How to Cultivate High-Performing B2B Sales Teams

Some sales teams have it. And some don’t. What makes some B2B sales teams great? In working with B2B sales teams for 25 years, I have discovered that there are three key qualities that set high-performing sales teams apart – the right goals structure, authentic camaraderie, and a foundation of trust.

Whether your sales team is consistently exceeding expectations, plateauing at meeting but not exceeding goals, or underperforming relative to their targets, there is always room for improvement. Of course, like anything else in business, increasing B2B sales performance requires both managerial support and individual initiative. Let’s talk about how sales managers can get more out of their team and retain their best salespeople as well as how B2B salespeople can sell better.

Topics: Sales B2B Sales Compensation Sales Training

Harnessing Difficult Personalities to Drive Innovation and Revenue

Over the last several decades personality evaluations like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, DiSC test, Core Values Index (CVI), and PATH assessment have made managers more aware of the different types of individual personalities represented in their employees, and how best to unify them around a set of organizational goals. These assessments highlight an individual’s predominant characteristics and traits to better understand what motivates them, which types of roles they are best suited for, and how to interact with them for optimal results.

But what about personality types that stick out from the crowd dramatically – the colloquial “sharp edge of the circle” so to speak?

A recent Fast Company article highlighted a unique personality that they called the “Rare Breed.” They explain that these so-called Rare Breeds do not conform, are outspoken, rebel against the establishment, exhibit unparalleled drive, and obsessively strive for high achievement at all costs. The article goes on to say that while companies typically view these as vices, they are also what drives innovation, making this personality type integral for organizations that prioritize out-of-the-box thinking. However, their big egos, short tempers, and manipulation of those around them can also be damaging to an organization if left unchecked.

Do you know anyone like that at your company?

Topics: Revenue Growth Profitability Sales Leadership Assessment Strategic Revenue Growth Recruiting Innovation Sales Training Business Culture Professional Development

The Revenue Implications of Women Leaving Your Company

The pandemic hit many industries and demographics hard, but some shouldered the burden more than others. Women, especially working mothers, were overwhelmingly negatively affected.

In fact, the 2020 Women in the Workplace report revealed that 25% of working women and over 30% of mothers with young children were “contemplating downshifting their careers or leaving the workforce” with mothers citing increased domestic and child-care responsibilities as their primary motivation for doing so. The study summarized,

“Women in particular have been negatively impacted. Women—especially women of color—are more likely to have been laid off or furloughed during the COVID-19 crisis, stalling their careers and jeopardizing their financial security. The pandemic has intensified challenges that women already faced. Working mothers have always worked a ‘double shift’—a full day of work, followed by hours spent caring for children and doing household labor. Now the supports that made this possible—including school and childcare—have been upended. Meanwhile, Black women already faced more barriers to advancement than most other employees. Today they’re also coping with the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on the Black community.”

While these challenges impact women individually, the cumulative effect of women leaving the workforce significantly affects the companies they work for as well.

So, how can B2B companies keep women among their ranks and on their leadership teams?

Topics: Revenue Growth Profit Leadership Strategic Revenue Growth B2B SMART Revenue Revenue Generation Sales Training Excellence Business Culture Business Development Brand Integrity Revenue Development Action Plan Change Management

Distinguishing Between a Business Development Consultant and a Sales Person

While sales and business development are often used interchangeably, it would be an error for these two very different jobs to be characterized in exactly the same manner. Business Development may also be used as a mask when a sales person does not want to be viewed as a sales person. Some companies will make the sales people feel more important by giving them a special title for their new business cards.

Those who focus primarily on sales and those who work in business development have unique objectives and pathways for accomplishing those objectives. Both business development consultants and salespeople are integral to the growth of a business, but the two roles should complement one another rather than being considered as interchangeable.

Topics: Hiring Sales Training Business Development

My Recommended Book List for Revenue Leaders

Here is a list of my top recommended books every leader who is responsible for growing revenue should have in their library. This list includes books focused on sales, marketing, leadership and personal development.

The things I want to know are in books; my best friend is the man who'll get me a book I ain't read. - Abraham Lincoln

What is my criteria for adding a book as a “favorite”? Such a book keeps me interested and offers a return on investment for the time. The return on the time invested to read the book might be a new idea or something that improves the business in a significant way. These books have influenced not only my business decisions, they have also offered new opportunities for personal development. 

Topics: Leadership Training Sales Training

Habits and Mindset of the Top 5% of Sales Professionals

It appears the top 20% of your sales team are closing 80% of the deals. This reality of 80-20 performance, where approximately 20 percent of salespeople produce approximately 80 percent of sales, can be disappointing. (Though it validates Pareto’s Principle).

Pareto’s Principle was named after Vilfredo Pareto (1848-1923), an Italian economist who observed that for certain economic conditions, roughly 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes.

Instead of accepting Pareto’s Principle as a standard, I would prefer to see your team perform with excellence. Inspiring and leading a team to break away from average can be difficult if they are following the crowd and paying attention to what ‘everyone’ follows. I learned firsthand the importance of a network, excellent habits and a mindset of high standards when I grew a business from $4 million to $16 million over the course of four years.

Today I want to share thoughts, habits, and mindsets that help many to be a top 5% sales professional and potentially break Pareto’s Principle.  

A pdf copy of this article with checklists and questions can be found here > <>

Topics: Sales Leadership B2B Sales Sales Training Checklist

The Benefits of Using DISC Assessments to Grow Sales

Knowing the secret to effective marketing to grow sales and drive profit is often elusive, even to the those with expert marketing skills.  DISC Assessments can help you have better insights into the minds of your marketing and sales team, customers and prospects. Today I would like to share with you the importance of DISC Assessments for growing revenue.

Topics: B2B Sales HR Sales Training DISC

How to Get Your Sales Team to Perform Beyond Expectations

To get a sales team to perform beyond expectations, we focus on these five essentials: 

  • Characteristics of a High Performing Sales Team
  • Hiring Best Practices – building the best team
  • Data Mining – providing the right data
  • CRM – the right tool for your organization
  • Training - the ongoing need

Topics: Sales B2B Hiring CRM Sales Training