The Center for Sales Strategy Blog

Crafting a robust professional brand is paramount, particularly for sales professionals and leaders alike.

As a coach, I work closely with individuals at various stages of their careers, digging into their past and current experiences to understand the challenges they face and the solutions they bring to the table.

Through these discussions, I gain insights into their passions and aspirations, shaping their professional identity.

The 5th Annual Media Sales Report asked salespeople where their jobs are getting easier and where they are harder. 31% of salespeople responded that renewing clients is more challenging than ever before.

It's indeed crucial to recognize the evolving dynamics of client renewals in today's market landscape. With the increasing options available to clients, retaining them has become more challenging and important than ever before.

Here are some effective retention strategies that can be implemented throughout the sales process.

Do you know where 80% of your revenue comes from?

Most businesses would say they have a way they manage and prioritize their accounts, but few of them do it in a way that is strategic, consistent, and is woven into every sales decision they make. Leaders who have a strong Account List Management system should prioritize the following:

• Retention of current customers
• Growth of current customers
• Development of new customers

New data from the Media Sales Report shows that 46% of managers believe less than 20% of their sales teams are underperforming. 

It’s a terrible position to be in. It sucks your energy, time, and takes your focus from where you can be making a positive impact. It’s hard on leaders and underperformers. Underperformers usually fall into two categories:

1. The one that you hired, and they just can’t get it together. They consistently underdeliver on expectations. You hired them because you were confident they could do the job, they were maybe even going to be your next superstar, or so you hoped, but they haven’t met a budget and are underperforming.

2. The one that has performed well and is now consistently underperforming against their goals. What happened to them? They were great, but now….

Your next hire is important! Right?

It’s probably one of the top reasons managers tell me their job is hard. Finding talented people is difficult, and once you find them, hiring them and getting them onboarded is time-consuming and stressful.

You have a lot to do, but investing time and energy in a few important onboarding disciplines can give you and your new hire a better chance for success.

Managing a sales team can be challenging, especially when salespeople consistently miss their budget or sales targets.

While it's natural for sales professionals to have their ups and downs, it's essential to address performance issues promptly and effectively to ensure the overall success of your team and organization.

In this blog, we'll explore strategies and tips for managing salespeople who miss their budget, helping you turn underperformance into improved results.

There are four key performance indicators I recommend everyone keep a weekly focus on.  If you are a manager who does weekly individual focus meetings with your AE's or if you are a manager managing managers, these four things will help you keep the focus of the individual and the team on things that are crucial in moving the needle. 

These four essential metrics will tell you if you are on track for success. 

Strategic planning is a crucial aspect of any organization's success. However, creating your strategic plan is just the beginning!

To ensure success, it's essential to review progress regularly. Organizations that establish a plan to review progress reap the benefits. Set it and forget it seldom, or should I say, never have I seen it work.

Why am I obsessed with quarterly reviews?

It's quite straightforward. Clients who implement them almost always gain a clearer understanding of what each Account Executive (AE) needs to succeed. And AE’s who actively participate in them, coming prepared with a review of the last quarter’s performance and a plan for the upcoming quarter, are more engaged and prepared for success than those who don’t.