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It’s time we stop underestimating the role of the Sales Manager. Behind every successful sales team is…
Q. How long does it take to get results? Week 1 Make the decision to hire the…
Yeah, I made that from scratch, and I’m pretty proud of this one. However, it took a…
Warning – This article may cause you to get mad at yourself. What if you quadrupled your…
Your salespeople should crave Coaching like a dog craves more petting. Do your salespeople crave Coaching, or…
While it may not be obvious, successful sales hiring and making a knife from scratch are similar….
Does it look like I am having fun? If you said yes, you’re WRONG. There is a…
I’m particularly proud of this piece. It’s my 26th knife, but I made it from scratch. It’s…
Forging a blade has many complex functions that must be executed in specific steps. First, the desired…
Combining the financials is one of the first priorities of any business merger or acquisition. Numbers don’t…
A good friend of mine is retiring in December, but I won’t be able to make the…
How do a salesperson’s inner thoughts about money impact their sales outcomes? I was talking with a…
Link to article Let’s examine this through the Sales lens. Companies don’t lay off or fire their…
My father Marlon LaGrone (RIP 1981) wrote this for the Toast Masters Louisiana State contest 50+ years…
While on vacation recently, I took our guests up to the Hudson River for Whitewater rafting. Aside…
As a business leader, you can’t do it all. You must have the right people in the…
A little Friday fun… Please share some of your own you know of! Saved by the bell….
I was working three jobs, going to college part-time, and partying way too much. Monday at 3…
Does that title cause you to flinch, maybe call BS, to defend your belief that AI is…
Can they sell? In my market? Against my competitors? At my price points? Under my leadership? How…
What a whopper! I was fortunate enough to be invited by one of my best friends since…
We are so thrilled to announce 2 new Partner Associates to the Sales Development Expert team! Please welcome Ashley…
A buddy of mine came down to Florida this past week for some business and some extracurricular…
It’s official! Sept. 29 was my last day as an OMG Partner Coach. It’s been one of…
Meet Lammy I to the left and Lammy II to the right, with Zena the Whip A#$…
Kids are back in school, parent-teacher meetings coming up, after-school functions, games, concerts, dance, band, homework, dinners…
Here is the problem: Pipelines are full but not enough is closing. One Company Leader says: They…
How many emails do you delete each day? Maybe this one? If you want to know what…
Seven years ago, I heard my daughter’s good friend planned to ride her bike from Vermont to…
Man, it feels good actually to achieve your desired outcome. Maybe you’ve been following some of my…
What pictures come to your mind when you think of the 4th?  Houseboats? BBQ’s? Hot dogs in…
As a novice forger, please don’t judge too harshly. The pics below are of my latest project….
Deadwood. This word is also a place. My dad was born in Deadwood, Texas. A rural dot…
Last week I was speaking to a colleague and that was the main topic. ‘The Sales Prevention…
After 32 years and 5 economic downturns, this is what typically happens with sales? Are we even…
In Sales, Sales Management, and Sales leadership it is critical to have your head on straight for…
As a guest of Kendley Davenport’s Roundtable, we discussed the 5 Mandatory Sales Skills to Succeed in…
First of all, if you are a Sales Manager reading this, my hat is off to you!…
Step 1. Making the decision is the first step to anything. Often the question of How gets…
Over the past 30 years we have helped companies of all sizes, industries and markets Identify, Attract, Screen…
Translated – Don’t let go of the potato. I was honored to have Christmas morning brunch with…
It is the New Year! Just a few days into 2023, have you completed your S.M.A.R.T Goals…
Allow me to explain. To the layman this looks like a boat fishing in the beautiful and…
I don’t know about you but I just love the series of car shows on TV. Texas…
Say hello to Zena “the Warrior Princess” She’’s a Nanuk which is a cross breed of an Alaskan…
Around 90% of CEOs believe a recession is coming. Half of them are already planning for layoffs…
Take a moment to define a high performing salesperson 12 months ago. Now take a moment and…
It’s that time of year in the north country. Time to put away the summer toys and…
My daughter was in for two weeks for a family reunion. Always great to spend time with…
Labor Day, particularly Sept. 1st, marks 32 years of marriage! At our anniversary dinner my bride and…
Take a moment to define a high performing salesperson 12 months ago. Now take a moment and…
Rare sighting of Cherub! Cherub is a white dolphin that has been hanging around Clearwater Beach, Florida…
Being from Luziana and loving too cook and I’ve been called a lot of things but skinny…
We all know interest rate are rising, companies are spending more money to retain employees, supply chain…
Had enough bad weather yet? Or are you taking the opportunity like most of the country to…
If you’ve been paying attention at all you’ve heard about the great resignation. Millions of people are…
What did you learn in 2020 and 2021? I learned that change creates opportunity. I learned that…
The end of the year is always a great time to attract sales personnel. Don’t’ wait to…
Happy Anniversary to me! Today marks 30 years in the professional development business. I can’t tell you…
After reading this article I had to chuckle. Squirrel stores 350 pounds of nuts in man’s pickup…
Say hello to Zena! She’d normally say hi back, but she is focused. She’s a Nanuk. A…
Dreams are telltale signs of the subconscious rewinding and sorting the events, thoughts, and consciousness of the…
Of sins and sinners…. After 30 years and 4 recessions I can say with authority, a weakened…
All too often salespeople get jammed up on a live sales calls because they are trying too…
The economy added 916,000 jobs in March, the biggest gain since last August and way up from the 468,000…
The economy added 916,000 jobs in March, the biggest gain since last August and way up from the 468,000…
Of sins and sinners…. After 30 years and 4 recessions I can say with authority, a weakened…
What is your favorite part of the video? Reimagine your sales team performing at a high level…
When your company is in pain from a lackadaisical sales team, how can you respond? One company…
Remote selling is what we’ve been measuring, teaching and doing since 2008. So, it’s nothing new for…
The answer to this question is dependent on two things. One you can’t control and the other…
The sales cycle is the time it takes from first conversation to the time you make the…
Quote General Patton – “Fixed Fortifications are a monument to the stupidity of man.” Sales Leadership is absolutely…
Presidents, CEOs, Business Owners, VPs of Sales, Chairman and Sales Managers must have asked yourself this question….
Roles have changed. Responsibility has changed. Outside sales are now inside. Skills and criteria have changed. As…
In today’s uncertainty these are the most critical SM skills. Coaching – Empower or Enablement? Do the…
How long will it take to accomplish your ROI?   The answer to this question is dependent…
Skill gaps in Selling Competencies are not as easy to define as looking at sales revenue and…
Click on this link Free Trial Sales Force Analysis if you’d like to see how your sales…
As the sales leader of your business, what should you be thinking about regarding your sales team…
In a recent conversation with a Chief Revenue Officer of a technology firm, we discussed the cost…
What does it take to build a world class sales team? This question will be answered in…
If you missed out on our previous posts, first check out Sales Tips #1, #2,  #3,  #4 , #5 , #6 , #7 , #8 , #9 , #10 , #11 , #12 & #13 No different…
If you missed out on our previous posts, first check out Sales Tips #1, #2,  #3,  #4 , #5 , #6 , #7 , #8 , #9 , #10 , #11 & #12 Sales is…
If you missed out on our previous posts, first check out Sales Tips #1, #2,  #3,  #4 , #5 , #6 , #7 , #8 , #9 , #10 & #11 This is…
If you missed out on our previous posts, first check out Sales Tips #1, #2,  #3,  #4 , #5 , #6 , #7 , #8 , #9 & #10 This is…
If you missed out on our previous posts, first check out Sales Tips #1, #2,  #3,  #4 , #5 , #6 , #7 , #8 & #9 Today’s tip…
If you missed out on our previous posts, first check out Sales Tips #1, #2,  #3,  #4 , #5 , #6 , #7 & #8 Enough said!…
If you missed out on our previous posts, first check out Sales Tips #1, #2,  #3,  #4 , #5 , #6 & #7 Sales Resumes…
If you missed out on our previous posts, first check out Sales Tips #1, #2,  #3,  #4 , #5 & #6 Let’s just…
If you missed out on our previous posts, first check out Sales Tips #1, #2,  #3,  #4 and #5 The Phone…
If you missed out on our previous posts, first check out Sales Tips #1, #2,  #3, and #4 Statistics tell…
If you missed out on our previous posts, first check out Sales Tips #1, #2, and #3,…
If you missed them, check out our Sales Hiring Tips #1 and #2 99% of sales ads…
“It’s not for me to teach my kids to learn lessons from my mistakes. It is my…
If you missed our Sales Hiring Tip #1, please check it out here Now you’ve identified the…
Identifying your Ideal Candidate  It’s really important to first identify what you need in a salesperson. Here…
At the risk of losing some audience, I’ll use an American Football analogy. I mean It is…
I had a dream where I was in a parking lot, and my truck got jacked. It…
Maybe you saw the Allstate commercials over the holidays with “Mayhem”. You know the ones where the…
The proof is in the pudding We’ve all had chocolate cake before. But some chocolate cake is…
If you follow college football or any high-level sports, this will hit home. If you don’t, you…
What do we do about it?    If you are using the same hiring process for sales…
In the following article, Bridgewater explains why he is concerned about the economy. It’s a fascinating perspective,…
All too often we run into companies that have continued to beg, plead, coddle, warn, hope and…
The Paradigm of the New Generation If you’ve been hiring sales staff for the last 8-12 months,…
Mayweather – McGregor = Sales, Strategy, and Success With a name like Rocky, I have to be…
Salesperson Development Is it really possible to build a truly World Class Sales Team? In this 4…
Sales Management Is it really possible to build a truly World Class Sales Team? In this 4…
Sales Systems and Processes Is it really possible to build a truly World Class Sales Team? In…
Is it really possible to build a truly World Class Sales Team? In this 4 part series…
But First, Lemme Take a Selfie! I sat at the restaurant for dinner last night at a…
Breaking down the Millennial Myth  We’ve all heard it and many of us have said it: “Millennials…
How Sales Teams Fall Short of the Target The amatuer marksman shoots at the bulls-eye and then adjusts…
Relationships are not the key to Sales Success! For those of you who love statistics, you will…
Walking on my regular three-mile route over the bridge and back today, I noticed the hedges around…
Goals …             the Employee / Employer Relationship Story Time. It was…
Goals… the Secret Sauce to accomplishing them In Goals Blog II of this series we introduced the…
Goals  SMART Goals… a new twist on tradition   It is generally accepted that the SMART acronym…
How to Set Them and Why People often avoid setting goals because life changes at such a…
 Widen the plate… After 25 years of Sales Development I’ve learned the hard way the #1 reason…
…self made sales hiring problems and resources to FIX IT!   First of all, I’d like to…
The Sales Curve                        …it’s worse than…
The Tail of Two Tails The fish rises from the head up or rots from the head…
What Happens When You Don’t Read the Room Social Selling is the name of the game in the…
Sales Hires – Industry Experience Required… NOT Over the past 25 years we have helped companies of…
  Based on my philosophy and beliefs, I thought I’d share this Salesperson’s Prayer I wrote many…
“Salespeople are like Catfish; scum sucking bottom dwellers!” If this offends you, then you got my point….
The Sales Revolution If you haven’t noticed, there has been a huge movement in the last 5…
Supportive Beliefs Can Help or Hurt Your Sales Numbers! Tom was 10 years old when he learned…
How to Stop Hiring Mistakes Forever Being in the Sales Development space for over 25 years I’ve…
Sales Hiring is Different Question:  Hiring for sales is always an issue for our company.  What is…
Why it’s important to know ‘who’ and ‘what’ you are hiring Does your company expect new salespeople…
How hiring a Sales Champion affects your buisness! Question: What makes some sales people more successful than…
Sales Hiring Hiring victory is yours with the STAR program Question: Why it’s so hard to hire and keep…
Magic Bullet Perfect Practice Makes Perfect Question: Do you have any sure fire closing techniques? Answer: Yes, plenty. I…
If you’ve ever watched the TV show, The Office, then you probably know the character Michael Scott,…
Competition Competition leads us to sell value to prospects! Like what you see? Sales Development Expert can help…
Sell Like a Dentist When your prospect feels comfortable, your Sales Process will succeed! Those of you…
Mergers and acquisitions (M&As) present a double-edged sword. Buying out another company is one of the easiest…
Performance Under Pressure How do you measure up? “What’s the matter with you!  You’re playing like a…
Midwest Welcomes Sales Development Expert! Sales Development Expert has always been focused on becoming the best sales…
Clearwater, Florida (June 6, 2016) – Sales management training company, Sales Development Expert receives the prestigious Silver…
Saddles, knolls, knobs, draws, slides, glens, notches, peaks, corners, swells, gullies, shelf’s, walls, flats, dips, ridges, fingers,…
At my desk I sit, Scouring my pipeline for deals to make. It’s big, but not worth…
An old friend and his wife (Bob and Glo) came for their annual trip to hang with…
Objective Management Group (OMG) provides the #1 Sales Candidate Assessment in the world.  I’m proud to say…
The sales process can make or break a business’s success. This is why it’s necessary to continue…
Has your sales been going down? Is your sales team having difficulty working well together? Are customers…
Sales Managers have one of the toughest jobs in the world! I know that because I’ve worked…
Q. What makes some sales people more successful than others. A. Very interesting question and one the…
“I know, I know, I know!” “I’ve already done that.” “It won’t work that way?” “Why should…
Our belief, curriculum, experience and lessons tell us that sales managers have five fundamental functions that they…
A common question I am asked is, “Why is it so hard to hire and keep salespeople?”…
When attending events, do you ever wonder how to mingle, network, and make the most of the…
I am often asked, “Is there a message that I can leave when I am cold calling…
I am often asked, “Do you have any good ideas for handling objections?” Objections are one of…
The typical sale goes something like this: lead, contact, qualifying questions, demo. You blow them away and…
1. One-day training doesn’t work! It didn’t take one day to develop the reason(s) you want training….
A kid yells! A crowd explodes in enthusiasm. A tear goes streaming! An uncontrollable urge from out…
Over the last 10 years, I must have turned down over one hundred invitations from friends and…
It’s going to rain. Find something else to do. I’m hungry. However, you knew well in advance…
“What’s the matter with you? You are playing like a little sissy! You missed the last three…
Sales Training??? With the price of gas forcing the cost of everything up, choking budgets and worming…
Springtime is approaching. In the great northeast, the snow is melting and calendars are booking up fast!…
Have any of you ever found: The harder it is to get your foot in the door,…
In the profession of sales, a razor sharp mind is a definite advantage. A main component of…
Yesterday was one of those days that comes together as a day to remember. I’m going to…
One of the biggest complaints I hear from business owners is; ‘My people don’t even know what…
I’m stuck. My manager says ‘sell’ but the developers can’t keep deadlines. How can I sell when…
Imagine if you will, that you are in a foreign land but didn’t realize you were there…
Top Ten Prospecting Rules What’s a four letter word that salespeople hate most? Prospecting! I know it’s…
All too often salespeople get jammed up on a live sales calls because they are trying too…
The sure fire, fail safe, system for Extraordinary Service! D –on’t get emotionally involved. Your job is…