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The Center for Sales Strategy Blog

Weekly Roundup: Outdated Sales Techniques, Retain Top Talent + More

Outdated Sales Techniques

- MOTIVATION -

"Lightning makes no sound until it strikes.”

- Martin Luther King Jr.

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It’s Time to Ditch these Outdated Sales Techniques LinkedIn

If a salesperson from 20 years ago suddenly showed up in a DeLorean and tried to dive right back into the art of selling today as they knew it back then, they wouldn't be likely to have much success.

Not only has the rise of the internet and digital transformation changed the mechanics of buyer/seller interactions, but also the very fundamentals that drive them. Increasing vendor competition and access to information over the past two decades have placed buyers in control, meaning that the same sales tactics of yesteryear for outreach and engagement will fall on deaf ears here in the 2020s.
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Topics: Wrap-up

Weekly Roundup: Win the War for Talent, Onboarding Nontraditional Talent + More

Win the War for Talent, Onboarding Nontraditional Talent

- MOTIVATION -

"Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.”

- Winston Churchill

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It’s Going To Take More Than Sign-On Bonuses To Win The War For Talent The Great Game of Business

The War for Talent is now in full swing. As the economy continues to reopen, companies have begun hiring again in earnest—driving the unemployment rate closer to pre-pandemic levels. At the same time, the number of open jobs in the U.S.—an estimated 9.2 million—is now breaking records. It’s one of those rare times in recent history where the number of job openings exceeds the number of unemployed people actually looking for a job.

While handing out one-time checks might drive some short-term results, it’s clear that firms will need to do more to keep their workers satisfied over the long run. After all, we’re also seeing what many are calling the “Great Quit,” where millions of workers who remained employed throughout the pandemic have decided to leave their existing jobs in search of better ones—even if it meant taking less money. >>> READ MORE

Topics: Wrap-up

Weekly Roundup: Sales Training Games, Sales Forecasting Methods + More

Sales Training Games, Sales Forecasting Methods

- MOTIVATION -

"Sales is not about selling anymore, but about building trust and educating.”

- Siva Devaki

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27 Sales Training Games, Activities, & Ideas To Ramp Up Your Team – HubSpot

There are over 13 million salespeople working in the United States, and they spend weeks or even months training for success in their role.

Given the different responsibilities, industries, and team structures salespeople encounter, it’s hard to recommend a one-size-fits-all approach to sales training. Your reps need to learn and retain all of the company-specific skills and knowledge in order to succeed in their jobs.

That’s why we’ve made a list of the best sales training ideas, activities, and games. Read through the list to determine the best tactics and programs to use when training your sales team. >>> READ MORE

Topics: Wrap-up

Weekly Roundup: Insight Selling vs Solution Selling, Tips for Hiring the Right Team + More

Insight Selling vs Solution Selling, Tips for Hiring the Right Team

- MOTIVATION -

"Change your thinking, change your life.”

- Ernest Holmes

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Insight Selling vs Solution Selling + How Modern Sales Teams Use Both– Close

Your prospects are inundated with information.

So, you assume your prospects enter your sales pipeline armed with a clear understanding of their challenges and the available solutions.

Or do they?

According to studies by Gartner, 77% of B2B buyers state that their last purchase was very complex.

Why? First, because the number of people involved in a deal has increased over the last years—63% of purchases have more than 4 people involved, according to research by Forrester from early 2021.

Second, because each person involved in the purchase is armed with their own research and information. >>> READ MORE

Topics: Wrap-up

Weekly Roundup: Top 5 Growth Sectors, Motivation Mistakes + More

Top 5 Growth Sectors, Motivation Mistakes

- MOTIVATION -

"Be an example. Are you prompt? Are you professional? Are you engaged? As sales leaders, we have to set the bar high for ourselves as well as our teams.”

- Lori Richardson

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Prospecting Alert: Here Are the Top 5 Growth Sectors of the Decade– Inside Radio

To identify the hottest growth categories of the decade, radio and podcast sales teams may want to consider which industry sectors are doing the most hiring. Bureau of Labor Statistics data compiled by American Staffing Association (ASA) identifies the top five sectors for wage and salary jobs through 2029.

Thanks in part to the pandemic, Healthcare and Social Assistance tops the chart with 23.5 million jobs forecast by 2029. >>> READ MORE

Topics: Wrap-up

Weekly Roundup: Remote Sales Teams, Virtual Selling, and More

Blog_CSS 061821_virtual selling

- MOTIVATION -

"The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change. The leader adjusts the sails.”

-John C. Maxwell

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Should Your Sales Team Go Forever-Remote?– CloserIQ

As the state of the pandemic is improving and more and more people are getting the vaccine, companies face the decision to remain remote or open up their offices again.

Despite changing circumstances, ensuring high sales performance remains a key goal for most companies. If your company took a hit due to coronavirus, boosting sales might be imperative.

A major part of making sales happen, and happen often, is setting up the right environment for remote sales teams. So, as full-time remote work transitions from the exception to a necessity to possibly an option again, is going forever-remote something that your sales team should consider?
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Topics: Wrap-up

Weekly Roundup: Sales Video Examples, LinkedIn Message Automation + More

Sales Video Examples, LinkedIn Message Automation

- MOTIVATION -

"The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change. The leader adjusts the sails.”

-John C. Maxwell

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10 Sales Video Examples to Crush Quota from Call to Close Sales Hacker

A hundred percent of the people we sell to are human.

And people like to laugh and smile. They enjoy interacting with people they trust and who seem authentic, and there is no better way to convey that than with video.

This post isn’t just a list of personalized video tips—it’s a strategy for using video throughout the sales process. Let’s let those humans on the other end know that your patient persistence is due to your winning personality – and not some software – like everyone else in their inbox. >>> READ MORE

Topics: Wrap-up

Weekly Roundup: Fix Post-Pandemic Sales Turnover, Zoom-to-Face + More

Modern gadgets in interior of coworking office during COVID-19 epidemic

- MOTIVATION -

"Quality performance starts with a positive attitude.”

-Jeffery Gitomer

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Take Action to Fix Your Post-Pandemic Sales Turnover Problem Top Line Leadership

Suppose for a moment that 25% of your sales team quit before the end of 2021. Recent polling suggests this is possible.

This article explains the research behind the prediction that voluntary turnover will increase as we exit the pandemic and prescribes specific things managers can do right now to prevent good salespeople from saying “I quit” to you and your company. >>> READ MORE

Topics: Wrap-up

Weekly Roundup: Sales Challenges Facing Salespeople, Voicemail Script Examples + More

Sales Challenges Facing Salespeople, Voicemail Script Examples

- MOTIVATION -

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

-Kat Cole

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6 Sales Challenges Facing Salespeople in 2021 [Expert Tips + Research] HubSpot

It's not exactly mind-blowing to point out that the sales landscape has shifted radically in these past two or so years. A shift to remote interactions, the trend away from physical workspaces, and a host of other changes have left sales reps, managers, and leaders in a bind.

Even as we move toward some semblance of normalcy, sales — as a field — is still fundamentally different than it was just a few years ago. And that kind of adjustment comes with its share of challenges.

So in the interest of helping salespeople identify and meet those issues, we reached out to some sales experts and conducted some research to show you six of the main challenges facing salespeople in 2021 and offer some perspective on how to address them. >>> READ MORE

Topics: Wrap-up

Weekly Roundup: Why Are Salespeople Afraid Of Change, Different Views on the Future of Remote Work + More

Why Are Salespeople Afraid Of Change, Different Views on the Future of Remote Work

- MOTIVATION -

"Don't sit down and wait for the opportunities to come. Get up and make them.”

-Madam C J. Walker

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Why Are Salespeople So Afraid Of Change? OpenView

It breaks my heart when salespeople are resistant to change.

We’ve seen it happen again and again: A new trend emerges. LinkedIn lights up with hot takes from thought leaders. Every vendor within a 100-mile radius tries to put their spin on it and turn it into a reason you need their product. We beat it to death and then you tune it out.

Remember when an entire industry of salespeople disregarded the account-based movement? We failed to think through the changes our marketing teams were going to make, how that would impact our pipeline, and then what behavioral change we should make as a result. We didn’t invest the time to help build our territories, we didn’t participate in writing the nurture drips, we didn’t react to the new lead intel, and so on. >>> READ MORE

Topics: Wrap-up