#sales advice Tag

Think about the last time you attended a meeting where a seller utilized PowerPoint slides to present their offerings. Did the presentation effectively persuade you to give more serious consideration to their company? Many have bored me to fight to stay awake. This is probably because the seller utilized the company’s PowerPoint deck. Stop Letting Your Sales Deck Sabotage You Most companies arm their sales teams with a standard PowerPoint deck—polished by marketing, visually appealing, and packed with content. On the surface, it looks impressive. In reality, it often works against you. What’s Typically in These Decks? A standard sales presentation usually includes: Title slide Presenter...

07 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

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

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

When I ask salespeople who their toughest competitor is, they usually name four or five competitors they see in the marketplace.  Sometimes they get emotional about a competitor who has caused them recent losses.  Then I tell them these companies are not their toughest competitor.  It is “do nothing,” or sticking with the status quo. The most expensive decision a business can make isn’t choosing the wrong solution—it’s choosing nothing at all. Doing nothing feels safe, rational, and low risk. In reality, it often carries the highest cost, quietly draining value while no one is looking. Is choosing not to act—or remaining with...

14 January, 2026

I have been a loyal supporter of the Chicago Cubs baseball team since I was very young. For much of this time, the franchise has faced persistent challenges, with numerous seasons marked by disappointing performances. There were bright spots—most notably in 1969, when the Cubs led the division for 155 days before losing an eight-and-a-half game lead to the New York Mets in August. Other postseason opportunities in 1984, 1989, and 2003 ended in heartbreak, even as advancement to the World Series seemed within reach. Cubs 108 Year Drought After more than a century without a championship, the Cubs’ 2016 World Series...

29 December, 2025

The Beginning The conversation with your contact, Ted, begins like this: “We appreciate all the time you spent with us explaining your product and answering our questions—and you did a great job—but we regret to inform you that we selected another supplier.” The call opens with a compliment. You did a great job. You built rapport with the evaluation team. You answered their questions thoroughly and conducted yourself professionally. For a moment, it feels reassuring—almost validating. Then comes the gut punch. They chose another solution. Shock sets in. Disbelief follows. You weren’t expecting this. You thought things were going well. How did you not see this...

22 December, 2025

Why sales pros leave their companies: An In-depth look Throughout my career in sales management, I have overseen more than 1,000 sales and sales support professionals and have been responsible for both hiring and, when necessary, firing team members. There are numerous myths circulating about the reasons sales pros choose to change jobs. In this article, I will share insights from my direct experience. Compensation: Not the Only Factor Compensation is frequently cited as the primary reason for sales pros leaving their jobs. While it is undoubtedly a critical element, it is not the sole or most important motivator. My experience has revealed...

15 December, 2025

This quote is attributed to baseball Hall of Fame legend Leroy “Satchel” Paige.  Country singer Toby Keith included a similar phrase, “Ask yourself how would you be If you didn’t know the day you were born,” in his ballad “Don’t Let The Old Man In.”1 Baseball legend Satchel Paige and country singer Toby Keith both expressed the idea that mental age matters more than your actual years. While our bodies age every year, we shouldn't let that define how we live.  We cannot defy Father Time, but we do not need to give in to aging, as long as we can. In...

11 December, 2025
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