Beth Sunshine, on October 1, 2015
I learned a lot from my grandparents over the years, but the most useful gem they left me with is the secret of the Gift Closet. Everyone should have one. Let me tell you about mine. Picture a deep closet in the master bedroom hallway designed to hold towels, linens, and probably a vacuum cleaner—but instead, it is stocked with the following:
Matt Sunshine, on September 9, 2015
Ask a sales manager about the most important decisions he or she makes, and you will probably hear about exceeding budget, growing market share, or achieving year-over-year growth. While those decisions are critically important aspects of the job, and they require a great deal of attention, none of them can be accomplished without an even more important decision being made first.
The most important decision you will ever make as a manger is the decision of who to hire. If you don’t have great people working in the sales department, you can’t accomplish the rest.
Think of the very best salesperson you have working for you. Not the highest biller or the person that has been there the longest. I want you to think about the best seller. Imagine if you had an entire sales department of people just like that. Would sales go up? Of course.
If you want to accomplish more, there is something you can do about it.
Beth Sunshine, on March 12, 2015
Finding the right person for the job often takes time—time you don’t have—so you may find yourself dreading to make that next hire.
No need to drag your feet any longer! These interview tips and questions will help you uncover the information you need to determine whether a candidate might fit the bill. Follow them consistently and you will find that you speed up the selection process and make it much less painful.
Beth Sunshine, on March 3, 2015
When it comes to recruiting superstars, some people just seem to have the magic touch! I have the pleasure of working with quite a few sales managers who have this gift, but one, in particular, stands out of the crowd. She rarely misses!
Beth Sunshine, on January 7, 2015
Hiring the right person takes the perfect blend of art and science; you bring the art and we bring the science. Let me explain.
Jim Hopes, on July 9, 2012
I recently talked with a person in senior leadership who told me his company hired a salesperson six months ago who took an $80,000 pay cut to come to work for them. She left an obviously lucrative sales job in a bigger company because, despite her level of achievement and huge revenue contribution, she felt no appreciation for her accomplishments and, was being forced into a rigid sales structure totally foreign to what made her successful.
John Henley, on May 15, 2012
Get the power of unity and diversity working for you! To build a great sales team, you need to hire a talented and diverse team… and then unify them with a common purpose.
Demrie Henry, on December 8, 2011
Honestly, that is not something that ever came out of my mouth… nor did it ever come to mind. When I was a kid I wanted to be a chef because I loved to cook and eat. I wanted to be a Michelle Pfeiffer in Grease 2. I wanted to be a Madonna (before she did all the weird stuff). After watching A Few Good Men, I wanted to be a lawyer, and for a brief moment, I worked at Express and thought I wanted to be a fashion merchandiser. Why didn’t I dream of becoming a sales person or better said, an expert in sales strategy?
Elisa Hillman, on August 22, 2011
I am a runner. Sometimes, when I am out on the road, I experience what many people call a “runner’s high.” During those brief moments, when it all comes together, I feel as if I was made to run. Every thought becomes clear, every step is synchronized, and every breath is easy. In those moments, everything feels right, and I want to spend more time running.
