#sales achievement Tag

What Surprised Me Most About Sales I have been asked this question many times over the years, and it has never been easy to answer. After more than three decades in enterprise sales, sales leadership, and executive management, I have learned countless lessons. But because the question asks what surprised me most, one experience stands above the rest. I entered sales in an unconventional way. I was an accountant for a major hotel chain and had recently passed the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) examination. My career path seemed well defined, and I had no intention of leaving the accounting profession. Then an unexpected...

05 August, 2026

I joined a large consumer goods market research company as Vice President of Client Services (Sales), replacing a highly respected executive who had led the sales organization for more than twenty-five years. He was understandably surprised that he was being replaced, but that is a story for another day. For more than fifty years, the company had been the undisputed leader in its industry. It enjoyed an enviable reputation, a loyal customer base, and dominant market share. But dominance can create complacency. A fast-growing start-up entered the market with superior technology, faster delivery of customized research, and significantly lower prices. Customers quickly...

21 July, 2026

During my career, I have managed or worked with more than 1,000 sales pros, ranging from top performers to those who struggled to meet expectations. I studied high performers closely so I could better identify, hire, coach, and retain them. In my first book, Above Quota Performance,1 I described thirty characteristics they often shared. One important trait, however, did not make that list: while some top performers were highly coachable, many strongly resisted change. At one company, I first achieved success as a salesperson and later became Vice President of Sales. Our sales model assigned separate representatives to each product. As...

26 June, 2026

We have all seen cartoons of a dog chasing the garbage truck down the street.  What happens when the truck stops and the dog catches it? Frequently, the dog is left uncertain, unsure of what to do next, and simply barks in confusion. A similar scenario often unfolds in enterprise sales. A sales pro invests significant effort in developing a lead into a qualified prospect. After persistently pursuing an in-person meeting, the contact finally agrees. At this pivotal moment, what should the sales pro do next? Once the contact confirms an in-person meeting, the sales pro’s role should transition from pursuit to purposeful...

20 April, 2026

Reasonably accurate sales forecasting has been a persistent challenge in every sales organization I’ve encountered throughout my career. The question is simple: why can’t sales pros forecast their deals to close this month and next month with even 60% accuracy? On the surface, it should be straightforward. In reality, it is anything but. The data confirms this is not an isolated issue—it is systemic. According to Gartner CSO Insights (2020), only 45% of sales leaders are confident in their forecast accuracy.1 More recently, Forbes reported that 67% of sales operations leaders believe forecasting has become more difficult in just the past...

19 March, 2026

Why use the Player/Coach Model? This hybrid approach combines hands-on contribution (Player) with team management and mentorship (Coach). It is common in startups and agile organizations. The model offers leaders who both do the work and shape strategy.  It can be deployed in sales and non-sales positions. Rethinking the Player/Coach Model in Sales Leadership Late in my career, I held a role as a sales manager while also carrying an individual sales quota. Although I achieved considerable success in that position, it was also one of the most stressful periods of my professional life. Looking back, I am convinced that my team would...

19 March, 2026

Can a sales pro with little formal training—and only a limited understanding of the enterprise sales cycle—consistently exceed quota? Most sales leaders would probably say no. After all, today’s complex selling environments demand structured methodologies, disciplined qualification, and carefully managed sales processes. Yet during my career, I encountered a salesperson who seemed to defy that logic. I'm not talking about seasoned sales pros who, thanks to years of experience, have reached the point of unconscious competence—that is, selling comes as naturally to them as breathing. Experts often describe this as the highest stage of sales mastery, marking the progression from unconscious incompetence to...

12 March, 2026

Demonstrations Don’t Always Go as Planned—Here’s How to Recover Have you ever experienced a product demonstration going awry in front of a prospect? Perhaps the internet connection failed, a technical glitch appeared at the worst possible moment, or a critical feature didn’t perform as expected. Maybe some attendees struggled to join the video conference—or worse, you couldn’t access the platform at all, bringing the entire presentation to a halt. In today’s remote and hybrid selling environment—accelerated by the reliance on videoconferencing—these situations have become increasingly common. Unfortunately, when technology fails, the product you confidently described as “easy to use” can suddenly appear complicated...

27 February, 2026

Have you ever worked on a prospect who did everything right? They showed genuine interest. They gave you access to decision-makers. They confirmed they had the budget. They returned your calls promptly. On paper, they were the perfect opportunity. They checked every box of a “qualified prospect.” They even matched your ideal customer profile. And yet… they never bought. Each time you follow up, they tell you they’re “still considering” your proposal. No objections. No pushback on price. No budget concerns. Just polite delay. Meanwhile, your sales manager is asking the uncomfortable question: Is this ever going to close? Early in my sales career,...

17 February, 2026

The first—and most important—piece of good news is this: you recognize that you are a Quota Sloth. Self-awareness is the starting point for improvement. A Quota Sloth is not lazy. In fact, most Quota Sloths are very busy. They spend their time working deals that are already in motion, responding to emails, attending internal meetings, and trying to close enough business to keep their manager satisfied and the commission checks coming. Some even ease off the gas because they are ahead of quota—for now. The problem is not effort. The problem is focus. You already know the law of the mathematics of the sales...

20 January, 2026
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