The Center for Sales Strategy Blog

A hundred percent of the people we sell to are human.

And people like to laugh and smile. They enjoy interacting with people they trust and who seem authentic, and there is no better way to convey that than with video.

This post isn’t just a list of personalized video tips—it’s a strategy for using video throughout the sales process. Let’s let those humans on the other end know that your patient persistence is due to your winning personality – and not some software – like everyone else in their inbox. >>> READ MORE

Suppose for a moment that 25% of your sales team quit before the end of 2021. Recent polling suggests this is possible.

This article explains the research behind the prediction that voluntary turnover will increase as we exit the pandemic and prescribes specific things managers can do right now to prevent good salespeople from saying “I quit” to you and your company. >>> READ MORE

It's not exactly mind-blowing to point out that the sales landscape has shifted radically in these past two or so years. A shift to remote interactions, the trend away from physical workspaces, and a host of other changes have left sales reps, managers, and leaders in a bind.

Even as we move toward some semblance of normalcy, sales — as a field — is still fundamentally different than it was just a few years ago. And that kind of adjustment comes with its share of challenges.

So in the interest of helping salespeople identify and meet those issues, we reached out to some sales experts and conducted some research to show you six of the main challenges facing salespeople in 2021 and offer some perspective on how to address them. >>> READ MORE

It breaks my heart when salespeople are resistant to change.

We’ve seen it happen again and again: A new trend emerges. LinkedIn lights up with hot takes from thought leaders. Every vendor within a 100-mile radius tries to put their spin on it and turn it into a reason you need their product. We beat it to death and then you tune it out.

Remember when an entire industry of salespeople disregarded the account-based movement? We failed to think through the changes our marketing teams were going to make, how that would impact our pipeline, and then what behavioral change we should make as a result. We didn’t invest the time to help build our territories, we didn’t participate in writing the nurture drips, we didn’t react to the new lead intel, and so on. >>> READ MORE

As we approach what is typically “performance review season” many high performers are faced with two seemingly competing inner voices:

• I should be grateful I even have a job
• I still want to climb the ladder

It’s not a false dichotomy. You should be grateful. And you should also continue to build your career, even if seemingly nothing this year went “according to plan.” Here are five tips for climbing the ladder, even if your ladder seems to be resting on quicksand. >>> READ MORE

According to a recent UpWork survey (2021) 1 in 4 Americans will be working entirely remotely in 2021 and by 2025, 36.2 million Americans will be working remotely - an 87% increase from pre-pandemic levels, the study revealed.

We predict the majority of companies will move to hybrid work environments, where there is a blend of remote-work and in-person work.

The location of our work is not the only thing that will be shifting.

It’s time to challenge our thinking and our habits to move from scrappy to sustainable. Our structures, our processes, our people practices, our tools.

Where to start? We’ve got you covered with a 5-point roadmap to help you and your companies evolve and own your culture. >>> READ MORE

It turns out that there’s more to miss about going into the office than some of us may have thought. Research indicates that when we transition to hybrid work, what we miss most is the relationship-building that happens spontaneously in our workplaces — “watercooler moments.”

Studies have shown that learning how to succeed at an organization doesn’t happen in an employee handbook, but instead as a result of those watercooler moments. Walking by a colleague’s desk to say hello, converging in the breakroom to discuss a Netflix show, catching up with a co-worker over lunch; these moments are in fact essential to building camaraderie, morale, and trust in our work lives.

Just eight months ago, these exchanges may have seemed like just a tedious and obligatory part of our work lives. But these face-to-face moments — and the relationships we cultivate from them — mean more than we knew. >>> READ MORE

Historically, change can be difficult, especially after people devised and developed systems that work. That's why many sales professionals were skeptical of selling virtually.

As one of the oldest professions, selling has always been about meeting people, locking eyes, and shaking hands. It’s how buyers and sellers create trust, form relationships, and build partnerships.

No doubt, you’ve heard the naysayers. “You can’t trust over the internet!” they say. “Virtual is impersonal.” Well, as change brings challenge, it also welcomes its troublemaking cousins, rumor and misinformation. Let’s examine and debunk several myths and misconceptions about selling virtually. >>> READ MORE