January, 2014

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Improve Sales Forecasting to Improve Sales Performance?

Anthony Cole Training

'Yes, the title, "Improve Sales Forecasting to Improve Sales Performance?" is a question. It remains a question despite the millions of dollars spent on CRM, sales force automation, training and hype. I was on LinkedIn this morning and saw an ad which read, "5 Keys to Improve Pipeline Forcasting Accuracy and Reduce Revenue Risk!". A couple of things.

Pipeline 190
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The Landing Page Optimization Guide You Wish You’ve Always Had

ConversionXL

'What follows is a list of resources that can be applied specifically to landing page optimization, found here on ConversionXL & from other great websites around the web. We’ve organized everything to best simulate a visitor’s experience on a landing page from first click to final conversion. To get the most out of this guide, please use each resource to focus on one area of your landing page experience at a time.

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Trending Sources

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Are You Missing The Happy Exchange In Your Sales Conversations?

A Sales Guy

'Sometimes the most obvious is ignored especially when it comes to sales and overall business growth. The focus becomes so much on the desired results the emotions, the personal connectivity is lost or becomes the means to the end. Happy is not a word usually used within sales training. Even though people buy on emotions justified by logic, this emotion of happy is ignored and that is a potentially fatal mistake.

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How Do You Differentiate Yourself?

Partners in Excellence

'Data shows 53% of customer loyalty is a result of their personal experiences in the buying process. This means the value we, sales professionals, create in the buying process is critical to our ability to win. What are you doing to differentiated yourself? What are you doing to make yourself and the value you create unique to the customer? Some defined that value in relationships developed with customers–but the wrong kind–you know what I mean, “When the going gets tough, t

Quota 126
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How to Improve Email Deliverability and Optimize Each Send

Learn how to optimize email deliverability and drive greater email ROI. What lands your email in the customer’s inbox? Understanding those factors, otherwise known as email deliverability, is critical to getting the most return on your campaign investments. But the “rules” around which factors land you in the spam folder aren’t always easy to keep up with.

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Sales Selection Experiment - a Must Read Case Study

Understanding the Sales Force

'Understanding the Sales Force by Dave Kurlan This kind of story doesn''t happen every day. One of Objective Management Group''s (OMG) most successful partners had an opportunity to work with young business leaders that had never sold. They were assessed with OMG''s tools, and assembled into 5 teams, all selling the exact same product. They had to go door-to-door, sell an overpriced luxury item, in the same market, over a 3-day period. 5 people were placed on each team based on the following car

Territory 115
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50 Ways to Score More Sales

Score More Sales

'Need some sales inspiration? A new twist on an old sales idea you’d like to do again? A quick sales jump-start this week? We’re pulling from a post originally published in November of 2008 – the ideas still stand, and there are LOTS more. The idea is to get inspired to take action. Which one does it for you? What are you already doing that IS working for you every day to be excited about contacting potential buyers?

Referrals 112

More Trending

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Should I Lower My Prices To Compete?

ConversionXL

'Most people shop online to find lower prices, right? I mean, let’s look at the research. A study from eMarketer.com suggests that 38% of people shop online because of lower prices. Forrester also found that 27% of consumers will sacrifice their shopping cart in the name of a better deal. If competitor’s prices have been dropping & your cart abandonment rates have been getting higher, don’t panic.

Price 117
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Most Sales People Use a CRM Like They Are Using the Broadside of a Hammer — Hello?

A Sales Guy

'Your CRM is a tool. That’s all. And, like most tools, you have to us it correctly if want get the most out of it. Have you ever seen a little kid use a hammer for the first time? They bang away at the nail, if you’re lucky it’s not a vase, your iPhone or the remote control, using the broad side of the hammer. If you think about it, it makes sense to a child to use the broadside, it has more surface area, it’s easier to swing and you can hit more stuff faster.

CRM 126
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Trust, Deception, LinkedIn

Partners in Excellence

'I guess it’s the new standard. Great tools end up being subverted for deceptive—or in the very least tragically bad practices. LinkedIn has increasingly been a channel for SPAM and other just bad marketing/sales approaches. I’ve learned to deal with the unwanted pitches coming through InMail, invitations, and some group communications.

Trust 122
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Global Warming, Social Selling and The Sales Force of Tomorrow

Understanding the Sales Force

'Understanding the Sales Force by Dave Kurlan Global Warming is a trend. Its impact on our future and the role that humans played are both hot topics and subjects of great debate. In my opinion, the globe has been warming since the end of the ice age. Humans, with their man-made factories and ozone-depleting products, had nothing to do with the origins of global warming.

Sell 110
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Brick & Mortar Retail Relevance: How to Stay Ahead of the Curve

Speaker: Jay Black, Senior Account Executive

Let's set the record straight: in-store retail isn't dead - it's evolving! Faced with the digital age and the demands of omnichannel shopping, some retailers are thriving while others are struggling to adapt. Join Jay Black in this exclusive session as he explores the strategies that set successful stores apart, including: Crafting unique and unforgettable in-store experiences 🛍️ Mastering the art of retail demands 🛒 Navigating inventory challenges in today's climate 📦 an

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Who Makes the Better Salesperson? A Man or a Woman?

The Sales Hunter

'Many of you reading this would say I’m venturing into risky territory by talking about this, but I’m willing to discuss the elephant in the room. This question comes up a lot when I’m talking with both sales leaders and salespeople. The interesting thing about this issue is how little there is in actual writing about it. I find that interesting since the question comes up a lot.

Negotiate 111
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Why Evaluate Potential Sales Talent? - A Great New Case Study

Anthony Cole Training

'This kind of story doesn''t happen every day. One of Objective Management Group’s (OMG) partners, Market Sense, in Austin, Texas, had an opportunity to work with 15 MBA students that had never sold. They were evaluated with OMG''s sales person assessment, and assembled into 5 teams, all selling the exact same product. Over a 3-day period, they had to go door-to-door in the same market and sell an overpriced luxury item.

Territory 186
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Website Reviews: How to Improve Home Pages

ConversionXL

'In this post I’m reviewing 5 websites, analyzing their home pages – and mostly their above the fold area. I’m also testing a new format for the reviews. Instead of a purely live video, I put together a small slideshow for it. So I will walk you through these sites using the slides. You can also view the slides separately via Slideshare.

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5 Ways to Exercise Your Change Muscle

A Sales Guy

'You are a few weeks into the brand new year. You wrote out your goals and got all excited about your 2014 plan. I want to know. What is different about 2014? That is the question I have been asking salespeople and entrepreneurs the last few weeks. Most people look at me with a strange face and say; Oh it’s better already! Does it feel like the same old start to you?

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How to Stay Competitive in the Evolving State of Martech

Marketing technology is essential for B2B marketers to stay competitive in a rapidly changing digital landscape — and with 53% of marketers experiencing legacy technology issues and limitations, they’re researching innovations to expand and refine their technology stacks. To help practitioners keep up with the rapidly evolving martech landscape, this special report will discuss: How practitioners are integrating technologies and systems to encourage information-sharing between departments and pr

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Do You Deserve To Be A Manager?

Partners in Excellence

'I read a great post in HBR, If You’re Not Helping People Develop, You’re Not Management Material. It’s a fantastic article, definitely a must read for managers and non-managers alike. The job of the manager is to get things done through people! The best managers focus on maximizing the performance of each individual and of their teams–both in their current roles and developing them to grow and contribute further.

Meeting 123
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What Percentage of Sales Candidates are Worthy of Being Hired?

Understanding the Sales Force

'Understanding the Sales Force by Dave Kurlan It’s an interesting question and one that has more than one answer. I wrote an article back in September of 2013 that asked the question, Are Sales and Sales Management Candidates Getting Worse? Consider the way that most companies hire people for sales roles. They skim through resumes, select only those that have the experience they look for, do some preliminary phone interviewing, and bring in the best for a series of face-to-face interviews.

Represent 107
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VIDEO SALES TIP: First Word to Say After Giving Your Proposal

The Sales Hunter

'The first word you should say after you give your proposal? NOTHING! That’s right! You shouldn’t say one word at all. Use silence to your advantage. Too many salespeople sabotage their profit by wavering on their confidence in their price. To see what I mean, check out this video: Copyright 2014, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog. .

Technique 103
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Sales Best Practices - Why is CRM SO Important to Sales Success?

Anthony Cole Training

'It’s not! Let me clarify. CRM, as a sales enablement tool IS NOT SO important to sales success even though it does contribute, aid, help and enable sales people to manage prospects and accounts. But, clearly it has little or nothing to do with the execution of the sales process - from finding prospects to getting them to make a decision to buy from you.

CRM 186
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1st, 2nd, and 3rd Party Intent Data: Which Is Right for You?

How do 1st, 2nd, and 3rd party intent data compare? 1st, 2nd, and 3rd party data each have specific advantages and disadvantages. It comes down to four factors: accuracy, cost, control and quantity. This infographic explains the pros and cons of each and helps you understand which one is best for meeting your business objectives. Intent data can be a great way to fill your pipeline and close more deals.

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Why You Need Business Development w/ Hunter Boyle of AWeber

ConversionXL

'Today, I was fortunate enough to get Hunter Boyle – Senior Business Development Director of AWeber to talk with us about what exactly business development is, and the role it can play on conversions. Because this is a new feature for ConversionXL, I would love to get your feedback so we can keep making it better. In my interview with Hunter, we discuss: The key responsibilities of a business development professional.

UX 104
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Your Sales Message Stinks

A Sales Guy

'There, I said it. Your message stinks. Technology has made it cheaper and faster to get in front of prospects, but somebody forgot to make sure you understood that what you say and how you say it wins the e-ticket ride to the next step in the sales process – OR NOT. Competition for your prospects attention is tougher than ever. You know that.

Sales 121
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Don’t Bother Me With Process!

Partners in Excellence

'Maureen Blanford challenged me with an interesting question, “What do you do with a person that consistently makes their numbers, but refuses to use the process?” It’s a great question, here’s my take. First, some set up. The sales process represents our organization’s best practices in winning business. We develop the sales process by looking at what our top performers consistently do to win deals, analyzing past wins and losses, and making sure what we do throu

Process 119
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Lead Generation Lies That are Wreaking Havoc with Your Sales

Pointclear

'Last August I wrote a blog for Top Sales World titled “Lead Generation Hogwash: The Top 7 Lies.”. I detailed 7 lies to be aware of to avoid a lead generation disaster (read the blog for the specifics): Any list will do. Voicemails are a waste of time. Outbound calling is interruption marketing. Write it and they will come. Automated systems accurately score (prioritize) leads.

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The Battle of the Authoring Tools: A 10-Point Comparison for Picking the Right One

Speaker: Chris Paxton McMillin, President of D3 Training Solutions

There are plenty of great authoring tools for developing eLearning, but the one you select could directly impact your course's outcomes. Depending upon your learners’ needs and your organization’s performance goals, you could be overlooking considerations that impact the both effectiveness of your courses and how long it takes to finish them. From general capabilities to specific workflow structures, some aspects are critical when it comes to learning objectives and deadlines.

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Sellers -Stop Bad Manners on LinkedIn Requests

Score More Sales

'Imagine walking into an elite networking event at a posh hotel, private club, or top restaurant. You walk right up to a CFO or COO from a prospect company of yours and start talking about yourself for the next three minutes. How well do you think you’d be listened to and received? Next imagine seeing a CEO that does not know you and suggesting to him that you should connect online – for no reason other than that they are a person you trust?

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Selling & Practice Management - Firing Friends

Anthony Cole Training

'How important is it for you to succeed? The answer to that question will determine how you approach a difficult business decision you might face if someone you work with is also a friend. This question not only applies to someone in management that has people reporting to them. It also applies sales professionals who have developed great friendships with clients that are no longer additive to their book of business.

Sell 185
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Website Reviews: Value Proposition Critique

ConversionXL

'Today I’m reviewing value propositions of several websites. Value propositions are critically important – especially if you’re not super well known or you’re driving traffic via ads. Background reading: How to create a good value proposition. How to come up with a value proposition if what you sell is not unique. Watch this 7-minute review: Websites mentioned in this review: Tradable.

Up-sell 103
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The Difference Between Performance Reviews and Sales Coaching

A Sales Guy

'Every time I ask a V.P. of Sales/CSO or even a sales manager if they have coaching methodology in place, I always get a similar answer; “Yes, we do them once or twice a year.” I then ask, are those your “performance reviews” and of course, the answer is yes. Let me help everyone out — doing performance reviews is NOT coaching.

Sales 120
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How to Leverage Intent Data for Better Outcomes

Speaker: Susan Spencer, Principal of Spencer Communications

Intent signal data can go a long way toward shortening sales cycles and closing more deals. The challenge is deciding which is the best type of intent data to help your company meet its sales and marketing goals. In this webinar, Susan Spencer, fractional CMO and principal of Spencer Communications, will unpack the differences between contact-level and company-level intent signals.

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Don’t Sell Where You Lose!

Partners in Excellence

'“Well duuuhhh, Dave, thanks for that great insight!” As obvious as it sounds, one of the fastest ways to improve organizational or individual performance is to stop trying to sell where you lose. Yet, as obvious as it sounds, too many of the behaviors I see are focused exactly on that–selling where we lose. The problem is, too often we blindly chase after bad deals.

Sell 119
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6 Negotiating Mistakes: Are You Making Them?

The Sales Hunter

'We’ve all blown it at one time or another. We’ve made negotiating mistakes that cost us more than we could have imagined. It’s time we get them out on the table, and hopefully as a result, we can avoid making these negotiating mistakes in the future. Are you making these 6 negotiating mistakes? 1. Not knowing when to walk away. If we don’t know at what point it makes sense to walk away, then we’re destined to make a commitment that simply does not make sense.

Negotiate 101
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What is the Best Sales Model for Your Sales Force?

Understanding the Sales Force

'Understanding the Sales Force by Dave Kurlan. This is the 10th article in a January series on the Architecture of the Sales Force. Here are the others: Organic Sales Growth and Its Impact on Sales Architecture. Overlooked Conversation Between Sales Managers and Salespeople. Do Technical Salespeople Need Sales Training? Why Doesn''t Sales Methodology Get More Attention?

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Managing Your Selling Priorities

Anthony Cole Training

'Priorities Get Done; Everything Else is JUST Talk! When you are in an airplane, you may or may not pay much attention to what is going on in the cockpit. You may happen to glance at the massive control panel (dashboard) with all the switches, gauges, nobs and buttons, but it’s just a glance. before you hustle on to your seat to get settled in for the flight.

Sell 181
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5 Inspiring B2B Marketing Campaigns to Take Yours to the Next Level

Your next big B2B marketing idea starts here. Get inspired with these five successful B2B marketing campaigns. Ready to generate more leads, interest, and revenue with your B2B marketing? In this comprehensive eBook, you’ll get: In-depth studies of five successful B2B marketing campaigns spanning a wide range of industries Key takeaways and lessons from each story to implement in your own strategy Resources to help your own B2B marketing thrive By submitting this form, you agree to have your con