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Why leadership inspiration, collaborative learning, and joy impact us all. Wisdom 1: Learning starts with a curious mind “I have seven wisdoms for you. What you do with them is up to you. The only thing I ask of you is to remember them.” “The first wisdom is about curiosity. Any learning starts with a curious mind. Be curious and…
How can leading indicators, when integrated into the Sales Management System and aligned with leadership practices and organizational culture, enhance predictability, foster customercentricity, and drive sustainable sales transformation within a complex, matrixed organization like SAP? Conducting the symphony in sales In the vibrant world of sales, the role of a leader may be associated to that of a conductor of…
How an MBA can enhance performance for sales professionals and leaders. In today’s competitive business landscape, exceptional sales performance requires more than persuasive communication and relationship-building skills. As markets become increasingly complex and data-driven, an MBA education can provide a significant competitive advantage for both salespeople and sales leaders. Here, we’ll explores how the strategic framework, analytical capabilities, and leadership…
How do you hang onto the good salespeople your employ? Enhancing mental health and well-being in sales organisations is key. Retaining top sales talent is a growing challenge for sales leaders. Sales professionals today operate in a competitive marketplace where opportunities are abundant, and organisations must ensure they provide compelling reasons for their best people to stay. The ability to…
How critical is the role of executive sponsorship for Key Account Management success? Executive sponsorship is fundamental to the success of Key Account Management (KAM) programmes. As organizations increasingly focus on their most valuable customers, securing and harnessing top management involvement has become essential for strategic success and long-term profitability. Understanding how to effectively engage executive sponsors and maximize their…
A major research study uncovers insights into what differentiates top-performing KAMs from the rest. It finds many organisations are focusing on the wrong things in their efforts to improve KAM performance. Key account managers (KAMs) may represent a small fraction of the sales force, but their impact on sales outcomes is disproportionately significant. Despite extensive research on general sales effectiveness,…
Whilst AI is unlikely to completely replace salespeople in complex B2B environments, it certainly has the potential to make good salespeople even more effective. Here are a few of the most important ways in which salespeople are using AI: +
There is no doubt that AI is going to play an increasingly important role in facilitating complex B2B sales. Here are a few ways in which sales managers can harness AI to coach their salespeople more effectively: +
Learning is not just important; it’s essential for success in sales. When we saw the headline on the cover of this Journal (edition 9.5) “Do Salespeople Have Time to Learn” we were left with a massive feeling of déjà vu and drifted towards a discussion of what was top of the pop charts when we first heard that said. Thankfully,…
Researching prospects can be a time-consuming activity but is essential to success. Used judiciously, AI can help streamline the process. Then it’s time to make contact… See Sales Tips 101 “Opening a conversation” +
Trust plays a major role in our prospective customer’s decision-making. Here are a few of the most important ways in which salespeople can establish trust: +
Sales managers need to both trust and be trusted by their sales team. Here are a few of the most important ways in which this can be established: +
In this dissertation from an MA SALES MANAGEMENT programme in 2017-18, the author explores the extent to which trust is important when applying the Challenger Selling approach. Abstract Challenger Selling was a new sales approach that was popularised in a 2008 Harvard Business Review article by Matthew Dixon and Brett Adamson. They published the Challenger Sale book in 2011, and…
B2B trust research: what’s next? Abstract New academic research on trust will build on insights generated through Mark Hollyoake’s 2020 doctoral thesis (see previous article). They aim to dig deeper into the role of the “Boundary Spanner in relational trust development”, based on eight years of academic research through the University of Southampton. The original research Boundary spanners: What are…
Of course, every new salesperson needs to have a clear understanding of what they are selling. But product knowledge is never enough to ensure success. Bob Apollo lists five things every new (and existing) salesperson needs to master: +
For many salespeople, their obvious career goal is to advance into sales management. Unfortunately, this can turn into a frustrating move. Here’s what aspiring sales managers need to consider: +
Sales managers have a responsibility to identify, understand and address the root causes of individual underperformance in their teams. Here are a few of the key considerations: +
