Let’s face it, we’ve all turned into number nerds. Every day, we’re tracking everything from our steps and sleep to our screen time and even how many coffees we knock back. Why? Because data cuts through guesswork — it shows us what’s working and what’s not. In sales, we’re always swimming in data, from call logs and emails to deal closures and client feedback. All this data isn’t just useful — it’s essential to success.

Personalized learning is revolutionizing sales training. By making training more responsive to the needs of individual sales reps, you increase engagement and skill acquisition, leading to more effective training outcomes, crucial for staying competitive in today’s fast-paced sales environments. Personalized training can not only speed up skill acquisition but also increase proficiency levels, directly impacting sales performance and organizational success.

Transitioning from a top salesperson to an effective sales leader is more than just a promotion—it's a significant step up that demands new skills and perspectives. And it’s risky. Elevating top sales performers into sales leadership roles doesn’t naturally make them effective sales coaches. They may not possess the skills or desire to transition into leadership roles, potentially leading to misalignment and dissatisfaction.

When a company makes a mistake—such as a marketing misstep or a product failure that leads to a recall—a good apology can make a big difference in how we as customers feel about them. Things can go wrong for all kinds of reasons. On top of addressing the immediate fallout of something going wrong, a company must be prepared to explain what happened—and in many cases, apologize.

Differentiation often starts with marketing, but it truly comes alive in the selling process. Even if your company’s products and services are superior to all others, this means nothing if you can’t convey that to your buyers. Differentiating in sales is more than a good pitch—you need to differentiate in the right areas, adapt to your buyer’s needs, and build value.

You know the story. COVID-19 came, everyone had to sell virtually. The amount of virtual sales outreach exploded. And now, with sales teams across the globe feeling the pinch of a tight economy, it hasn’t relented. Buyers have had enough. Reply rates have plummeted, email providers are increasingly marking sales outreach as spam, and the gap between seller and buyer has never felt wider. And we haven’t even mentioned AI, which could take this to a whole new level.

While Kurlan & Associates has successfully helped thousands of companies optimize their sales functions, performance and maximize revenue generation, there have been a number of companies which, instead of getting our help, or the help of another sales consultancy, decided to do nothing. In most cases it was because they either didn’t want to upset anyone, thought they could do it themselves, or thought their mediocre growth didn’t need improvement. In other cases the fear of change was simply too paralyzing for the decision makers and they “couldn’t commit” to making the necessary changes.

You're likely not as targeted in growing your business as you think. Most service-based business development efforts are too diffuse. You have too many vague opportunities without a clear, actionable path to increase your chances of winning any of them. Your team is smart, dedicated, and hard-working -- but their efforts aren't resulting in meaningful progress.

Let’s start with the most important stats: 75% of professionals are already using AI. This is a new trend, as 46% of professionals started using it less than six months ago. 79% of leaders agree that their company needs to adopt AI to stay competitive, but 60% of leaders worry their organization lacks a plan and vision to implement AI.

Selling often means speaking to people who've never heard of you. You might think of them as "cold leads," which is a bit impersonal. After all, they might very well become your best customers — in time. The problem is credibility. Without it, customers won't be receptive to your sales pitch.

In the ever-evolving realm of sales, the conventional pursuit of securing a “yes” may often lead to frustration and missed opportunities. This article focuses on the art of analyzing prospect responses reclassify a successful pitch with receiving an answer rather than just a “yes”.

Within your organization, you may have noticed that top performers are meticulous planners. They understand that success doesn’t happen by chance and, as a result, they spend time at the beginning of the sales process preparing a well-thought-out strategy for “planning to win.” In our previous article, we explored the importance of understanding what matters most to your customer’s key stakeholders

Starbucks customers say lines are getting long, and the wait times are probably making customers cranky as they wait 15 minutes or more for their coffee. But Starbucks says everything is fine--and that its staffing algorithm, which supposedly led to the line issue, is "upgraded," along with the company's staffing policies.

Fred Diamond‘s work at the Institute for Excellence in Sales (IES) and advocacy for Lyme disease awareness highlight how personal challenges can enhance one’s professional capabilities. In a recent conversation with Collin Stewart on the Predictable Revenue podcast, Fred shared how an unusual path involving his battle with Lyme disease made him a better sales leader.

The most basic definition of success is simply achieving your goals. But it’s an interesting paradox. If you focus only on the end point, you might actually be hindering your ability to achieve those desired results—especially when it comes to your sales model. Experienced sales executives know that to transform an organization, a strategic sales review provides the foundation for success.

Understanding the differences between leads, prospects, and sales opportunities is crucial for businesses looking to optimize their sales processes and boost revenue. By effectively managing these distinct stages of the sales funnel, organizations can allocate resources efficiently, prioritize high-potential opportunities, and ultimately increase their chances of closing deals. The sales team plays a pivotal role in building business relationships with leads, prospects, and sales opportunities

People today are bombarded with messages from morning until night. We can't check email or drive to the store without seeing flashing banners, mostly aimed at selling us something. Today's consumers are experts at tuning these messages out, leaving salespeople with an important question: Do you ensure your message is seen and heard? Connecting with clients today is often about building trust. Here's where you can start.

There aren't enough hours in the day. No one is answering the phone. The dog ate my homework. Excuses abound when deadlines are tight. Life happens, and things come up. But in order to meet targets and goals, businesses have to find a way to persevere especially when it comes to sales. Luckily, there are strategies that sales teams can follow to avoid common problems and eliminate excuses altogether. Three seasoned sales experts share their tried-and-true tactics.

In this fast-paced, on-demand world we live in, the ability to communicate well with one’s clients has become a critical skill that cannot be overlooked. The world as we know it has become significantly different than in days gone by. Clients want to know that they are receiving the best from everyone they are dealing with, and they do not want to be surprised.

Sales leaders are the lever for a high-performing sales organization. One study cited in the Harvard Business Review found that 69% of sales reps who exceeded quota rated their managers highly. The same study showed that just 3% of reps who gave their leaders low ratings then turned around and gave their organization a high rating. In other words, how a rep views their leader is how they view the organization.