Mike Kunkle

APRIL 8, 2023

In this post, I’m going to share some simple concepts that I’ve seen deliver radically improved results across a sales force. The advice comes from Modern Sales Foundations , a course that was developed based on over 16+ years of top sales performer analysis, modernized for working with today’s buyers.

B2B 211

B2B Decision-making Sales Stakeholders 211

Upland

AUGUST 25, 2023

What is an Influence Map? What if you could understand who really holds the power to move a deal forward? We’ve discussed at length the importance of enabling sellers to do what they do best. That activity is called influence mapping. Understand the relationships between stakeholders and how they influence each other.

Stakeholders 195

Stakeholders Decision-making Sales Leadership 195

Upland

APRIL 5, 2023

With an ever-evolving buying journey, businesses need a revenue team behind them to create the best experiences for customers, build key relationships that matter, and grow and retain revenue in accounts. We’ve seen the era of lone wolf sellers come and go. Do You Need a Revenue Team? That depends.

Account Planning 195

Account Planning Customer Success B2B Decision-making 195

Mike Kunkle

AUGUST 8, 2023

In the ever-evolving landscape of business, the role of Chief Revenue Officers (CROs) or senior-most sales leaders (by any title), has never been more critical. When sales, marketing, and customer success operate in isolated bubbles, opportunities for collaboration and synergy are lost. This is a definite growth killer. The result?

Sales 188

Sales Prioritization Innovation Leadership 188

Upland

JUNE 14, 2023

What are the top challenges facing chief revenue officers and sales leaders in 2023? In this article, we’ll dive deeper into each of these areas to uncover what chief revenue officers can do to address some of their most pressing issues, and how an effective account planning practice can help. And how can account planning help?

Artificial Intelligence 195

Artificial Intelligence Digital Transformation Account Planning Supply Chain 195

Red Star Kim

JANUARY 22, 2024

A chance encounter with Helen Kensett at a recent conference reminded me about her 2016 sales book. I’ve reviewed several books on selling (see the list below) and this one is different as, rather than focusing on the stages in the sales process, it provides pragmatic tips to help. Our buyers’ reality is a constantly changing flux.

Value Proposition 130

Value Proposition Emotional Intelligence Sales e-Learning 130

Mike Kunkle

OCTOBER 8, 2023

This strategic approach goes beyond conventional departmental boundaries, breaks down silos, and encompasses product, marketing, demand generation, sales enablement, and the encompassing realm of customer experience (whether it goes by customer support, customer success, customer service, or a combination of these).

Customer Experience 277

Customer Experience Decision-making Profitability Marketing 277

Mike Kunkle

NOVEMBER 26, 2022

I am exceptionally pleased and excited to announce that Felix Krueger of FFWD and I launched The Building Blocks of Sales Enablement Learning Experience on November 25, 2022. Here is what Felix had to say when we launched: Why Did We Create this Learning Experience? . That’s what the coaching will accomplish.).

Sales 200

Sales Leadership Transportation Sales Training 200

Hubspot Sales

DECEMBER 28, 2021

Due to the proliferation of marketing materials on the internet, the modern buyer is no longer dependent on salespeople for necessary purchasing decision information. Inbound salespeople see the need to personalize the sales experience to the buyer's context. Inbound Sales Methodology. Inbound Salespeople.

Value Proposition 116

Value Proposition Sales Decision-making Prioritization 116

Red Star Kim

FEBRUARY 8, 2024

At the recent Business Development for Professionals – 2024 Virtual Conference – MBL Seminars I presented a session entitled “Supporting Fee-Earners in Sales Targeting”. Here is a summary of the sales targeting toolbox for professional services firms. The second question is “ Where will we play?”.

Value Proposition 130

Value Proposition Key Account Management Digitalization Sales 130

Red Star Kim

NOVEMBER 1, 2023

At the recent PM Forum workshop on “Selling processes and sales skills for marketing and business development professionals” we focused on sales and selling challenges in professional services. Selling challenges in professional services: Sales processes and skills. Their fee-earners are often in the same boat.

Key Account Management 130

Key Account Management Account Management Value Proposition Client Relationships 130

Nutshell

AUGUST 28, 2023

Creating a structured sales process is one of the most effective ways to boost your sales teams’ efficiency and results. With a formal sales process in place, your sales team has a framework to follow, and it’s much easier to stay on the same page, track results, and onboard new team members.

Decision-making 118

Decision-making Sales Negotiation Advertising 118

Nutshell

MARCH 28, 2024

As a startup, having a well-running sales pipeline is vital to facilitate sales actions and help your team close deals faster. Read on to learn more about the importance of sales pipelines for your business and how to manage a sales pipeline for your startup. What is a sales pipeline?

Management 71

Management Prioritization CRM Sales 71

Mike Kunkle

AUGUST 30, 2023

In the ever-evolving landscape of business, the Sales Enablement profession has reached a pivotal crossroads. To firmly establish the function as required and themselves as integral players in their companies, enablement experts must be equipped to prove their worth by improving sales results and bolstering profitability.

Leadership 262

Leadership Stakeholders Decision-making Sales Training 262

ACT

APRIL 25, 2024

You’re taking a break for lunch in the middle of a busy workday and open your inbox, only to find two new sales emails from unknown senders. The first one starts with a run-of-the-mill promotional sales pitch. That’s what adding personalisation to your sales outreach efforts can do. The answer is personalisation.

Sales 52

Sales Decision-making Media CRM 52

Mike Kunkle

MAY 11, 2022

Sales Transformation. I’ve been involved in sales transformations that were entirely focused on getting the best-possible performance out of the sales force (ranging from a 30 to 600 percent increase in sales), independent of retooling the rest of the organization. The Elements of Sales Force Effectiveness.

Co-Creation 130

Co-Creation Sales Sales Training Decision-making 130

Brooks Group

JANUARY 2, 2024

So what sets great salespeople apart? Sales leaders and managers seek individuals who can not only meet targets but exceed them consistently. Sales leaders and managers seek individuals who can not only meet targets but exceed them consistently. The difference between a good salesperson and a great one is often subtle.

Sales Training 91

Sales Training Decision-making Sales Communication 91

Brooks Group

DECEMBER 20, 2023

In the dynamic world of sales, where every decision can make or break a deal, harnessing the power of data is critical. As a sales leader or sales manager, your ability to navigate the complex terrain of market trends, team performance, and individual contributions hinges on a crucial tool—sales metrics.

Sales 93

Sales Decision-making Sales Training Sales Management 93

Hubspot Sales

AUGUST 12, 2020

Today, the information that buyers need to make a purchase decision is just a click away. The power in the buying and selling process has shifted from the seller to the buyer. And that means to keep up with today’s empowered buyer, the sales process needs to transform too. What is inbound sales?

Sales 138

Sales Decision-making Healthcare Value Proposition 138

Hubspot Sales

JANUARY 5, 2023

The software buyer's journey has shifted dramatically over the past few years. As G2's Director of SMBs, Mike Buscemi , puts it: "Software buyers today act like B2C consumers because they have so many options. Buyers have an abundance to pick and choose from.". In 2022, many buyers don't trust sales.

Stakeholders 108

Stakeholders Software Software Decision-making 108

Brooks Group

APRIL 25, 2024

You’ve got to keep plugging when you work in sales. But the most successful sales professionals understand the value of cultivating long-term relationships with their customers. Your customer service team and your sales team both serve the same purpose: to support customers and improve the bottom line.

Customer Success 52

Customer Success Supply Chain Sales Sales Training 52

QYMATIX

JULY 10, 2023

Nowadays, new technologies enable a highly detailed understanding of the way customers buy, fancily known as “digital customer journey”. They also allow a cost-effective application of predictive analytics in Business-to-Business (B2B) sales. In this new B2B world, sales data is gold.

Sales Analytics 75

Sales Analytics Internet B2B Digitalization 75

Hubspot Sales

APRIL 5, 2023

There are many things to consider if you are interested in starting your career in sales. You’ll also need a thorough knowledge of sales trends and stats to succeed. With a modest, go-get-'em attitude, you can learn the stats you need to know to anticipate what a career in sales has in store for you.

Software 116

Software Software Sales Meetings 116

Arpedio

JANUARY 3, 2024

Understanding the difference between a sales pipeline and a sales funnel is crucial for effectively managing and optimizing your sales process. While both are essential components of a successful sales strategy, they serve distinct purposes and have significant differences in how they operate. What is a Sales Pipeline?

Acquisition 52

Acquisition Sales Prioritization Decision-making 52

Mike Kunkle

OCTOBER 24, 2021

It’s a cruel twist of fate for senior sales and revenue leaders that as the year barrels toward a close with urgency to maximize the remaining time, that strategic and tactical planning for the next year must happen at the same time. And for sales enablement leaders who are integrated into the sales force they serve, it’s no different.

Sales 130

Sales Prioritization Sales Analytics Sales Training 130

PartnerTap

JANUARY 17, 2024

As I mentioned in Sales Is Broken Part 1 , traditional B2B sales is broken. Most sales reps didn’t hit their quota in 2023 and sales leaders were uniformly thrashed for failing to hit their targets. But there’s a more fundamental change causing the quota shortfall: buyers no longer want to talk with sales reps.

Procurement 59

Procurement Suppliers Sales B2B 59

Hubspot Sales

OCTOBER 11, 2022

Understanding the nature of the buyer's journey is central to conducting sound marketing and sales efforts. What the Buyer's Journey Looks Like for Consumers in 2022. Modern buyer's journey's awareness stage mostly revolves around digital media — particularly among consumers aged 18 to 24.

Internet 110

Internet Retail Media Decision-making 110

Brooks Group

FEBRUARY 12, 2024

When engaging new prospects is tougher than ever, sales organizations know cross-selling and upselling are two effective tactics to increase revenue. Yet many sales professionals overlook these opportunities, either preferring to stay in “hunter” mode or because they lack the sales training , skills, and coaching to get it done.

Sales Training 74

Sales Training Sales Account Management Profitability 74

Hubspot Sales

NOVEMBER 16, 2023

Her talk was on customer connection in the new era — how information has transformed into intelligence, and how this intelligence is what allows you to connect with your customers. This is what I’ve been saying for a large part of my career, and why I enthusiastically took on the role of Strategy & Evangelism at nearbound.com.

CRM 78

CRM B2B Decision-making Business Growth 78

Zendesk

APRIL 18, 2023

Every business wants to understand what makes buyers come and what makes them go. Customer journey mapping is a simple yet powerful way to gain those insights. A customer journey map frames customer behavior as a story, providing a visual overview of the experiences consumers go through when interacting with a company.

Customer Experience 98

Customer Experience Advertising Media Brainstorming 98

Nutshell

MARCH 15, 2024

Qualifying leads before sending them through to your sales team lets you learn more about your prospects and build deeper connections with them, which often results in more deals. Table of Contents What does lead nurturing mean? The prospect may have shown interest, which means they’ve entered your sales funnel as a lead.

CRM 71

CRM Software Software Communication 71

Hubspot Sales

JANUARY 9, 2024

The art of door-to-door sales is timeless — even during the rise of modern sales strategies. There’s no two ways about it: D2D sales can be tricky. So, if you can master the art of door-to-door sales, the juice is worth the squeeze on the income front. Table of Contents What is door-to-door sales?

Sales 101

Sales Decision-making Meetings Insurance 101

Hubspot Sales

NOVEMBER 28, 2023

Marketing and sales teams rely heavily on one another to drive business. After all, it’s the marketing department that generates leads, and the sales team that converts those leads to paying customers. Sales collaboration dramatically improves results, but bringing it to fruition can be more complex than it sounds. The result?

Marketing 103

Marketing Sales Decision-making Prioritization 103

Arpedio

DECEMBER 20, 2023

As a savvy sales professional, you’re constantly on the lookout for ways to optimize your pipeline and drive revenue growth. One highly effective tool for achieving this goal is SQL ( Sales Qualified Lead ), which allows you to focus your efforts on the leads that are most likely to convert into paying customers.

Sales 52

Sales Prioritization Decision-making Communication 52