The Best of the Sales Management Blogs

A colleague asked me this week about my first commissioned sales job – he, too, started in sales and worked his way up to management. After a few minutes of friendly banter about old school sales managers and the like, we went back to our regular grind.

Reflecting back on my first sales job, I was reminded of the 2’ by 30’ banner that hung over the sales desks. It was my first day, and as I walked into the salesroom I was greeted by grumpy faces of weathered salesmen and that gigantic banner. The banner read “Nothing Happens Until Somebody Sells Something.”

I thought this saying was a little hacky back in the 1980s, and I think it’s a lot hacky today; but it did get me thinking about the current economic situation. With Citibank laying off more than 50,000, Circuit City and other retailers declaring bankruptcy, and about 2 million auto industry-related jobs in jeopardy – it begs the question: Could some of these companies have sold their way out of their problems?

I don’t have a good answer to this, but my gut tells me that great sales leadership could have made a difference. It always does.

Back to the Blogs

Are you struggling to provide great sales leadership for your team? Perhaps some of these “Best of the Best” blog posts and articles hold the key – there are some great entries this time, including some that focus on selling in the down economy. Enjoy!

Sales Management: Differentiating Your Business during This Recession
What you feel is your differentiator and what you believe you customers want and/or should want is not necessarily true - especially during a business slow down. This article will give you some insights on how to separate your company …

Monday Morning Manager-Common Sense Rule # 1
You’ve been waiting a while for this opportunity and it has finally fallen in your lap-sales management. You’ve been with Widget International for 5 years. You have grown your territory every year and you are one of the leaders in the …

What Does Your Client Touch Program Say About You?
For instance, I work obviously in the areas of sales and sales management. Most salespeople and managers know there are a great variety of training methods and theories. Controversy and going against convention isn’t an issue in this …

Maximizing Your Price–The Value/Benefit Equation …
Price increases are currently occurring at a faster rate than we’ve seen in the US economy for nearly 25 years. The driving forces behind these increases seem to be

Sales Management: Avoid Motivational Bankruptcy, 6 Tips for …
The president of an office supply company was recently lamenting that his sales people were not operating to their potential. “Motivationally bankrupt,” he said. This is a very common complaint in any area of business. …




When Should You Walk Away From a Deal?   Now! The second that question begins to form in your head you should be prepared to walk away now. That is not to say that you shouldn’t perform a thorough evaluation of options, examine how the deal can be altered or …

Doggin’ It
Not by design, but this week a number of the discussions I had with prospects/clients had to do with front-line sales managers. This is a good thing since for a long time I have been a firm believer that the biggest bang for the buck in …

Guest Article: “Managers Continue to Teach Their People How to …
Managers Continue to Teach Their People How To Avoid Full Accountability By Keith Rosen. “What is that guy doing now?” It was just an odd maneuver. Something out of the ordinary from what would have typically been an everyday experience …

Sales Management Corner: Common Sense Rule #2
Last week I mentioned that a new sales manager shouldn’t start at this position by making changes. After assuming the role, a manager should have the salespeople assessed. Too many managers want to change their salespeople without …

Sales Coaching Without a Playbook
Sales management has a significant impact on critical sales performance metrics, including turnover rates, sales cycle length, and quota attainment. Recent research by CSO insights indicates that just the ability to proactively identify …

Sales Management in a Down Economy
Our next three posts will focus on Sales Management in a Down Economy. Here’s the first of three things you absolutely must do as sales manager if you want your sales team to continue to thrive and succeed - no matter what the headlines …

Are You a Sales Professional or Semi-skilled Laborer?
We in sales work in what we like to claim is one of the highest paid professions, yet statistics indicate we are, in fact, employed in one of the lowest paying professions. In fact, we are engaged in a business that is unevenly divided …

CanDoGo is Now a Free Site–Get Great Sales Tips from more than 60 …
I have great news to share with you. I am one of the exclusive authors/speakers/trainers/coaches for a company called CanDoGo that delivers concise advice for sales, personal development, leadership and motivation over the Web. …

Avoiding the Price Question Early in the Sale
The price of your goods and services is always a primary concern to your prospects. Whether you like it or not, price is top of mind with the majority, if not all, of your prospects; and you probably find the question of price comes up …

3 Strategies to Help You Meet Revenue Goals Even in a Down Economy
Ludwig says the sales management team, with the involvement of their salespeople, must evaluate each individual’s sales funnel to determine which opportunities he or she should pursue. Come up with a short list by looking at factors …

 

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