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The Center for Sales Strategy Blog

Jobs are at a 14-Year High

Why_Millenials_Quit_Sales_JobsWhat have you been reading lately? There's so much content published every week that a person can never read it all themselves. That's why we're here, bringing you the weekly wrap up.

Here are the five articles that piqued our interest:

1. Jobs are at a 14-year high {USA Today}

The number of job openings in the US has surged to a 14-year high… shifting the power from potential employers to applicants. This is a good time for sales managers to take our brand and connect course and focus on the suggested action steps to get more attention from top applicants.

2. Customer value optimization {Digital Marketer}

This flow chart and blog post show Digital Marketer's path to purchase. It's a neat way to think about what to do after each step.
Topics: Wrap-up

5 Things More Important to a Sales Organization Than Policies & Rules

more-important-than-policies

 If your sales organization is struggling, your most significant constraint might be the policies you create and enforce. Too many sales leaders spend the majority of their time creating policies/rules and playing the role of referee resolving policy disputes.

 

Here are 5 things more important to a sales organization than policies and rules:

 

Topics: Sales

Talent is Like Land: You Can’t Create it, You Can Only Develop It

arguing-coworkersHave you ever been able to successfully change someone?

Maybe you have a teenager who was born without the gene responsible for keeping bedrooms clean—but with a little pressure (nagging, threatening…) you have been able to get him to pick up his laundry.

Or you could have a spouse who is so extremely chatty that it seems impossible to leave a party when you are ready to go—but with a little prodding you have been able to shuffle your beloved to the door more quickly.

But did you change them?

Is your teenager now neat and tidy? Is your spouse suddenly less social?

Probably not.

What about you?

Have you ever been able to successfully change yourself?

I’m not talking about trying to eat healthier, work out more, call your mom more often, or walk the dogs regularly (although those would be great accomplishments as well!).

The Difference Between Amateurs and Professionals

professionals-and-amateursWhat have you been reading lately? There's so much content published every week that a person can never read it all themselves. That's why we're here, bringing you the weekly wrap up.

Here are the five articles that piqued our interest:

1. The difference between amateurs and professionals {James Clear}

Being a pro is about having the discipline to commit to what is important to you instead of merely saying something is important to you.

2. How meditation at work improves productivity {strategy+business}

Mindful work is the practice of using meditation techniques to increase productivity, and there's a new book out that describes what goes on in some of the workplaces in America.
Topics: Wrap-up

How to Spot a Future Leader

spilled-candy-future-leaderI have been enjoying short stories from Twitter lately. The latest comes from Sean Hill, @veryshortstory.

I love this story:

Jack threw a piece of candy on the floor and watched his three children fight for it. The winner was groomed to protect Jack as he grew old.

Over the last few years, I have been helping one particular client completely transform their sales department. The change has been challenging to many in the organization. Some didn’t make it. Many of those who did make it struggled at first, and even after some time, they only embraced the change as much as necessary. But one person on the team embraced the change wholeheartedly. He was able to thrive—and even helped others on the team get on board.

Topics: Leadership

3 Ways to Find Your Next Superstar Salesperson

9 Books to Read This Summer

summer-readingThis is our second edition of The Center for Sales Strategy's summer reading list. If you missed last year's, here it is. We've compiled 9 books (nonfiction) that have inspired us over the last year.

9 Books to Read This Summer

Girl Boss
Sophia Amoruso

Tina Rice, Elearning Developer:

"It’s a wild ride full of risky behavior and swear words, and unbridled success."

Scary Close
Donald Miller

Emily Estey, VP/Senior Consultant:

"This is a great book for me as a coach."

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking
Susan Cain

Tirzah Thornburg, Talent Analyst:

"My 12-year-old is massively introverted, and this book helped."

The Best Leaders are Like...Gardeners?

gardeners-leadersWhat have you been reading lately? There's so much content published every week that a person can never read it all themselves. That's why we're here, bringing you the weekly wrap up.

Here are the five articles that piqued our interest:

1. The best leaders are like gardeners, according to General McChrystal {Inc}

Are you a gardener? If so, you may do some of your best thinking while you're engrossed in the garden. Watch this short video to see the parallel.

2. How finance executives measure the ROI of inbound marketing {Contently}

They call it content marketing (probably because their company is Contently) but the same thing applies. Set goals, then measure against them. What they don't say? That you should give credit to inbound marketing even when it feels like the lead came from another source.
Topics: Wrap-up

When was the Last Time You Admitted Ignorance?

admit-when-you-dont-knowIf it’s been a long time since you admitted ignorance, you might want to be worried. I was talking to a client the other day asking questions about their plans for sales enablement and he said he had to admit his ignorance on the topic.

Wow. How refreshing. You have to be smart and confident to admit ignorance. Get the irony? That made me stop and try to remember when the last time was that I was willing and able to admit ignorance. I hope you stop and do the same now.

If you have not had this experience lately, you probably fall into one of two camps:

  1. You’re not challengednot talking to enough smart people or reading interesting books and articles.

Topics: Leadership

Are Your Prospects Dying of Boredom?

dying-of-boredomIf every time your prospect or customer felt like you were pushing your products, rather than focusing on his business, he transformed into a Hollywood film director and screamed, “Cut. Boring! You’re out of here!” He’d be doing you a favor. What happens more often is that the prospect is bored and finds a semi-polite reason to show you the door. He’s just polite enough that you don’t get the bigger message—that you were boring.

Topics: Sales sales process