Tuesday, September 30th, 2025
Five key questions a CEO should ask the sales leader/department to optimise revenue performance
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Tuesday, September 30th, 2025
Five key questions a CEO should ask a potential new CRO before hiring
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Tuesday, September 30th, 2025
Five key questions a sales leader should ask the new boss (the CEO) before accepting a CRO role
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Tuesday, September 30th, 2025
Sales execution reimagined
Bridging sales process and methodology for optimal performance. Too many times, we see sales organisations get dazzled by the latest buzzword (“MEDDIC 1 this,” “Challenger that”), after some consulting firm sells it like it’s the silver bullet that addresses low quota attainment. Or an executive grabs the hot new sales book and declares it to be the next gospel: for…
Tuesday, September 30th, 2025
The power of adaptation
Although adaptive selling can transform sales performance, it’s not a silver bullet. We all know that the best salespeople don’t always follow the script. While reps might start out reciting memorized pitches, as they develop they learn to read the room, adjust their approach, and craft solutions that resonate with each unique customer. This distinction captures the essence of adaptive…
Tuesday, September 30th, 2025
Safety, problem solving and creating value between organisations
ISP managing director Guy Lloyd and Warwick Business School’s Professor Nick Lee are in conversation with celebrated sales researcher and author Professor Neil Rackham, known for his pioneering sales research and developing the SPIN methodology. Guy Lloyd: What are the big changes you’ve seen in selling activity since you were doing your research for SPIN Selling? Neil Rackham: I think…
Tuesday, September 30th, 2025
Growing sales is easy…and yet
A sales leader challenges common misconceptions around “silver bullet”, short-term tactics to boost sales. It’s the end of the fiscal period, sales have been tracking well but the OI/EBITDA 1 number isn’t where it should be, so Sales needs to sell more. Its budget time and we grew well last year, but the plan is for up to 40% growth…
Monday, September 29th, 2025
There is no silver bullet
Why the future of B2B selling must be situationally adaptive. For decades, authors of books about selling have sought to promote the perfect methodology – the idea that there is “one best way” to sell. Whether SPIN, Challenger, Value Selling, Sandler, Miller-Heiman, MEDDPICC or many other approaches, each has claimed to provide the formula for sales success. But in today’s…
Monday, September 29th, 2025
The elusive silver bullet
Why sales performance remains stubbornly stagnant. For decades, the sales profession has been on a quest for the mythical silver bullet: that magical solution promising to transform mediocre performers into quotacrushing superstars. From cutting-edge CRM systems to revolutionary sales methodologies, from eye-watering commission structures to AI-powered insights, the industry has thrown everything at the problem. Yet despite billions invested in…
Wednesday, July 9th, 2025
Understanding my mental approach
Why self-awareness about your mental approach to sales can be critical for performance and wellbeing. We all know that ability skills and knowledge are important ingredients for success. But we all see examples of highly skilled and able people who struggle, and we see adequately skilled people thrive. The difference is often attributed to “attitude”. And there is good evidence…
Tuesday, July 8th, 2025
Don’t crash and burn out!
Latest Insights into wellbeing, motivation and sales performance. Sales performance is not just a function of skills and strategy; the wellbeing and motivation of salespeople profoundly influence it. Recent research and thought leadership converge on a clear message: sales teams thrive when their psychological needs are met, their stress is managed, and they feel motivated beyond just hitting a number….
Tuesday, July 8th, 2025
A science-based guide to motivating your team
The authors explore three theories every sales leader should master. Sales motivation isn’t rocket science – it’s far more complicated than that! While rockets (at least on the macro scale) follow predictable laws of physics, human motivation operates in the comparatively much messier realm of psychology, where individual differences, organizational contexts, and market pressures collide in unpredictable ways. Yet, too…
Monday, July 7th, 2025
The human factor
Exploring the vital relationship between wellbeing, motivation, and retention in modern sales. In too many sales environments, performance and productivity are largely seen as endpoints to be optimised through processes, metrics, tools, and training. However, there’s a growing recognition that sustainable sales performance is deeply rooted in human factors – in the wellbeing and motivation of sales professionals. I hope…
Monday, July 7th, 2025
How ISP helps both salespeople and employers
Despite being one of the most critical functions within any organisation – directly impacting revenue, customer relationships, and business growth – sales has historically lacked equivalent formal structures and standards to those that exist in professions such as law, accounting, or medicine. The Institute of Sales Professionals underlines that joining a recognised professional body for sales is an essential step…
Monday, July 7th, 2025
Sales Management Tips 101 – Boosting wellbeing, motivation and retention
Here are five practical steps that sales managers and leaders can take: +
Monday, July 7th, 2025
Motivation– a strategic imperative
Exploring the hidden driving force behind sales excellence. Why should we care about how motivated our salespeople are? Do we understand what motivates someone to do their best? How do the drivers of motivation vary between individuals, and can our best intentions demotivate our people? This edition of the Journal explores these questions. I think we can all agree that…
Thursday, April 10th, 2025
Sales Tips 101 – Making a career of sales
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Wednesday, April 9th, 2025
Hitting the right notes in sales
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…
Wednesday, April 9th, 2025
A Strategic Edge
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…
Tuesday, April 8th, 2025
Retaining top sales talent
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…
