The Center for Sales Strategy Blog

In media sales, top talent is developed, not found.

The 6th Annual Media Sales Report reveals a consistent theme across high-performing teams: intentional learning and development. But while salespeople crave growth, most organizations still struggle to deliver it consistently.

Here’s what the data from the Learning & Development section of the report tells us, and what sales leaders must do to bridge the performance gap.

Effective communication is the cornerstone of success. As sales leaders, it's imperative to ensure your team masters the art of communication. The 7 Cs—Clear, Concise, Concrete, Correct, Coherent, Complete, and Courteous—are not just principles; they are the bedrock of every successful sales interaction. 

Salespeople must be adept at conveying their messages in a way that resonates with prospects and clients. The ability to communicate effectively can make the difference between closing a deal and losing a potential customer. By mastering the 7 Cs, your team can enhance their communication skills, build stronger relationships, and drive better results. 

Let's dive into how you can instill these essential communication skills in your sales team. 

Sales managers, let’s talk about the lifeblood of your team’s success—your sales funnel. If it’s weak, your sales will be inconsistent. If it’s strong, your team will have a steady stream of deals to close. Your job? Make sure it’s built for success. 

Here’s how you can strengthen your team’s funnel and keep revenue flowing.

As B2B sales leaders and managers, your role in guiding your sales teams to success is more critical than ever. With the ever-evolving sales landscape, it's essential to stay ahead by focusing on key areas that can significantly improve your team's performance. Here are some crucial topics to consider, especially as you work through Q1 to set your team up for success early in the year:

Leadership is a challenging yet vital role in any organization. Great leaders can drive a company to success, while ineffective ones can lead to its downfall. Unfortunately, many companies overlook the importance of training their leaders, expecting them to succeed with little to no preparation. If leadership is so critical, how can organizations ensure their leaders are set up for success? 

I often have conversations with sales managers who lament their teams' lack of accountability, implementation, and follow-through. They talk about struggling to get new initiatives or processes adopted consistently.

In these situations, my typical response is: "Let's talk about your weekly one-on-one meetings and how you use them to drive accountability."

One-on-one meetings between managers and their salespeople are critical for staying aligned, removing blockers, and driving performance. However, many managers fail to run these meetings effectively. Here is a proven guide to great one-on-one meetings that drive real accountability.

Imagine for a moment that you are the sales leader for a national media company. Picture your sales team and imagine the following scenario….

Your team is made up of 100 percent sales superstars who knock it out of the park and raise the bar day after day, week after week, month after month. Their potential for success is unlimited.

If that scenario sounds like a dream to you instead of a reality, you are in the majority.

Our just-released fifth annual Media Sales Report found that 76% of sales managers don’t consider most of their teams to be superstars.

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….

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.

Sales leadership plays a crucial role in the success of any organization's sales efforts. As the driving force behind a sales team, sales leaders are responsible for setting targets, providing guidance, and motivating their team members to achieve their goals.

However, even the most skilled sales leaders can face challenges when it comes to improving performance and driving results.