The Center for Sales Strategy Blog

In the world of sales, you are either a top performer or you're not!

Yes, there are new salespeople and journeyman sellers, but the reality is that even these sales reps are going to be top performers or not.

Top performers are driven, competitive, hard-working, positive, persuasive, and problem-solvers! They make the most of every day, every meeting, and every opportunity. They are prepared, confident, and start the day running.

So, the question of the day is, "Do you WANT to be a top performer or not?" If you do, then these are four things that you need to do every single Friday until you retire.

As a B2B senior sales leader, you know the pressure of driving consistent growth. But what happens when your once-thriving sales organization stalls?

Stagnant sales pipelines and flat revenue can be a symptom of deeper issues. This is a roadmap that equips you with insights, action items, and a clear path to transform your team into a growth machine.

Crafting a robust professional brand is paramount, particularly for sales professionals and leaders alike.

As a coach, I work closely with individuals at various stages of their careers, digging into their past and current experiences to understand the challenges they face and the solutions they bring to the table.

Through these discussions, I gain insights into their passions and aspirations, shaping their professional identity.

Here is a truth bomb that might just revolutionize your sales strategy. Brace yourself because I'm about to tell you why your meticulously crafted pitches about features and benefits are falling on deaf ears. 

Yes, you heard that right. It is time to shift gears and move beyond the traditional features and benefits spiel.

How much more productive would you be if you focussed on your inputs? This means avoiding all distractions and only working on planning, pitching, and following up—all the factors that budge the needle, not those that don't. 

A lot of valuable time is wasted focusing on things we cannot control. For example, we have zero control over the economy, competitors, pricing, inventory, or customers' attitudes. Improving sales performance often requires changing focus from things that are out of our control to things we can control.

So, what exactly should you focus on? Here are several things within your control.

Did you know that the first email was sent way back in 1971?

That first “message” was a throwaway in terms of actual content. Engineer Ray Tomlinson, at the time, was exploring different ways for humans and computers to interact and sent himself a test email to see if his new idea worked.

Ray had little idea how powerful and enduring the concept of electronic mail would end up becoming.

Think about how much technological innovation has occurred in those 53 years since email’s invention. Despite the rise of social media, instant messaging, and other communication platforms, email continues to be a preferred and effective channel for sales professionals.

A new year brings new opportunities and a chance to set the foundation for sales success in 2024. With fresh perspectives and renewed motivation, sales teams have the potential to accomplish great things.

By learning from the wisdom of experienced professionals, managers and salespeople can map out a plan to thrive in the months ahead. This year, let's challenge ourselves to implement impactful sales strategies and adopt empowering mindsets. If we start motivated and intentional, there is no limit to what we can achieve.

There’s no longer a debate on whether social media is an effective way to remain relevant in today’s busy and modern online world. Social media has come a long way since the mid-2000s, where users simply used it to share photographs and “check-in.”  

Today, smart sellers incorporate social media into their sales strategy as an additional way to connect with prospects. This allows you to:

• Build rapport
• Pinpoint specific prospects
• Establish yourself as a thought leader

Through likes, comments, shares, and posts, you provide your insights to both prospects and current customers and allow for more engagement. Social media is a valuable tool for driving sales, but first, you must identify the most-used platforms for your ideal customer.

Strategic planning is a crucial aspect of any organization's success. However, creating your strategic plan is just the beginning!

To ensure success, it's essential to review progress regularly. Organizations that establish a plan to review progress reap the benefits. Set it and forget it seldom, or should I say, never have I seen it work.

In the fast-paced world of sales, where the name of the game is, well, selling, which involves sealing the deal, it seriously makes me cringe when I catch salespeople dropping their in-house lingo in front of clients.

Let's talk about three power-packed words that could seriously put a wrench in your plans when you're in front of potential clients. So, do yourself a favor and ditch these words when you're chatting up a client or a promising lead.