By Kelly Riggs | Sales + Leadership
According to one study, 43 percent of all salespeople fail to reach their revenue objectives. That is a systemic sales failure. In some industries, it’s even worse. Way worse. And every so-called “expert” can tell you the reason. But are they right?
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By Kelly Riggs | Sales + Leadership
If there is one comment or habit that is an indicator of future sales failure or mediocrity, this is it: “I don’t have time.” Learning is the preventative maintenance of the selling profession. It is the only predictable remedy for falling revenue and compensation erosion.
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By Kelly Riggs | Sales + Leadership
The most significant objective as a sales leader is the creation of action plans on specific accounts. Not plans like ‘making more calls.’ Or ‘improving closing ratios.’ Or selling more of a specific product. Which may all be great ideas, by the way, but they are necessarily incomplete.
The reason to create plans is that it is much easier to manage a salesperson’s activities when it is directed towards the right types of calls and the right size of opportunities. It is much easier to troubleshoot performance issues when you understand the intersection of results (keeping score), activities (which leads to the score), AND specific plans (the application of those activities in a context).
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By Kelly Riggs | Sales + Leadership
The reason that I love selling so much is that I love to compete. I love that I can adjust, change directions, learn new skills, and develop new ideas in order to create more success. Selling is a dynamic enterprise that rewards initiative and drive and excellence. But we in the profession are often guilty of doing a HUGE disservice to the profession.
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