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The Center for Sales Strategy Blog

The Center for Sales Strategy

Recent Posts by The Center for Sales Strategy:

Seven Seconds to Make a First Impression — Make it Count!

Seven Seconds to Make a First Impression — Make it Count!

We’ve all heard, “You’ll never get a second chance to make a great first impression.” This applies to so many facets of life, and when it comes to sales, that first 7-10 seconds can make or break you.

Our brains make a thousand computations during the first seven seconds we see someone. That means within seven seconds, the person across from you is assessing whether you’re likable, trustworthy, and competent.

Is the impression you create a blend of your personality, body language, and communication skills? If not, it should be!

Topics: Lead Nurturing sales process

6 Hiring Scenario Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

avoid hiring the wrong personThere is nothing more impactful than adding the right seller to your team. Conversely, nothing is more impactful than adding the wrong seller to your team!

Here’s a list of six scenarios managers find themselves in when hiring sellers that lead to hiring the wrong person, plus things managers can do to avoid them.

Topics: hiring salespeople

A Sales Managers' Role in Discovery Meetings

A Sales Managers Role in Discovery Meetings

Discovery meetings are a vital tool for uncovering new business opportunities. In these conversations, sales managers and sellers have a unique chance to learn about potential clients, understand their challenges, and present solutions tailored to their needs. The key to an effective discovery meeting lies in the ability to ask thoughtful questions, actively listen, and establish genuine rapport.

This article explores best practices for conducting productive discovery meetings. For sales managers, it provides insights into sharpening your skills in this area. For business owners, it illuminates the significance of discovery meetings in locating new opportunities. Whether you want to enhance your capabilities or gain a better grasp of these influential conversations, this piece highlights strategies to make discovery meetings a competitive advantage.

Topics: sales process discovery meetings

Different Types of Sales Organizational Structures

Different Types of Sales Organizational Structures

Are you trying to organize your sales team? Are you trying to figure out what the best sales organizational structure is  or trying to identify the problem within your current structure?

Determining the best way to organize your sales team is important, and we're sure that you're looking to find the most efficient sales structure. Your sales team organization matters, because it can affect the sales that you make and the revenue you bring in.

Let's talk about what the different kinds of sales organizational structures are and list some pros and cons. Then, we can discuss how you should go about organizing your own sales team.

Topics: sales structure sales organizational structure

3 Sales Coaching Steps to Recruit Quality vs. Quantity

Three Sales Coaching Steps to Recruit Quality vs. Quantity

Finding and attracting top sales talent is a perpetual challenge for sales managers. With countless responsibilities already overflowing your plate, dedicating time to recruiting often falls by the wayside. However, taking a strategic approach to recruiting through inbound marketing techniques can attract qualified, eager candidates, so you spend time interviewing the right people.

Inbound marketing is proven to generate sales leads, and these same principles can be applied to enhance your employer brand and recruiting efforts. By developing engaging content and social media profiles, you position yourself as a manager invested in the success of your team.

Let's dive into how to get started with an inbound strategy to recruit the sales talent you want on your team.

Topics: Inbound Marketing recruitment

Will Your Job Go The Way Of The Dinosaur?

Will Your Job Go The Way Of The Dinosaur

Regardless of the industry you are in, there is no doubt that you risk seeing your job function become extinct.

Think about the travel industry. Twenty years ago, who would have ever thought it was possible to book a business trip that included two different cities, multiple flights, car rentals, hotels, and more, all without the help of the travel agent?!

That’s not to say that all travel agents went away, but the business certainly changed. Today, we will look at the media industry—specifically, Digital Media Sales Managers.

Make no mistake—this is not a media-specific issue. The same could happen in many industries.

Topics: Digital integrated media solution

In A New Business Slump? Try Getting the Rats Out of Your Head!

new business sales slump

In this fast-paced environment. distractions are inevitable. Emails pile up, urgent issues arise, and salespeople often find themselves pulled in multiple directions at once. It's easy to let these distractions derail us from our most important sales activities - developing new high-potential accounts.

Many refer to these distractions "the rats in our heads." They gnaw at us constantly, invading our mental space and eating up valuable time we should spend on productive business development. The "rats" can be loud and frenzied, making it hard to stay focused.

But we can regain control. Here are some strategies to share with your sales teams to keep the rats at bay.

Topics: business development sales performance

Overlooking This One Key Factor When Hiring Will Hurt You!

Overlooking This One Key Factor When Hiring Will Hurt You!

Finding a candidate with top talent to fill an open position is a good feeling. You’ve found someone that possesses the skills and experience necessary to perform the job at hand and do it well. Box checked! 

During the interview process, you focused mainly on their qualifications and professional background, but it was hard to get a sense of who they are and what they are about. You tell yourself that it’s not too much of a concern; with their skills and talent, it should all work out.  

Sometimes it does work out, but many times it doesn’t. Don't overlook this one key factor when hiring a new candidate!

Topics: hiring salespeople company culture

A Guide to Sales CRM: Strategies to Streamline Your Sales Process

Mastering Sales CRM

In this fast-paced digital era, staying ahead of the competition requires mastering the art of customer relationship management (CRM).

A robust sales CRM system is the key to optimizing your sales process, improving team productivity, and ultimately driving revenue growth.

From selecting the right CRM platform to implementing automation and analytics, we will uncover the secrets to maximizing your sales efforts.

Topics: sales process CRM

Understanding the Seasonal Nature of Sales: Challenges and Opportunities

Understanding the Seasonal Nature of Sales

As a sales manager, you've realized that the sales world is not a constant, static environment. It's a dynamic, ever-changing landscape influenced by various factors, including the seasons.

Understanding the seasonal nature of sales is crucial for any business to thrive and adapt to the challenges and opportunities that arise throughout the year.

In this blog, we will explore the challenges faced by sales managers in relation to seasonal fluctuations, as well as the opportunities that can be leveraged to maximize sales success.

Topics: sales challenges