Sales Management Training | The 5 Biggest Sales Management Mistakes

Posted on December 1, 2011 by Ralph

sales management mistakes Last year, in a very non sales management training related move, we made the decision to leave home, travel cross country for a year and homeschool our two grade school boys.

We figured that instead of paying the $20,000+ per year to pay for the to go to a perfectly nice private school on Cape Cod, we’d save that money, indulge in our passion for travel and see the country instead.

So as part of that, we decided we would take our kids out of school for a year and home school them along the way…even though neither of us are teachers.

Sales Management Training and Homeschooling

All summer long, as we visited National Parks, new cities and had a real good time, we knew September and “back to school” would soon arrive. Both my wife and I work from home so we figured with the kids the ages they were, now was the time to do it before they (or we) got too old.

The real difference for me was when September rolled around…back to school time.

Uh oh.

As the guy who used to be a sales management professional in the medical and other health related industries, Continue reading →

Maslow’s Guide to Sales Management Motivation

Posted on November 22, 2011 by Ralph

sales management motivation When it comes to sales management, if you cannot motivate your sales force, then you are done.

And when it comes to motivation, no one has gotten more press on motivation than Abraham Maslow.

Don’t know who Maslow is?

Well as a sales management professional, you should.

At the very least you should use a few of his tips to motivate your sales force.

Sales Management Motivation Maslow Style

If you don’t know, Abraham Maslow is commonly known as “the father of modern motivational theory” and is one of the only theorists on motivation whose ideas have actually withstood the test of time…in spite of hundred of eggheads who have tried to dispute his theories.

In short, Maslow states that each person is motivated by a series of physiological and psychological needs that he put into his “Needs Hierarchy Theory”.

These needs are listed from basic to advanced, the lowest common denominator being these five:

1.Hunger, thirst

2. Sleep

3. Safety, security

4. Shelter

5. Health

As a sales management professional, you have to figure that most of your sales force has these five basic needs covered, right?

So what does Continue reading →

Sales Management Training | How to Discuss The Elephant In The Room

Posted on November 7, 2011 by Ralph

sales management elephant You’re finally reached the end of the second interview.

You asked all your sales management interview questions.

The salesperson has asked all their questions back to you. Hopefully for you, none of them were really stupid ones.

If they were stupid, then don’t read any more…because you’re not going to make an offer.

However, this interview was a good one and you really want to make an offer and get them on board.

So now its time to talk about the “elephant in the room”.

Its time to talk money.

Sales Management “Elephant” Strategies

In the first interview, when the subject of money, base salary, commission, bonus, shiny beads and trinkets…or any other form of compensation comes up, deaf ear it.

Yep, don’t hear it. Pretend Continue reading →

What Saving Private Ryan Can Teach You About Sales Management

Posted on October 26, 2011 by Ralph

sales management war In sales management, sometimes things get hot.

Uncomfortably hot at times…

Most sales leaders have no idea when a major argument breaks out.

They panic instead.

The Sales Management Argument

Your sales team is arguing over a hotly debated sales management issue at one of your sales meetings.

If its a really hot issue, then chances are it has something to do with money or bonus. The hottest sales management issues you face will involve one or the other:

“We’re getting screwed on this new compensation plan”…

“The sales tracking system is missing my sales”…

“Management just cut year end bonuses”…

“I’m not getting paid on all of my sales”…

Or any number of myriad sales management issues you have to deal with, that you have no say in…but have to diffuse somehow.

Things are getting out of control.

Your salespeople are angry, upset, unruly.

People are yelling, they’re angry.

You, the sales leader have lost control.

What do you do?

Do you start yelling?
Do you antagonize?
Do you tell em all to “all of you…shut the hell up!!!!”?

You should do none of that.

You “diffuse the time bomb” instead.

Captain John Miller (played by Tom Hanks) does it brilliantly here in Saving Private Ryan…

What Captain John Miller (Tom Hanks) Knows About Great Sales Management

How does Miller Continue reading →

Sales Management Training | How The NFL Is Just Like Sales Management

Posted on October 18, 2011 by Ralph

sales management training and the nfl Ahhhh….it’s football season again.

I love football, there’s just no better sport to watch.

And now that the season is in full swing, this can only mean certain things:

The Indianapolis Colts are in first place in the AFC South
The Detroit Lions are in last place in the NFC North

Uh….hold on for a second….

As of this writing, the Indianapolis Colts haven’t even won a game yet…and Detroit (with the exception of a last minute comeback form the 49ers and would have been undefeated and tied for first in the NFC South) is 5-1 and in second place in the NFC South!

How things change from a year ago….

Its kind of like your sales management business a few years ago before this “world recession” thing hit.

Sales Management Blindside Hits

One day, you’re humming along, customers are placing purchase orders, your reps are making money, sales are flowing then, WHAM! Out of nowhere a global recession blindsides you and your business.

Sales start to tumble, your formerly contented customers are haggling you on price at every turn, low-priced competitors start to steal your market share, your boss starts to lose his cool, your sales reps start leaving for “other opportunities”….

Your sales management ship has suddenly sprung more leaks than Continue reading →