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The Center for Sales Strategy Blog

The 3 Ds of Time Management

 

It’s no secret time management is one of the highest requirements for succeeding in sales. Consistent questions heard within the industry are, “What are some ways I can improve my time management?” and “How can I be more efficient?”

There are a multitude of strategies to help us be more productive, but they can be difficult to adopt because they force us to go against routines we’ve had for years. If you struggle with habit-changing productivity tips, such as going to bed with an empty inbox, check out this system that works for many.

Topics: email sales performance time managemet

Virtual Selling is Here to Stay (Statistics That Prove It)

Virtual Selling is Here to Stay

The most successful and resilient organizations have adapted to all things virtual — including events and learning, talent acquisition, as well as their sales strategy.

What has the data and trends from the past year shown sales leaders?

That virtual selling is here to stay. Companies of all sizes, across multiple industries, have proven that virtual selling isn’t just for certain sectors or digitally native businesses. In fact, sectors that relied on door-to-door sales prior to the pandemic are now finding opportunities in new markets, connecting with buyers on new levels, and growing business globally.

Topics: virtual selling work from home

4 Key Steps to Pre-Boarding New Hires

4 Key Steps to Pre-Boarding New Hires

Google the phrase “Pre-Boarding a new hire” and over 8 Million results appear in .66 seconds. Your top results are ads with On-Boarding check lists, software, and packets. So, what is pre-boarding?

Harver.com describes pre-boarding as “whatever process your company has up and running when the candidate accepts their job offer, right the way through to their first actual day working for you. The focus should be preparing your new hire and drumming up some excitement as their first day approaches.”

Topics: onboarding pre-boarding

Weekly Roundup: 2021's Top Growth Categories, Improving Culture & Attracting Talent + More

2021s Top Growth Categories, Improving Culture & Attracting Talent

- MOTIVATION -

"Be miserable or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it’s always your choice."

-Wayne Dyer

- AROUND THE WEB -

<< If you only read one thing >>

The Five Ad Categories Set to Boost Radio Ad Spend The Most This Year InsideRadio

Local businesses will boost their ad spending by 7.3% to $127.3 billion in 2021 with radio right in line with a forecasted 6.9% year-over-year increase. But the latest outlook from Borrell Associates points to “new trajectories” for local advertising this year with some ad categories upping their spend with radio far more than others.  >>> READ MORE

Topics: Wrap-up

How CEOs Can Improve Sales Leadership

How CEOs Can Improve Sales Leadership

Did you know that there are over 195,000 CEOs employed in the United States? Most people start their own business or work their way to the top to be their own boss. Even as the boss, you have major responsibilities to handle.

If you're the CEO of a sales company, you have a responsibility to improve sales leadership. Our guide explains how to do it so you can increase sales and boost business.

Topics: sales leadership

Improving Sales Performance | Media Sales Report | Company Culture and Employee Engagement

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In Season 2 of Improving Sales Performance Series, we’ve focused on the data and analysis of the 2020 Media Sales Report.

In our last episode of Season 2, company culture and employee engagement experts Beth Sunshine, Deb Fulghum, and Jim Hopes, dig into the key takeaways from the full Media Sales Report and discuss company culture and employee engagement based on the data in the report.

You can stream it now to hear their insight, advice, and initial thoughts after analyzing the data that was just published. Or keep reading for a brief overview.

Topics: company culture employee engagement

Customized Coaching for Sales Talents: Coaching Learner & Problem Solver

Customized Coaching for Sales Talents Coaching Learner & Problem Solver

You already know that turning talent into performance requires a true understanding of talent. Spotting talent, hiring talent, developing talent, and coaching talent. . . it’s mission critical.

Talent assessments are an excellent tool for understanding the way your candidates and current salespeople are wired. The difference in approach with each group is key to productive new hires and successful coaching.

Topics: sales talent assessment sales talent

Weekly Roundup: The Ben Franklin Close, Actionable Employee Retention Strategies + More

The Ben Franklin Close, Actionable Employee Retention Strategies

- MOTIVATION -

"Treat objections as requests for further information."

-Brian Tracy

- AROUND THE WEB -

<< If you only read one thing >>

Does the Ben Franklin Close Still Work in 2021 HubSpot

All of Benjamin Franklin's achievements are a credit to certain aspects of his personality — his patience, his rationality, his boldness, his bravery, and his fondness for pros-and-cons lists. He really did love the pros-and-cons lists, so it's only fitting that there's a pros-and-cons-oriented sales closing strategy that bears his name.

Here, we'll take a more thorough look at The Ben Franklin Close, go over the steps you need to take to nail it, and review the pros and cons of closing based on pros and cons. >>> READ MORE

Topics: Wrap-up

Recruitment and Selection Is a Deadly Phrase in Talent Acquisition

Recruitment and Selection

There is an inherent danger in grouping two items together for conversational purposes, even when they go together. The danger is when they are always tied up in one phrase; they begin to sound like they are the same thing.

Peanut butter and jelly go together, but they are not the same thing. The same rings true for recruitment and selection.

Topics: Sales

Improving Sales Performance | Media Sales Report | Sales Enablement

ISP Esp 15

In Season 2 of Improving Sales Performance Series, we’ve focused on the data and analysis of the 2020 Media Sales Report.

In this episode, Dani Buckley, Isha Bell, and Emily Hartzell of LeadG2 join Matt Sunshine as they discuss the data from the Media Sales Report surrounding the analysis of the sales enablement information.

You can stream it now to hear their insight, advice, and initial thoughts after analyzing the data that was just published. Or keep reading for a brief overview.

Topics: sales enablement sales playbook

Team Development Through Reading—Books We Read in 2020

Team Development Through Reading

At The Center for Sales Strategy (CSS), we are a team of extremely high achievers. We’re always looking for ideas for self-improvement. So much so, that in our annual Employee Engagement survey each year, learning and development are always at the top of the list of what our team craves.

Knowing this, we add learning opportunities in multiple ways. One important development opportunity comes through the CSS Quarterly Book Club.

Topics: professional development books learning development

Customized Coaching for Sales Talents: Coaching Activator & Accelerator

Customized Coaching for Sales Talents Coaching Activator & Accelerator

To successfully manage and lead others, you must understand what makes each of your team members unique and individualize your approach. It’s important to understand the innate talents of each person and consistently coach them to maximize their strengths, work around their weaknesses, and turn talent into performance.

Gallup's research in the bestseller It's the Manager proves that this strengths-based approach to being a coach, not a boss, is essential to leading a high-performance team.

Topics: sales talent assessment sales talent

Weekly Roundup: Companies Fail to Hire Top Sales Talent, Remote Work Forever + More

Companies Fail to Hire Top Sales Talent, Remote Work Forever

- MOTIVATION -

"Employers and business leaders need people who can think for themselves - who can take initiative and be the solution to problems."

-Stephen Covey

- AROUND THE WEB -

<< If you only read one thing >>

Five Reasons Companies Fail to Hire Top Sales Talent Selling Power

We all know that hiring the wrong salesperson is expensive. Research shows that high-tech companies lose as much as $2 million per year on a bad sales hire. They lose revenue, damage reputation, impact market share, and hurt the culture to name a few. 

Here are five reasons many companies fail to hire top salespeople.  >>> READ MORE

Topics: Wrap-up

Follow-Up Next Week — Does Not Mean You Have an Appointment

appointment.jpg

One of the leading indicators for sales success is to look at the number of appointments that a salesperson has each week. (This is not the only leading indicator that you should be tracking, but it is one of them.)

The idea is that if a salesperson has a significant amount of appointments each week which involve finding needs, getting assignments, presenting solutions, or delivering a proposal, that this quality sales activity will lead to good solid revenue performance.  

It's fair to say that everyone in sales or in sales management would agree with this, but here's the flaw many salespeople are confusing "I'll follow up with you next week" with "I have an appointment."

To be clear, "I’ll follow up with you next week," does not mean you have an appointment.

Topics: sales performance sales process

Improving Sales Performance | Media Sales Report | Sales Process

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In Season 2 of Improving Sales Performance Series, we’ve focused on the data and analysis of the 2020 Media Sales Report.

In this episode, Dalena Pajares, Dean Moothart, and Kurt Sima of The Center for Sales Strategy and LeadG2 join Matt Sunshine as they discuss the data from the Media Sales Report surrounding the analysis of the sales process and setting appointments section.

You can stream it now to hear their insight, advice, and initial thoughts after analyzing the data that was just published. Or keep reading for a brief overview.

Topics: sales performance sales process

Customized Coaching for Sales Talents: Coaching Relationship & Individualizer

Customized Coaching for Sales Talents Coaching Relationship & Individualizer

At The Center for Sales Strategy (CSS), we offer the most effective talent instruments available on the market to help you accurately identify the best candidates for the right roles and guide you to develop strategies and coach them in a way that will maximize their individual strengths.

Our clients have seen a direct Return on Investment (ROI) in the following ways:

  • Reduced costly turnover
  • Recruited better hires
  • Increased new business development
  • Improved client retention

It's time to take the guesswork out of hiring and coaching.

Topics: sales talent assessment sales talent

Weekly Roundup: Employee Appreciation Day, Remote Work Obstacles + More

Employee Appreciation Day, Remote Work Obstacles

- MOTIVATION -

"Earn your leadership every day."

-Michael Jordan

- AROUND THE WEB -

<< If you only read one thing >>

15 Excellent Ways to Celebrate Employee Appreciation Day (+ BONUS Remote-Friendly Ideas)Bonusly

Employee Appreciation Day (March 5, 2021)—it's the best day of the year! 😄 🎉 🎶
 

Most work weeks are focused on business objectives, decisions from management, or customer issues. Employee Appreciation Day, on the other hand, is a special day that should be truly centered around the teams of employees that make things happen every single day.

Even a little bit of recognition can make a big impact on employee motivation. Research shows that feeling appreciated increases morale, improves engagement, and reduces turnover. In particular, employee recognition has been proven to boost oxytocin levels—that’s the chemical our bodies create when we bond socially! >>> READ MORE

Topics: Wrap-up

Selling Techniques for Getting that First Appointment

Selling Techniques for Getting that First Appointment

You called. Left a message. "Maybe they're busy," you think. Or, "maybe they just don't return calls." Perhaps it's neither of these. Maybe it's on you.

Maybe you just haven't given them a compelling enough reason to call you back.

If you want prospects to call you back, you need to give them a reason. If the reason you're providing is something along the lines of, "I have a really great idea to share with you," then you sound just like the other 25 calls they've received.

Your prospect doesn't want your ideas. They want solutions to their problems.

Topics: sales strategy Sales

Improving Sales Performance | Media Sales Report | Sales Training and Development

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Throughout season 2 of the Improving Sales Performance Series, we’ve focused on the data and analysis of the 2020 Media Sales Report.

In this episode, John Henley, Managing Partner at The Center for Sales Strategy, and Greg Giersch, Vice President of Client Experience at The Center for Sales Strategy, join Matt Sunshine to discuss the data from the Media Sales Report surrounding the analysis of the sales training and development data.

You can stream it now to hear their insight, advice, and initial thoughts after analyzing the data that was just published. Or keep reading for a brief overview.

Topics: sales performance sales training

Customized Coaching for Sales Talents: Coaching Discipline & Positivity

Customized Coaching for Sales Talents Coaching Discipline & Positivity

Do you have salespeople on your team that enjoy routine and structure? What about reps who have contagious enthusiasm?

If you answered yes to one, or either, of these questions then take a closer look at this article as we help you coach and develop the people with strengths of Discipline and Positivity. 

Topics: sales talent assessment sales talent

Understanding Talent and Fit with Better Interview Questions

Understanding Talent and Fit with Better Interview Questions

Do you want to conduct better interviews and ensure you make smart hiring decisions? Preparing better interview questions to determine talent and fit will help you improve this step in your selection process.

The first, and most important, step is to have your candidate complete a validated talent assessment specific to the role you are filling before you meet with them.

Topics: sales talent assessment sales talent selection