The Center for Sales Strategy Blog

When you're starting your own company, you want to start out with the strongest foundation possible. 20% of new businesses fail in the first two years that they're open. The reasons why they fail can vary, but starting your business with the right planning will give you a better chance of success. 

If you're in the business of selling products or services to your customers, you need an effective sales strategy. A sales strategy will help you scale and grow your business and learn how to improve your sales. Each strategy devised by a business is unique to them and their customer base, but they all should include the same basic details.

This guide will go over what a sales strategy is, how your company can benefit from it, and different examples you can pull from.

When a successful salesperson is questioned on what makes them stand out above the rest, most don’t have specific answers.

The reason seems to be because these high performers are doing what comes naturally to them. These are not skills that can be taught or learned. It’s about behaviors that “fire naturally” in client-facing sales situations.

Specific traits are sales accelerators.

- MOTIVATION -

"Quality performance starts with a positive attitude.”

-Jeffery Gitomer

- AROUND THE WEB -

<< If you only read one thing >>

This article on how to hire a great sales hunter stirred up great conversations about how to coach and develop those hunters once they are onboard. Great stuff, so we want to share it!

The best way to grow an organization is to grow each of the people within that organization, including your sales hunters. Great managers do this by keeping the natural behaviors of these people top of mind and committing to a handful of strategies to maximize their strengths. 

Kicking off the new season of the Improving Sales Performance series, John Henley, Managing Partner at The Center for Sales Strategy, gives viewers an overview and behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the Impact Leadership System: why it was created, who it was created for, and how sales leaders can make an impact on their sales performance by focusing on 4 key areas.

Tune in now to hear the Live broadcast or keep reading for a brief overview.

Excuse me, while I pull out my "soapbox", I'm about to go on a rant!

Nothing irritates me more than when people confuse activity with productivity. We have created an environment where checking off our to-do list every day, attending meetings, and responding to emails means that you were productive.

That's just wrong. 

You were not productive. You were busy. Busy does not equal productivity.

How much time do your salespeople spend selling?

It’s been our observation that it’s probably less than you think. Data suggests that it's as little as 30% of their time. And when you talk to salespeople all the time, as we do, they confirm that. 

So, to get a bead on just how much time your salespeople actually spend selling, you should start with a definition of selling.

- MOTIVATION -

"Your job as a leader is to stay as close in touch as possible with those closest to the action.”

-Kat Cole

- AROUND THE WEB -

<< If you only read one thing >>

Many sellers struggle to develop new customers. Often this has less to do with the seller’s ability to sell, and more to do with the seller’s ability to select quality prospects.

Some prospects are better than others, and qualifying them will help determine which of the prospects should be pursued and which prospects should not.

As you search for ideal prospects (future key accounts), use the following criteria to determine which current clients have the greatest potential for growth and deserve the most time and attention.