Sales Knowledge Bank

Sales Knowledge Index

2008-08-11T06:35:00.000-07:00

This Sales Knowledge blog exposes new sales managers to the challenges in the sales force management . This one point sales knowledge bank encourages both new & experienced sales managers to exchange their knowledge & experiences. For managers who want detail information about any particular area there is a list of reference books & articles too .To join the debate & increase your sales knowledge

Editor Choice : May 2008

2008-05-10T00:29:00.000-07:00

Close More Big Sales … By Noticing The "Window Of Dissatisfaction Craig Elias, Chief CatalystShift Selling, IncHave you ever noticed what happens when you buy a new car? Once you buy it, you start noticing lots of the same car on the road. What’s that about?Or consider this: Jack and Tonya learn from Tonya’s doctor that they’re about to have their first

How to Sell an Idea

2007-02-02T22:56:00.000-08:00

Got an idea that could kick your career into overdrive? You'll need support to make it happen-from your own boss, a financial backer, or even a decision-maker at another company। Here's how to sell your idea to the people who can turn it into reality. Confirm That You and Your Idea Are a Credible Match GOAL: Make sure an appropriate messenger will deliver your message. Selling ideas is

How to Fire the Employee Who's Holding You Back

2007-01-01T20:45:00.000-08:00

Donald Trump makes it look easy, but the words "you're fired" are always difficult to say. Letting an employee go is painful, and for many managers the process is fraught with sleepless nights and stomach-churning anxiety. But hanging onto the wrong people can ultimately make matters worse for you, your other employees, and your business. Here's how to break the news firmly but gently, so

10 Mistakes Managers Make During Job Interviews

2006-12-14T20:37:00.000-08:00

Hiring is one of the hardest parts of managing a team. A lot is riding on the initial meeting, and if you're nervous or ill-prepared—or both—it can make you do strange things. The following mistakes are all too common, but they're easy to avoid with some advance preparation. 1. You Talk Too Much When giving company background, watch out for

Sales Humour

2006-12-12T05:06:00.000-08:00

The Indian Sales ManThe Manager says: "Do you have any sales experience?"The Indian says: "Sir, I was a salesman back home in India."Well, the boss liked the Indian chappie so he gave him the job. "You start tomorrow.. I'll come down after we close and see how you did."His first day on the job was rough but he got through it.After the store was locked up, the boss came down. "How many sales did

CustomerCentric Selling

2006-10-19T06:56:00.000-07:00

The definition of CustomerCentric Selling depends on what your job is. We teach CEOs how to own and shape their customers' experience; we teach sales executives how to define and manage their revenue engines, we teach marketing executives how to own and manage sales ready messaging, we teach first line sales managers how to assess and develop the talent of their salespeople, manage to a sales

Sales Efficiency tools : New Acrobat 8

2006-10-08T05:09:00.000-07:00

Quick Summary:Adobe has rebranded Macromedia Breeze web conferencing software as Adobe Acrobat Connect. Adobe has also announced Adobe Acrobat 8 Professional, Adobe Presenter, redesigned Acrobat 8 Reader and Acrobat 3D for CAD professionals.In another expected move, Adobe has removed Adobe Golive CS2 from the Adobe Creative Suite 2.3 Premium to be replaced with Macromedia Dreamweaver 2006 [both

Sales Practice.com

2006-09-23T06:35:00.000-07:00

Interesting site about Sales and Marketing gyan. Articles are categorized under following heads . It is continously updated . Happyreading ....General MarketingGeneral SalesGeneral BusinessSales ManagementSelf-ImprovementPersuasion/ InfluenceCustomer RelationshipsNegotiatingInternet MarketingNetworking/ Refferals/ WOMCold Calling/ Prospecting

Editor Choice : Sept 2006

2006-08-26T22:57:00.000-07:00

Prostitute Yourself for Successful Sales - Successful SalesmanshipOne of the most effective salespeople I have met was a Gigolo. Like all good sales professionals he mapped out his sales area, qualified his prospects and did the numbers. He would approach his prospect and proposition her. His first approach was seldom successful and he typically received responses like: Don't be disgusting or I'm

Editor Choice _ August

2006-08-06T08:53:00.000-07:00

Compensation SpecialMORTGAGE BROKER SALES COMMISSION: 10 Steps to avoid Sales Commission Litigation Sales Commission can be a flashpoint in disputes between Mortgage Brokerages and their agents. Litigation related to these disputes can result in monetary losses and in some cases the distraction of the lawsuit can drive brokerages to collapse.STAFFING INDUSTRY SALES COMMISSION: 10 Steps to avoid

Editor Choice - July

2006-07-05T08:37:00.000-07:00

Harvard Business Review publishes new and authoritative ideas for improving the practice of management. Written by leading business thinkers and executives, HBR gives readers a first look at cutting-edge ideas and their real-world applications in areas like strategy, leadership, marketing, team management, and professional development. Each monthly issue presents groundbreaking research,

June Article : Gallup Series

2006-06-01T08:59:00.000-07:00

The following Series of articles are available for subscribers to the Gallup Management Journal.When to Say, "You're Fired!"Don't Guess Your Way to SuccessTaller Is BetterCustomer Satisfaction Is the Wrong MeasureWatch Out: The Economy Is ImprovingAre You a Winning Coach?A Knack for ListeningSales Managers Make a DifferenceHiring and Developing Talent: Key DifferencesWhat’s Your Plan for 2004?

Sales Manager to Business Manager

2006-05-06T03:55:00.000-07:00

Sales Manager who thinks like a Business Manager is very valuable for any organisation . This collection of articles will help Sales manager to think Big & take optimal business decisions1) Sharpening Your Business Acumen2) The importance of Effective Business Management3) Nine Effective Management Techniques 4) Getting better business value from IT5) Can you Manage different Generations 6) A

Editor Choice : May 2006

2006-04-29T05:32:00.000-07:00

Ultimate Motivation Guide: Happy Sales Force, Happy ReturnsEveryone knows motivated employees mean a stronger bottom line. So why are you leaving rewards and recognition on the management backburner? A comprehensive philosophy of team motivation can spark ideas for fueling everyone's fireOn a harried sales manager's to-do list, "take Joe to lunch for closing the deal"

Bringing science to sales

2006-04-22T05:45:00.000-07:00

Any executive running a sales organization would love to know which prospecting efforts generate the highest returns. Making the necessary calculations calls for tricky estimates of individual transaction costs, such as promotional expenses and the salespeople’s time as well as engineering, finance, or accounting resources. Luckily, many salespeople now use laptops to track their activities. This

Editor Choice : April

2006-03-29T06:53:00.000-08:00

These articles will shake traditional sales organisations . The need to reform sales force architecture has never been so intenseBuilding the High Impact Sales Force: The Investment You Can't Afford Not to MakeClarify the sales task and answer your sales force's No. 1 question: What do you want me to do?Develop a winning sales force architecture aligned with customer and profit

Building the High Impact Sales Force: The Investment You Can't Afford Not to Make

2006-03-27T06:51:00.000-08:00

Pity today's sales force. Our sales teams must be on the front line, meeting a hostile, hypercompetitive world. Since product cycles are short, our sales forces must help launch new products more frequently -- or deal with commoditization by creating differentiation in the minds of the customers, even when little difference may be evident. In a nutshell, we are asking our sales forces to work at

Strategic Sales Management: A boardroom issue

2006-03-27T06:29:00.000-08:00

With the marketplace changing so rapidly and product lives shortening, sales has become a strategic issue. But how do you make certain it is managed properly and that a company's best customers are satisfied? You do it by making sales a boardroom issue.n an environment where customer demands predominate because competition is both relentless and increasingly international, the world of selling

Editor Choice : March 2006

2006-03-16T00:32:00.000-08:00

Building a top consumer goods sales forceThese insights are among the principal findings of the 2005 McKinsey Customer and Channel Management Survey of 29 leading North American consumer goods makers .....The Best New World Markets for Selling Not every company is ready for global expansion. But sometimes, while executives ponder the next move, the world comes knocking. So consider these hot

Building a top consumer goods sales force

2006-03-15T06:04:00.000-08:00

Pressured by a smaller, more sophisticated, and increasingly demanding group of retailers, upward of three-quarters of North American consumer goods manufacturers have reorganized their sales forces since 2002, a survey finds . Yet only a handful of these manufacturers have gained market share during this period without incurring higher selling costs. An examination of the sales force winners

Sales News

2006-03-06T06:01:00.000-08:00

Editor Choice : Feb 2006

2006-02-28T05:56:00.000-08:00

The Three Most Common Mistakes Sales Managers Makeby Dave Kahle In most organizations, sales managers are the essential bridge between the company's sales goals and the realization of those goals. The gritty day-to-day interactions between the sales people and their customers are frequently filtered through the perspective of the sales manager on their way up the ladder. And the aspirations and

Sales Compensation : Knowledge Index

2006-02-27T06:40:00.000-08:00

This knowledge Index exposes sales managers to the challenges in the designing , maintaining & reviewing sales force compensation .To join the debate & increase your knowledge Index click below on your area of interest .Sales Force Compensation BasicsLinking Sales Performance Management with CompensationDesigning Salary StructureOverall Compensation Structure Decision VariablesIndividual

Editor Choice : Jan - Feb 2006

2006-02-04T19:37:00.000-08:00

The articles stated below are my choice for this month . I hope you enjoy them too.Global Survey of Business Executives : Jan 2006Top 7 No cost tips to market your business

Sales Process Outsourcing

2006-01-05T07:11:00.000-08:00

This sales process outsourcing knowledge Index exposes sales managers to the challenges in sales process outsourcingTo join the debate & increase your knowledge Index click below on your area of interest .New Imperative : Reorganization of sales processWhy we need to reorganize the sales processWhat are the key factors that influence the outsourcing processThe Outsourcing Life CycleThe

2005: What CEOs are talking about

2005-12-28T07:59:00.000-08:00

During the past year, several themes have preoccupied senior executives, government officials, and other people concerned with business and public policy: the continuing emergence of Asia; offshoring management, economics, and policies; growth in the world's biggest companies; energy prices and supply; and the impact of aging populations. To show how companies and governments could best respond

Sales Management Softwares

2005-11-19T22:05:00.000-08:00

The following interesting articles are must read before you start even thinking of sales management software. The pitch for sales softwareByline: Jeff MorrisIf there was technology that could help your sales force better manage contacts, generate higher sales, and close more deals, would you invest in it? Which are the most popular sales management software ? Read More ...Making Sales Software

Sales Force Challenges

2005-11-04T05:43:00.000-08:00

This blog exposes sales managers to the various challenges in sales force management . For managers who want detail information about any particular area there is a list of reference books & articles too .To join the debate & increase your knowledge Index click below on your area of interest .Sales Force Challenges Analysis : SFC Analysis always starts with the basics . Understanding SFC is all

Sales Training CDs/Videos

2005-10-27T07:20:00.000-07:00

Richardson Training SystemRichardson Live is a series of concise, hard hitting audio tracks that cover the critical sales strategies and skills you need to win profitable business and strengthen relationships. Linda Richardson, industry leader and founder of Richardson, a dominate provider of sales training and consulting, covers the key

Sales Territory Design

2005-10-11T08:24:00.000-07:00

Sales territory designing can be an extremely powerful sales force productivity tool.Sales Managers should evaluate, align, re-align, or optimize sales territory design , and communicate the results to sales people via easy to understand reports. This is critical to optimize sales force efficiency and selling time balance territory workloads and earnings potential improve

Sales Force Design

2005-10-10T08:16:00.000-07:00

The sales force is a company’s most critical customer contact point and has a direct impact on its top line. For many firms, it is not only the most valuable and expensive asset—costing up to 40% of sales—but also the most complex. Sales force design merits close attention because it can have significant impact on costs, customer coverage and revenue.Sales force design encompasses three issues:

Interesting sites on Sales & Marketing

2005-09-24T23:55:00.000-07:00

General Management / Sales Management GyanHarvard Business School : http://hbswk.hbs.edu/ Working Knowledge series : Interesting & practical information on CareerEffectiveness, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Globalization, Innovation, Leadership, Sales, Marketing , operations, Organizations, Social Enterprise , Strategy McKinsey Quarterly : http://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/home.aspx : :

Sales Coaching

2005-09-20T03:02:00.000-07:00

There are many paths to success in business and life. But no path is universally right . One needs to find his right path knowing his strength & acknowledging his weakness. The path that's right for you (or your team) may not be obvious. And even if it is, you might find that you're stuck, or blocked & unable to move toward your goals. On the other hand, you might find yourself screaming down

Sales Coaching : Training Programs

2005-09-16T07:07:00.000-07:00

Program 1 :Organisation : American Management Association : Who Should Attend Vice presidents and directors of sales, sales managers, sales coaches, sales trainers and general managers. How You Will Benefit Understand your coaching style—and how to make it a more valuable asset to your sales team Ensure that the

Launch Note : 7th Sept 2005

2005-09-07T00:16:00.000-07:00

Dear FriendsThis Knowledge bank aims to publish latest thoughts on sales and marketing . The idea behind launching this blog is to exchange ( deposit & withdraw) sales related information & knowledge. We can enrich ourselves by sharing information among our fellow collegues.Pl send me your suggestion on the same & reccomend this site to your friends & colleguesRgdsShailesh

Sales Compensation _ Book Reviews

2005-09-05T22:07:00.000-07:00

Book No1 Compensating the Sales Force: A Practical Guide to Designing Winning Sales Compensation Plans( Click the image for details ) David J. CichelliABOUT THE BOOK Compensating the Sales Force: A Practical Guide to Designing Winning Sales Compensation Plans SYNOPSISHow sales people are paid has an immense impact on their performance. The right sales compensation program can lift a company's

Sales Force Design - Book Reviews

2005-09-04T08:24:00.000-07:00

Book No 1 Transforming Your Sales Force for the 21st Century ( Click the image for details ) Distribution companies, by their nature, should be sales-oriented companies. But, most distributors don't do sales very well. That's the premise behind this new book.The book, written for sales managers and executives in the distribution industry, provides a blue print for executives to transform their

Sales Coaching- Book Reviews

2005-09-04T06:30:00.000-07:00

Book No 1 : Sales Coaching: Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach by Linda Richardson ( Click the image for more details )Book DescriptionAs companies shift from hierarchical management into teamwork, managing is not nearly as important as coaching. Here is the first book on the coaching process written exclusively for sales managers--a brief, easy-to-digest primer on making

Sales Force Performance Metric

2005-09-02T07:46:00.000-07:00

Designing a Metrics Dashboard for the Sales OrganizationBy Mike Rose, Director of Development, SalesLobby.com,Metrics can serve as critical measures of success for any organization and, in particular, the sales force can benefit immensely from an understanding of how to identify and track these quantities in a meaningful way.The primary objective of the dashboard creation process is to identify

Front line value creation

2005-08-28T00:50:00.000-07:00

The front line act as "roots" for any Organization . They play a critical role in connecting the organisation with the market . They bring the "real revenue". Remember every enterprenuer had started his life as a frontlinerBut over a period of time Frontline becomes more of value delivery mechansims rather than value creating mechansim . Sales process today is more like a production floor of pre

Coaching Program

2005-07-25T06:59:00.000-07:00

1. FastFocus Event Coaching Intense, focused coaching support for a particular event or need, or to help resolve a specific challenge.Term of Assignment: Intense, short-term involvement that, depending on the situation, may last a few days to several weeks. The usual configuration is one to two weekly sessions for one to two months. Method: In-person and telephone interviews; other

Coaching Process

2005-07-25T06:47:00.000-07:00

The Knowledge Bank® Coaching C@KB method follows a five stage development process. The steps are the same whether the Coaching is for you as an individual or for your team. 1. Impetus In this stage, Coach and Client identify outcomes, success criteria, and appropriate measures. We answer two important questions: 1. Why are we here? 2. How will we know

Coaching FAQs

2005-07-25T05:36:00.000-07:00

What are the differences between coaching, consulting, counseling, and mentoring? A. Each of these disciplines involves a skilled provider of services assisting a client. But each is a distinctly different form of professional support. Coaching is a relationship between someone who wants to grow professionally, the Client, and a skilled facilitator, the Coach, who can help the Client achieve

Sales Break : Humour Times

2005-07-08T08:36:00.000-07:00

Name MattersThe manager of a large office noticed a new man one day and told him to come into his office. 'What is your name?' was the first thing the manager asked the new guy.'John,' the new guy replied.The manager scowled, 'Look...I don't know what kind of a mamby-pamby place you worked at before, but I don't call anyone by their first name. It breeds familiarity and that leads to a breakdown

Shailesh Naik

2005-06-30T07:04:00.000-07:00