more often when it comes to sales success. They want to be more data driven. They want to use information and not only instinct. They want better structure. They talk often of needing stronger sales culture. The Future of Sales Needs Fresh Sales Skills A recent Harvard Business Review article, “Reengineering the Recruitment Process,” shares some eye-opening results from a recent Gartner study that should change the way organizations view their sales training strategy. It shares: “A survey of 3,500 managers found that only 29% of new hires have all of the skills required for their current roles, let alone future ones. The research finds that in key functions such as finance, IT, and sales, positions filled today will require up to 10 new skills within 18 months.” I took that to my own network with a recent LinkedIn poll. I asked their opinion on the biggest...

Many of my clients are focused on growth as they continue to recover from the pandemic. While performance results varied widely depending on their industry, there’s still a common theme-- they all want to forge ahead and succeed. A healthy sales culture is key to that move forward, as well as thriving in the future. Never has it been more important for both a top-down approach with growth officers and sales officers, but also a bottom-up approach with individual sales professionals to define, own, and foster a sales culture. I also refer to it as a sales growth culture. This article shares some trends and themes around the four key areas I see organizations needing to create a successful sales growth culture. Questions to Ask Yourself about Sales...

Closing a new sale is never the end of your sales process, but rather the beginning or continuation of your customer relationship. Sales closing is the skill that improves your deal velocity and helps you achieve your sales quota. I find often that sellers and business developers don’t have this skill mastered. Usually it’s due to a combination of mindset and skillset. Sellers see closing as complex, intimidating, and even as something to avoid. I’ve also seen situations where closing a sale is treated as a linear action, and it’s not built into the overall strategy. For example, it only becomes part of the conversation after a big presentation has taken place. Developing your skills with the sales closing keeps...

If you’re in professional services or selling into complex B2B environments, you’re very likely balancing three key responsibilities: solution delivery, client experience, and also cultivating new business. Cultivating new business might be selling into an existing client, or it might be landing a brand-new client for your firm. In my experience as both a B2B seller and now a consultant, it takes a strategic selling mindset and skillset to succeed. For my definition of strategic selling, watch this short video. There are four elements I see as critical to earning new business and growing your client base: Strong business intelligence about the client. Relationships at the right levels, with consistent access. The ability to propose ideas and solutions that compel change. The ability to earn commitments all throughout your sales process. This blog series will dive into each one in more depth and provide...