by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 27, 2026 | Podcasts
Failure can be a powerful influence in building our character. In this podcast, we look at a couple notable failures and consider the relationship between failure and the powerful character traits of pride and humility. If we choose to, we can learn more from...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 20, 2026 | Podcasts
Author/consultant/ceo Justin Price shares some innovative ideas for growing your business. If your sales & marketing efforts have gone stale, tune in. ********************************************************************* ...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 13, 2026 | Podcasts
One of the primary differences between the successful companies (and individuals) and the mediocre, is the ability to learn, change and grow. Successful companies build that into their cultures and disciplines, while mediocre companies (and individuals) do not....
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 6, 2026 | Podcasts
Goal setting is one of those hallowed practices that belong in every leader’s arsenal. We’ve all heard that people who set goals are far more successful than those who don’t. And every well-run business has a policy and a practice of setting...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 30, 2025 | Podcasts
Salespeople are sick of hearing “Your price is too high.” But, what if the real issue isn’t the price? Here’s a secret that almost nobody knows, including all those gurus telling you to sell value. They don’t always buy...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 26, 2025 | Thinking Better, Growth-Personal Development, Leadership-Business, Leadership-General
Create a Precise Prescription — Lead a Precise Prescription Exercise As an individual using MENTA-MORPHOSIS, you create a Precise Prescription. As a MENTA-MORPHOSIS Facilitator, you lead a Precise Prescripon Exercise. One of the most...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 26, 2025 | Thinking Better, Growth-Personal Development, Leadership-Business, Leadership-General
Mine Information – Lead a Mining Information Session As an individual using MENTA-MORPHOSIS, you mine information. As a MENTA-MORPHOSIS Faciltator, you lead a Mining Information session. As you recall in the “Mine Information” competency, you engage with some...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 26, 2025 | Thinking Better, Growth-Personal Development, Leadership-Business, Leadership-General
Precisely Prescribe — Lead a prioritization session As an individual using MENTA-MORPHOSIS, you Precisely Prescribe. As a MENTA-MORPHOSIS Facilitator, you lead a Prioritization session. Remember, to prioritize means to select, from a longer list, those items...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 26, 2025 | Thinking Better, Growth-Personal Development, Leadership-Business
Brainstorming – Lead a brainstorming session As an individual using MENTA-MORPHOSIS, you brainstorm. As a MENTA-MORPHOSIS Facilitator, you lead a brainstorming session. For most meetings, it is the heart of the meeting. It is your responsibility, as the facilitator,...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 23, 2025 | Podcasts
If you want to improve your sales results, first focus on the quantity and quality of sales calls. While this may sound blatantly obvious, it’s often neglected, and more rarely ever the focus of an organization’s efforts. Yet, it’s the keystone...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 16, 2025 | Podcasts
Interested in improving the productivity of your sales force? Investing in training and developing your salespeople is always a good idea. But it isn’t the entire solution for many organizations. Often, enormous improvements in sales productivity can...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 11, 2025 | Thinking Better, Leadership-Business, Leadership-General, Miscellaneous
Nurture a comfortable atmosphere. The atmosphere refers to the emotional climate that exists in the meetings. Are members comfortable and willing to share, or are they guarded and hesitant? Is the focus on the issue at hand, or is the meeting a fortress of personal...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 9, 2025 | Podcasts
In our surveys, CEOs indicate “on the job” training as the predominant method of developing salespeople. If everyone is doing it, it must be OK, right? Maybe not. Let’s look a little closer. The Excellence & Influence Course for Sales...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 2, 2025 | Podcasts
Relationships are the key to B2B sales. But implementing a process to dramatically enhance those relationships is another story. That’s where entertaining comes in. Many salespeople never consider it. Yet, it can, and has, provided a...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 25, 2025 | Podcasts
Our culture promotes finding the easiest solution. That often means that we don’t develop the skills, attitudes and character traits necessary for a successful life. Easy, as manifested by A.I., is a slippery slope that too often thwarts our...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 18, 2025 | Podcasts
It’s more about elminating the negatives then emphasizing the positives. That’s Matt Sucha’s premise as he presents something truely new in selling! This interview can transform your sales results!...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 11, 2025 | Podcasts
Building rapport with any and all customers is a fundamental sales skill. Yet, few salespeople have been trained in the specific tactics to do so. In this piece, I share seven specific and proven techniques you can use to build rapport....
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 6, 2025 | Thinking Better, Growth-Personal Development, Leadership-General, Christian-Leadership
Inject yourself into a Learning Event — Select the Content In the Menta-Morphosis® Learning System, the learner injects himself/herself into a learning event. As a Menta-Morphosis® Facilitator, you select the content. When you are facilitating a...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 6, 2025 | Thinking Better, Growth-Personal Development, Leadership-General
As I was just beginning to build my consulting practice, I learned a lesson that has stuck with me ever since, and shaped much of the training programs, videos and articles that I have produced. It may make a difference in the trajectory of your personal growth and...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 6, 2025 | Thinking Better, Growth-Personal Development, Leadership-Business, Leadership-General
Introduction As an individual, we use the Start Right competency. As a facilitator, we “Set the Stage.” When you are facilitating, you are responsible for the quality of the meeting as well as the process and results. That calls for some preparation. The preparation...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 30, 2025 | Thinking Better, Growth-Personal Development, Leadership-Management Principles & Practices
Introduction There are times when we need to consider the impact of our decisions and behaviors on other people. That’s what this competency does. The dictionary definition of analyze is: to examine in detail in order to discover meaning, essential...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 28, 2025 | Podcasts
There is a lot of advice out there on how to be a success. “”Think big,” “Give first,” “Create goals,”” “Be vulnerable,” “Create relationship,” The list goes on. It’s all...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 21, 2025 | Podcasts
Who could or should buy this? That’s one of key decisions a businessperson makes when initiating a new effort or new product. The answer may not be as simple as it seems. Use some nuances to sharpen your sales efforts and generate better results....
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 17, 2025 | Thinking Better, Growth-Personal Development
Introduction Throughout the history of mankind, successful people have been disciplined people. At some point in their development, they have discovered the power that lies in discipline. And they chose, with an act of willfulness and intentionality, to pursue...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 14, 2025 | Podcasts
: Sales managers are familiar with goal setting with their sales team, but what about goals for themselves? In this podcast, I drill down deeply into that issue, providing a playbook for sales managers to create goals for themselves....
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 7, 2025 | Podcasts
In our surveys, CEOs indicate “on the job” training as the predominant method of developing salespeople. If everyone is doing it, it must be OK, right? Maybe not. Let’s look a little closer....
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 30, 2025 | Podcasts
Why do we make mistakes? One reason has to do with our natural human tendency to use ‘fast’ thinking in situations calling for ‘slow’ thinking. If we can easily recognize those situations that call for slow thinking we’ll go a long...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 26, 2025 | Thinking Better, Growth-Personal Development, Leadership-General
Magnifier #3: More There is always greater value to be wrung out of a situation, question, decision, or problem. We often don’t see that because we don’t look for it. A powerful step in achieving superior results is to continuously look for ways to do so. Look for...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 23, 2025 | Podcasts
How do you build a business when you have little money for sales and marketing? That’s a question I field in this piece. Most small businesses fail because they don’t do sales well. Join me as we look into this....
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 16, 2025 | Podcasts
Improve teamwork, unleash the potential of your sales team! That just a couple of the good things that will happen when you embrace servant leadership. Join me as I interview Max Cates, the expert on servant leadership for sales managers about his new book. ...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 12, 2025 | Thinking Better, Growth-Miscellaneous, Growth-Personal Development, Leadership-Business, Sales-Miscellaneous, Christian-Personal Development, Sales-B2B
What’s a PIQ Solution? A curated, vetted solution to one of your Problems, Issues or Questions. Whenever I give a seminar, I encourage people to submit a Problem, Issue or a Question anonymously on a card during the seminar. I gather them and respond to each one....
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 9, 2025 | Podcasts
In this Q&A from a sales rep, I respond to a question about the fairness of the compensation plan. My response may not be what you’d expect. Dave Kahle’s goal is to provide sales leaders and small businesspeople with...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 2, 2025 | Podcasts
We’ve all heard about the importance of acquiring the right people, and putting them in the right places. But, is that the whole story to building a successful business? My experience has led me to a different conclusion. Join with me as we take a deep...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 26, 2025 | Podcasts
I know you are concerned with sales. It’s easy to determine how well your people are selling to your customers. But your customers are more concerned with how well they are being served by your salespeople....
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 26, 2025 | Thinking Better, Growth-Miscellaneous, Growth-Personal Development, Leadership-General, Leadership-Sales Management
Introduction Your role as a facilitator is to bring out the best in the group and arrive at the best solutions possible, given the variables. The one thing you can’t do is act for them. You’ve brought them to the spot where you’ve made...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 24, 2025 | Thinking Better, Growth-Miscellaneous, Growth-Personal Development
Magnifier #1: Influence Your Subconscious Introduction Our subconscious mind is a powerful thinking tool. It is, however, unpredictable and impossible to manage. We can’t always predict when or how it will work on our issues and provide us with additional insights. ...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 19, 2025 | Podcasts
Over the past 30 years, as I have worked with tens of thousands of B2B salespeople, I’ve noticed that certain beliefs hinder a salesperson’s development. One of the most common and most destructive is the belief that “I knew that.” Let me...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 12, 2025 | Podcasts
A client described this situation: Business is flat, and he’s unable to get his sales force to promote the lines that he wants to promote, he’s unable to get them to use some of the new technology that the company wants them to use, and he’s...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 11, 2025 | Thinking Better, Growth-Miscellaneous, Growth-Personal Development
Ask Good Questions Introduction A good question is the primary thinking tool. A good question is the key that unlocks the potential in our minds and forms the basis for the entire Menta-Morphosis® system. Most of us are comfortable and somewhat adept at asking...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 9, 2025 | Thinking Better, Growth-Miscellaneous, Growth-Personal Development
Mining information from other people. This refers to information that exists from other people. Typically, this would exist in conversations with other people: interviews, interrogations, and content prepared by other people: reports, slide sets, blog posts,...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 8, 2025 | Thinking Better, Growth-Miscellaneous, Growth-Personal Development
Introduction This refers to information that exists on it’s own, without the need to consult someone else to interpret it. Typically, this would be files of some kind: Spread sheets, surveys, spec sheets, computer files, etc. The challenges here are: To find and...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 8, 2025 | Thinking Better, Growth-Miscellaneous, Growth-Personal Development
Information from Yourself. Introduction: This includes memories, judgements that we make, as well as our thoughts, our feelings, our experiences, our values, our skills and attitudes, and our opinions. Most people have far more wisdom and knowledge than they give...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 5, 2025 | Thinking Better, Growth-Miscellaneous, Growth-Personal Development
Introduction: The Magnifier Disciplines are the final major component of our Menta-Morphosis Mind Software system. These are a set of habits which, when conscientiously applied, make the thinking process more effective. Like a magnifying glass makes things look bigger...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 5, 2025 | Podcasts
Becoming a learning organization – gaining the ability for an organization and its people to change in response to the changing world around them – is the ultimate success skill for the Information Age. Join with me in a deep dive into how to lead this ultimate...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 4, 2025 | Thinking Better, Growth-Miscellaneous, Growth-Personal Development
Introduction: When we consolidate, we mesh together two or more separate ideas into one new statement. From the Oxford Dictionary: “combine (a number of things) into a single more effective or coherent whole.” Used for Like all MM competencies, Consolidating is used...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 4, 2025 | Thinking Better, Growth-Miscellaneous, Growth-Personal Development
Introduction: Following a Mining Information session, we are often left with a list of nuggets. If we are mining gold in South Africa, we’d have to melt those nuggets into gold bars befor they would be useful. In this Menta-Morphosis competency, we turn the list of...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 3, 2025 | Thinking Better, Growth-Miscellaneous, Growth-Personal Development
Introduction: Focus the discipline of allocating mental time to the process and to the process alone. It is one of the constant keys to effective thinking. When you focus, you “give your sole attention to one issue — pay particular attention to…” In other...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 3, 2025 | Thinking Better
Introduction: A tactic is a technique, question, or an action which can be used to bring clarity, understanding and focus to the thinking project. “Write it Down” is one such tactic. It simply refers to the discipline of capturing your thoughts in writing. Adding...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 29, 2025 | Podcasts
How do you know if you are investing in sales and marketing appropriately? Because of my work with sales forces and sales systems, I’ve created a formula to measure the productivity of a salesperson, a sales team, and the company’s sales and...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 23, 2025 | Thinking Better, Growth-Personal Development, Leadership-Business
Introduction Image a big block of ice. Then, imagine swinging a sledgehammer and smashing that block of ice into dozens of tiny pieces. Each piece can be dealt with on its own, but the sum total of all the pieces made up the original block. That’s what...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 22, 2025 | Thinking Better, Growth-Personal Development, Leadership-Business
Introduction: Discontent provides emotional power and fuels the will to enable us to expend the energy necessary to change our behavior. It is the driving force behind much of the progress the world has made. “Restlessness and discontent are the necessities of...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 22, 2025 | Thinking Better, Growth-Personal Development, Leadership-Business
Introduction: If our plans were perfect, and if our ability to implement them were perfect, we wouldn’t need to reflect. But, alas, that isn’t the case. Unfortunately, rarely does a new effort succeed without some fine-tuning and adjustments along the way. ...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 22, 2025 | Thinking Better, Growth-Personal Development, Leadership-Business
Introduction: This is the ultimate reason for the entire Menta-Morphosis® process. If we don’t act differently, then the thinking process which led to our action has been a waste of time and energy. Sooner or later, we must do what we said we would do. ...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 22, 2025 | Thinking Better, Growth-Personal Development, Leadership-General
Introduction: To Prioritize means to select, from a longer list, those items that are more important, more desirable, or more worthy of our attention than others. In other words, we turn a long list into a short list. Used for Whenever we want to...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 22, 2025 | Thinking Better, Growth-Personal Development, Leadership-Business, Christian-Business, Christian-Leadership
Introduction: A Precise Prescription is a written statement of exactly what we will commit to doing. It often signifies the end of the thinking process. Used for This is used to help bridge the gap from idea (the conclusion to which your process has brought us) to...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 22, 2025 | Thinking Better, Growth-Personal Development, Leadership-General
Competency: Mine InformationIntroduction:In almost every thinking project, we’ll need to engage with some information and identify important elements contained within it. We call this ‘mining information’, and use a mining metaphor to help understand it.There are...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 22, 2025 | Thinking Better, Growth-Personal Development, Leadership-General
Introduction It was Plato who said, “The beginning is the most important part of any work.” And the famous 20th Century educator, John Dewey, said, “The nature of the problem fixes the end of thought, and the end controls the process of thinking.” Truly, how we start...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 22, 2025 | Thinking Better, Growth-Personal Development, Leadership-Business
Competency: Brainstorm Introduction: This is the competency used to create a long list of possibilities. It is often an important step in moving from what ‘is” to what “should be.” While brainstorming is typically done in a group, so that the group members...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 22, 2025 | Podcasts
“How do I get my team to call on key accounts?” — That’s the question from a frustrated sales leader. Join me as I tap into 30 years of experience to respond. It may not be the answer you’d expect....
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 15, 2025 | Podcasts
In these turbulent times, the world is changing at an unprecedent pace. Those who survive and thrive in this world will commit to ‘two jobs’ strategy to prepare themselves for the opportunities that accompany our changing...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 8, 2025 | Podcasts
We al struggle to overcome the issues we encountered in our childhood. Among other things, they form our attitudes towards money. IN this revealing interview, Author Doug Lynam shares insights on how we formulate our “money monsters,” and how...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 1, 2025 | Podcasts
In this piece, I field two questions from frustrated sales managers on motivating their teams. Where do you start? If you have ever been frustrated, check this out. *************************************************************************...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 24, 2025 | Podcasts
What are the characteristics of a professional? There are many, but one is ‘the tendency to take risks.” Join me as I unpack this and measure yourself against this standard....
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 17, 2025 | Podcasts
Andee Hart is a successful entrepreneur with practical advice for others. Listen as I interview and dig into her successful business. ******************************************************************** Dave...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 10, 2025 | Podcasts
They aren’t me! That was a realization I came to in my first management job. It transformed my career by changing my expectations. It could be the same for you. Let’s unpack that. **********************************************************************...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 3, 2025 | Podcasts
Our world is moving so fast that many businesses are suffering because of practices that were fine in the past, but are now obsolete. Check out these common practices and their more effective alternatives....
by Kahle Wisdom | May 27, 2025 | Podcasts
Wouldn’t it be great if your reactive people could make some out-bound proactive calls? That’s the situation a listeners described in a Q&A from a sales leader. My response may surprise you....
by Kahle Wisdom | May 20, 2025 | Podcasts
You have an experienced salesperson who seems to have lost interest in the job. What do you do? That’s the question asked by a sales manager. Listen to my response — four specific possibilities....
by Kahle Wisdom | May 13, 2025 | Podcasts
How do I make service more tangible to our customers? That’s a question I received from a sales manager. My response is a step by step process. *************************************************************************** Dave Kahle’s goal is to...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 6, 2025 | Podcasts
Entrepreneur Mark Gerson maintains, in his new book, “God Was Right” that the first five books of the Bible — the Torah — contain all the information one needs to be successful in life and in business. Join me as I explore this with him, and...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 29, 2025 | Podcasts
Chances are, if your business is at all successful, you are going to the issue of funding your business growth: a larger space, more computers, more sophisticated software, and more equipment. You’ll have to buy raw materials, build your inventory and hire...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 22, 2025 | Podcasts
In a world characterized by over whelming distractions and the constant temptation to a transactional view of sales, “getting important” can provide focus, purpose and incredible rewards for those who can execute. ...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 15, 2025 | Podcasts
Sooner or later, almost every B2B salesperson slides, often unknowingly, into comfort zones. They find themselves doing the same things, almost mindlessly, because they have become comfortable. Here’s how to deal with this, from a sales manager’s...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 8, 2025 | Podcasts
Here’s a question I received from a sales manager — Q. I wanted to do some sales training last year, but it just wasn’t the right time for it. We had too many things on our plate. Looking at our calendar this year, I am coming to the same...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 1, 2025 | Podcasts
Sooner or later, almost every sales manager must face the difficult decision as to whether or not to terminate the employment of a salesperson. In this podcast, I provide some principles to help you with that decision....
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 25, 2025 | Podcasts
One of the best ways to supercharge your personal development is to set goals. In this post, I reply to a question about goal setting for personal improvement, with guidelines for every sales executive. ***********************************************************...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 18, 2025 | Podcasts
Every professional and field salesperson must deal with discouragement when something goes poorly. The challenge is to keep motivated, even in the face of adversity. Here’s a proven three-step process to help you....
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 11, 2025 | Podcasts
How do you sell when the competition has exactly the same product? Are you reduced to being the low price? Unfortunately, many sales people have never thought deeply about how to effectively sell commodities, and, therefore, resort to discounting. Here’s a...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 4, 2025 | Podcasts
Which of these two choices is more likely to result in an effective salesperson: Hiring someone with technical expertise or industry experience and training them to become a salesperson Hiring someone with sales aptitude, and training them in the product knowledge and...
by Kahle Wisdom | Feb 25, 2025 | Podcasts
We often get so caught up in the details of a sale and quantity of transactions that we fail to regard the value of our customers. Sales is about people, not money. By giving an economic value to every customer it lifts them up in our radar screen and provides...
by Kahle Wisdom | Feb 18, 2025 | Podcasts
There are lots of things you can do to improve your sales – both individually as well as corporately. However, one initiative rises to the top as the one that will make the biggest impact on a person’s and a company’s sales productivity. In this...
by Kahle Wisdom | Feb 11, 2025 | Podcasts
I can unequivocally state that there is a 99% chance that you will have a miserable, time consuming, disappointing experience when you attempt to employ your first salesperson. In this article, I show you why, and provide some ways to improve the likelihood...
by Kahle Wisdom | Feb 4, 2025 | Podcasts
Many businesspeople are confused about how to invest in developing themselves and their employees. In this post, I share some out-of-the-box thinking that can provide you with a strategy for development that will change the trajectory of your business. ...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 28, 2025 | Podcasts
Very often, the reason we don’t meet our potential is less our lack of skills and more the internal hindrances that inhibit our performance. In this podcast, we uncover this truth, and help you apply it....
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 21, 2025 | Podcasts
For 30 years I’ve been training B2B sales forces to sell better. I’ve noticed this – that any group of salespeople, 20% to 30% are eager to learn and enthusiastic about trying some of the practices I teach. Of the remainer, some will try to apply some of...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 14, 2025 | Podcasts
“What do people think about you when you are not there?” That’s Steve’s definition of what a personal brand is. Join me as I dig into the details of creating and managing your personal brand in this interview with Steve Miler....
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 7, 2025 | Podcasts
: I’ve learned some lessons in my 30+ years of sales consulting. One is this: There is almost always a bottleneck in a company’s sales systems. Typically, the executives are too involved with the trenches to take a big picture perspective and identify...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 31, 2024 | Podcasts
Sales meetings don’t have to be boring. You can organize better sales meetings with just a little bit of revised thinking. I’ll show you one way to do that in this podcast. ********************************************************************* Dave...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 17, 2024 | Podcasts
What sets the best salespeople apart from the masses? I’ve pursued that question for a lifetime. Here’s my answer. ************************************************************************ Dave Kahle’s goal is to provide sales leaders and...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 10, 2024 | Podcasts
Paul Graeve, the founder of the Data Group, shares unique insights on the role of data in a business. You’ll gain some insights and ideas that may transform our business. **************************************************************** Dave...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 3, 2024 | Podcasts
The idea of entertaining your customers is often an after-thought for many entrepreneurs and salespeople. From my experience, strategically entertaining your customers is one of the best things you do. Join me to unpack this issue and gain several ‘how-to-...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 26, 2024 | Podcasts
When something needs fixing – a process, a person, a piece of hardware or software, — we often seek to fix the problem and bring that thing back to where it was before we became aware of the problem. In other words, we seek to restore the previous status...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 26, 2024 | sale
Do you ever feel like your sales team could achieve more but don’t know where to begin? As a sales consultant with years of experience, I know that every business has unique challenges and opportunities. In this blog, I’ll share some exclusive insights on how sales...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 25, 2024 | sale
Introduction: Why Sales Strategy Consulting Could Be the Game-Changer You Need Are you looking to push your sales team to the next level but aren’t sure where to start? This blog will explore the benefits of sales strategy consulting and how it can help you meet and...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 19, 2024 | Podcasts
Sales managers are the glue that hold sales forces together. Yet, they are often the least trained of any job title in the world of sales. Let’s do a deep dive in how important they really are....
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 12, 2024 | Podcasts
We have learned to immediately react to a problem by trying to fix it. But what if, in our rapidly changing world, fixing a problem isn’t the wisest reaction? Let’s explore another possibility. Dave Kahle’s goal is to provide sales leaders...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 5, 2024 | Podcasts
We often get so caught up in the details of a sale and quantity of transactions that we fail to regard the value of our customers. Sales is about people, not money. By putting an economic value to every customer it lifts them up in our radar screen and provides...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 1, 2024 | sale
If you’re like me, you know that a good sales strategy is at the heart of any successful business. But what makes a strategy work? And how do you ensure your team is equipped with the right skills and tools to bring that strategy to life? That’s where sales...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 29, 2024 | Podcasts
For 30 years I’ve been training B2B sales forces to sell better. I’ve made some observations about the 25 most important lessons I’ve learned. In this post, I will describe one of them: Most people don’t think deeply. Join with me as I...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 22, 2024 | Podcasts
Almost every B2B sales organization has a Primary Sales Obstacle – one place in their sales efforts where some improvement will make a disproportionately large impact on sales. In this post, I describe the reasons why the obstacle exists, identify the most...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 15, 2024 | Podcasts
Too many salespeople make the same mistakes repeatedly in their sales presentations. Unfortunately, most are not aware of those mistakes – they just don’t know what they don’t know. In this podcast, we uncover the three most common mistakes and offer...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 8, 2024 | Podcasts
If we chose to, we learn more from our failures than we do from our successes. Within every failure there is the seed of a lesson well learned, of a solid character trait emerging. It is our failures that contribute most intensely to our development. Let’s...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 1, 2024 | Podcasts
It’s human nature to resist change. But, in our rapidly changing times, mindlessly grasping onto the status quo can lead to mediocrity. If we are going to survive and thrive in these times, we need to relentlessly examine our hold on the way things...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 24, 2024 | Podcasts
There is a powerful strategy that most B2B salespeople, and B2B organizations, ignore. That’s too bad, because it is one of the most powerful ways to build long-term positive relationships. Let me show you how to leverage satisfaction. Dave Kahle’s...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 17, 2024 | Podcasts
Snippets are powerful tools for a professional salesperson. You can use them in multiple places in the sales process, improving every piece. This article examines the what’s how’s and why’s of using snippets. Dave Kahle’s goal is to...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 10, 2024 | Podcasts
We’ve all done it. Promoted a good salesperson, often our best, to sales manager. My files are full of cases where the results were below expectations for everyone involved. Principals and CSOs are often disappointed in the lack of results, and the...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 3, 2024 | Podcasts
“I have great relationships with my customers.” That is one of the most debilitating myths around — one that cripples the performance of the average corporate salesperson. Yet, it is endemic within the population of salespeople. I am not...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 27, 2024 | Podcasts
There is a great lesson for businesspeople in the struggles of contestants on American Idol and Sha k Tank. .There is a fine line between perseverance and self-delusion. Understanding that difference can make a huge difference in a life and a business. Here are...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 20, 2024 | Podcasts
A question from a sales manager: “Here’s an issue that I confront with my salespeople all of the time. They are afraid to press for the next step, because they don’t want to experience the rejection of hearing a “NO.” So, they...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 13, 2024 | Podcasts
There are a lot of misconceptions about sales and what constitutes a good sales call. Whether you are a professional salesperson, or you find yourself in a situation where you must convince people to do business with you – say a solopreneur, or small business person ...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 6, 2024 | Podcasts
Review my answer to this question: Here’s a question about best practices for B2B sales and sales leadership that I struggle with almost daily. I’m definitely known for having very high expectations that aren’t so easy to meet. I wondered if you...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 1, 2024 | Podcasts
Do great B2B sales people, regardless of what they sell, have any practices in common? In other words, do the best sales people all sell the same way? And, can we learn from them? Dig into this issue and develop a plan to enhance your career. Dave Kahle...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 25, 2024 | Podcasts
Over my career as a sales expert, I’ve personally and contractually worked with over 500 sales organizations. I’ve learned some things. Here’s one: Very few chief sales officers have a good handle on the economics of the sales force. And very few...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 18, 2024 | Podcasts
Sales leaders who don’t have the ability to direct their sales force are at a strategic disadvantage. It’s hard to grow a successful business if the salespeople won’t take direction. In this post, we explore that and offer a solution....
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 11, 2024 | Podcasts
There have been hundreds of books written about sales, each trying to make a case for their particular nomenclature. Yet, at the most basic level, sales is a relatively simple process. In this excerpt from one of my books, I share the simple sales process. ...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 27, 2024 | Podcasts
This is my answer to a question submitted by a sales manager: How many sales calls should a salesperson make? The answer may surprise you. Dave Kahle is a B2B sales expert, and a Christian Business thought leader. He has authored 13 books, presented in...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 20, 2024 | Podcasts
Probably the most common sales process in the B2B world is ‘creating a client”. That’s my terminology for influencing a customer to buy routinely and repeatedly from you. Every organization and every salesperson can do it better. ...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 18, 2024 | sale
Let’s face it, the life of a salesperson can feel like a rollercoaster ride. One minute you’re on top of the world, and the next, you’re staring down a mountain of missed opportunities. There also comes a time when you wonder if you’re cut out...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 17, 2024 | sale
Let me tell you, I’ve been in the sales trenches for a long time. From hawking lemonade on a scorching summer day to closing multi-million dollar deals, I’ve seen it all. And let me tell you something – the sales game is constantly evolving. New...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 13, 2024 | Podcasts
The decision about who to hire for a sales position is one of the riskiest and potentially costly decisions a sales manager will make. Over my 30 years as a sales consultant, I’ve learned some lessons. Here are some of the best practices to help you make it...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 6, 2024 | Podcasts
Most conversations about improving a sales team’s productivity center around the salespeople. At the same time, it is just as effective to refine your sales system’s structure. In my 30 years of sales consulting, I’ve found that the quickest...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 30, 2024 | Podcasts
For 30 years I’ve been training B2B sales forces to sell better. I ‘ve learned some things. This is one of the 25 most important lessons’ I’ve learned – that you can choose your thoughts, and thus control your attitudes, your behavior and your...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 27, 2024 | Leadership-Sales Force
Let’s face it, the sales world can be a whirlwind. New trends emerge every day, promising to revolutionize how we connect with customers. But sometimes, I find myself going back to the basics – the tried-and-true sales tips that have served me well for years....
by Kahle Wisdom | May 23, 2024 | Podcasts
It seems that almost everyone wants to jump to a conclusion based on a 20-second sound bite solution, instead of taking the more time-consuming but more accurate process-oriented path. The consequences are huge, and most people have never considered them....
by Kahle Wisdom | May 23, 2024 | Leadership-Sales Systems
Let me tell you a story. A few years back, my B2B sales game felt stale. My team was hitting a wall, missing targets, and the frustration was mounting. We were using all the “tried and true” tactics, but something just wasn’t clicking. That’s...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 16, 2024 | Podcasts
In this podcast, I respond to this question: My new sales manager is having a difficult time getting our experienced sales force to execute a number of the changes we have implemented in the past year. Any suggestions? Dave Kahle is a B2B sales expert, and a...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 9, 2024 | Podcasts
How often have you gained a good idea, decided to implement it, but failed to put it into action? Our inability to convert ideas into action is a universal part of human nature. But if you could, you’d supercharge your personal and professional growth,...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 25, 2024 | Podcasts
: “I’m spending more and more time dealing with information. It’s squeezing out my selling time.” Welcome to the information age. You are not unique. This problem of information inundation is a relatively new but almost universal threat to...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 18, 2024 | Podcasts
The world is changing more rapidly today than at any time in human history. Unfortunately, these forces of rapid change have brought a cloud of confusion to CEOs and sales executives trying to grow their businesses. One of the most common sales and marketing...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 11, 2024 | Podcasts
Why are most people not as successful as they could be? Their greatest obstacles reside inside themselves. They continue to look outside of themselves instead of working on internal issues. Unpack this with me. Dave Kahle is a B2B sales expert, and a...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 4, 2024 | Podcasts
There is something about adversity that has the power to linger forever in our memories, shaping our character and molding our behavior for the rest of our life. We can use it to grow and become better people, if we let it. Dave Kahle is a B2B sales...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 3, 2024 | Miscellaneous
Great to be interviewed on The Thoughtful #Entrepreneur #podcast with @JoshElledge. I’d really love if you gave this episode a listen. https://upmyinfluence.com/podcasts/1814-helping-b2b-sales-improve-their-results-with-dave-kahle/
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 2, 2024 | Podcasts
In this session, I respond to these two questions: 1. Q. Dave, I’m a sales manager, and I’m increasingly losing my patience with salespeople who constantly whine and complain. Any thoughts on how to handle the chronic whiners? 2. How do you deal...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 28, 2024 | Podcasts
I call it FIP. Fine in the Past. It refers to all the sales and marketing efforts, ideas, policies, principles, techniques, and strategies that worked well in the past, but are no longer effective. The past is everything that’s pre-2018. I still recall a...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 22, 2024 | Miscellaneous
The dynamics of doing business is changing, and I am sensing it. Because of my decades of experience, I understand the challenges businesses face in today’s competitive marketplace. That’s why I’m passionate about helping companies implement the best...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 21, 2024 | Podcasts
Recently, one of my clients recommended that I compile a series of posts on the most important lessons I’ve learned over my 30-year career as a consultant working with over 500 different organizations. This is one of them: Most people would rather...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 14, 2024 | Podcasts
In B2B sales, you always do better narrowing your focus than expanding it. Defy conventional wisdom and your own instincts and drill down into this – one of the 30 most important lessons I’ve learned in 30+ years of sales training and consulting. ...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 7, 2024 | Podcasts
The pace of change has increased, the growth in complexity has multiplied, and information has proliferated at an unprecedented pace. We are in extraordinary times. We often find ourselves overwhelmed, distracted and insecure. And unprecedented times call for...
by Kahle Wisdom | Feb 29, 2024 | Podcasts
Imagine what your company would be like if you had a group of sales masters. Your customers would be committed to you. Your market share would constantly grow. Your suppliers would be lining up at the door to get you on their side and to offer you special...
by Kahle Wisdom | Feb 22, 2024 | Podcasts
The world is changing around us at a pace that is unprecedented in human history, and unless we change ourselves and our organizations at least as rapidly as the world we inhabit, we will fall behind. The implications are staggering. In this post, I share...
by Kahle Wisdom | Feb 15, 2024 | Podcasts
Why is it so difficult to change our behavior? Why are managers and leaders frustrated in trying to help people do better and sell better? The stealth cause is an aspect of human nature that is rarely acknowledged and even more rarely overcome. Join me in drilling...
by Kahle Wisdom | Feb 8, 2024 | Podcasts
From the beginning of history, wise people have recognized that success and fulfillment were a function of a refined character. In recent years, we’ve abandoned that idea and taken a step backward in the development of mankind. It is time to reverse the...
by Kahle Wisdom | Feb 1, 2024 | Podcasts
In this session, I respond to two questions from =sales managers: 1. What about deducting commissions from a salesperson? 2. What to do about a salesperson who badmouths the company? My responses will provide you with some principles to enhance your sales team...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 25, 2024 | Podcasts
Managing change doesn’t have to be a slow and methodical process. In fact, to expect slow change is to do a disservice to the organization and its people, accepting a pace of change that actually falls behind the pace of change around us. Dave...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 18, 2024 | Podcasts
In this rapidly changing economy, everyone is looking for a simple fix to dealing with the uncertainty of our economic environment. It seems like few are happy with their situations. And all but a few point their fingers at the changing economy and vibrant...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 11, 2024 | Podcasts
Almost all of the policies and procedures that dictate our day-to-day efforts are vestiges of years gone by. Unless we institute a discipline of regularly examining them, we’ll soon be rendered obsolete by the pace of change around us. Dave Kahle is a B2B sales...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 4, 2024 | Podcasts
Join me as I respond to a couple of questions from sales managers. One has to do with customer visits, and the other untouchable salespeople. Let’s drill deeper into both of these issues, with some practical wisdom for situations that you may encounter. . Four...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 28, 2023 | Podcasts
One can’t help but conclude that there has never been a generation of businesspeople who have had to deal with the pace of change moving as rapidly as our generation. It truly is unprecedented. The rapidly increasing pace of change is the single biggest threat...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 22, 2023 | Christian-Business
See if this real-life example doesn’t sound familiar. The owners of an automobile dealership were regular church-goers and considered themselves to be pious Christians. However, the sales process they used in the business was designed to be manipulative and had...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 21, 2023 | Podcasts
Time management may be the biggest need in our frenzied culture. Yet, many people have a defective view of time management, limiting their effectiveness. In this podcast, we set that straight. Dave Kahle is a B2B sales guru and Christian business thought leader. ...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 14, 2023 | Podcasts
Most people are not willing to invest in themselves or pay the price of personal growth and success. For a lot of the people listening to this podcast that statement doesn’t seem quite right. You have invested in yourselves: You read the books, attend...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 7, 2023 | Podcasts
“Should salespeople be responsible for collecting?” “Should you deduct commissions from unpaid invoices?” “How many sales calls should a successful salesperson make?” In this podcast, I answer these questions from sales managers. ...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 30, 2023 | Podcasts
All of us have become what we are, at least in part, to the impact other people have had on us — some positive and some negative. A professional sales manager is gifted with a rare and precious opportunity — the opportunity to play a pivotal role in the...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 23, 2023 | Podcasts
The 2020’s are without a doubt one of the most turbulent times American businesspeople have ever seen. That means that it is likely that the conclusions, paradigms and core beliefs upon which we based our decisions as recently as two years ago are likely to be...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 16, 2023 | Podcasts
“I wish I had a more professional sales force.” That’s one of the common laments I hear from sales leaders. Let’s take a look at what it really means, why it is such a common malady, and what you can do about it. The Excellence &...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 9, 2023 | Growth-Miscellaneous, Leadership-Business, Podcasts
The world is full of people who are fuzzy in their thinking. Moving from fuzzy to focused can make everything better. The XI Community Check out this...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 2, 2023 | Podcasts
When you give a proactive salesperson “other stuff” to do, the other stuff will always expand, taking more in time and energy than you anticipated, and rendering the proactive sales efforts to an unacceptable smaller part of the person’s labors....
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 27, 2023 | Growth-Personal Development, Podcasts, Christian-Business
Work with a lot of people, and you have many opportunities to be unethical. Work with a lot of money and the same is true. Put those together, and you have the world of the professional salesperson. Here are ten commandments to help keep you on the straight and...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 19, 2023 | Leadership-Business, Podcasts
Over my career as a sales expert, I’ve personally and contractually worked with over 500 sales organizations. I’ve learned some things. Here’s one: Very few chief sales officers have a good handle on the economics of the sales force. And very few...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 12, 2023 | Podcasts
Rapid change is not a phase we’re passing through; it’s a process in which we’re engaged. That means it is likely that the conclusions, paradigms and core beliefs upon which we based our decisions just two or three years ago are likely to be obsolete...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 5, 2023 | Podcasts
Should your company allow every salesperson to have their own style of selling, or should you have a selling system to which everyone adheres? Let’s dig into this. How to Sell Anything to Anyone Anytime — Learn more here. The Excellence...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 28, 2023 | Podcasts
In the B2B world, the relationship between the customer and the vendor, and more specifically, the vendor’s salesperson, can be of utmost importance. It doesn’t take long in the business to understand that if the customer dislikes you, he is rarely going...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 21, 2023 | Podcasts
In order for an individual or a society to reach its potential, it must continuously grow and develop. That requires consistent, methodical exposure to new ideas. Unfortunately, many people have arrested their development by remaining within their status quos. ...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 14, 2023 | Podcasts
It’s more and more popular to blame other people, or some ‘ism’ for your own circumstances. As long as we claim to be a victim we’ll never achieve our potential. As soon as we accept personal responsibility for our own circumstances, we gain...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 7, 2023 | Podcasts
The recent proliferation of AI (Artificial Intelligence) has surfaced a lingering issue: If we can create software to increase the capabilities of a computer, can we not create software to increase the capabilities of the greatest computer we know of – our minds?...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 31, 2023 | Podcasts
With a little bit of preparation and a thoughtful approach, sales meetings can be powerful meaningful events. Here’s how to make that happen. The XI Community Check out this...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 24, 2023 | Podcasts
To grow your business, you must develop the discipline to adhere to certain regular practices. The first of these is investing your time into your business in a methodical, intentional way. Let’s examine this together. Check out this...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 10, 2023 | Podcasts
: “So, what do you think you can do for us?” The CEO had finally gotten to that question after a couple of hours of introduction to his company and their specific marketing problem. They had a successful company, selling acoustic panels...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 22, 2023 | Podcasts
Growing your sales is a goal for almost every business. The challenge is so great, however, that it spawns lots of mis-guided methods. Here are the four most common mistakes sales leaders make from a consultant who has worked with hundreds of them. Check out this...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 8, 2023 | Podcasts
Whether you are a small businessperson or a professional salesperson, you can utilize a powerful strategy to take your performance to dramatically higher levels — leverage. Leverage revolves around the idea of multiplying the effects of some effort to gain more...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 1, 2023 | Podcasts
In recent years I’ve seen a deeper degradation in the learning potential of the work force fueled by a growing inability to concentrate. I’m afraid that much of the adult population in this country has become so conditioned to sound bites, texts and...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 25, 2023 | Podcasts
How do you effectively and consistently grow your business? One common mistake is to pursue a strategy I call popcorn, instead of building a solid sales system. Check out this...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 18, 2023 | Podcasts
Focusing on one or more target markets is one of the key processes to building a successful sales system for your business or practice. But, business people are often unsure of how to go about the process of identifying those markets that hold the greatest potential. ...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 11, 2023 | Podcasts
One of the biggest decisions a business makes is the decision on which market segment to focus. ‘Market segment’ is the term that describes a group of suspects and prospects who have something in common. One of the most powerful principles of effective...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 4, 2023 | Podcasts
What is it that empowers some people to change smoothly and effortlessly, while getting others to modify their behavior seems like moving a mountain? What is the fundamental building block for individuals which, more than anything else, equips them to successfully...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 27, 2023 | Podcasts
We all have a sense that things are changing rapidly these days. It is more serious than that. We have entered into the Age of Turmoil and our ability to recognize and navigate it will be the single biggest challenge for the rest of our careers. The XI Community....
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 20, 2023 | Podcasts
There are, in the world of sales and sales systems, certain practices that have such an enormous impact on the company and the market that they are in a special class of activities that call for executive involvement at the highest levels. One of that handful of...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 13, 2023 | Podcasts
: For all but the new and the internally driven salespeople, straight commission plans merely reward the contented sales person to maintain the status quo. Let’s consider this together. Check out this...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 6, 2023 | Podcasts
Salespeople are sick of hearing “Your price is too high.” But, what if the real issue isn’t the price? Here’s a secret that almost nobody knows, including all those gurus telling you to sell value. They don’t always buy the...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 30, 2023 | Podcasts
One or more of your salespeople has leveled off. Their performance hasn’t improved much in the last few years. You know that these experienced salespeople can do better, but they seem unable or unwilling to break out of a certain level of performance. You are...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 23, 2023 | Podcasts
“Plans fail when there is no counsel, but they succeed when advisers are many.” (Proverbs 15:22) This is an often-quoted verse, a piece of advice from King Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived. While the advice doesn’t appear...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 16, 2023 | Podcasts
What’s gunk? Any practice that detracts from the salesperson spending time with customers. In other words, other things the outside salespeople do instead of meeting with customers. Let’s drill deeper into Gunk, determine if you, or your salespeople are...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 9, 2023 | Podcasts
It seems like more and more business people have lost the ability to say no. That’s too bad. Being able to say no is a higher level skill that is advantageous in both business as well as life in general. Those who don’t master the art of saying no are...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 2, 2023 | Podcasts
The biggest cost in a sales team is often invisible and unacknowledged. Yet, it costs the company more in opportunities lost than any other single issue. Many sales managers aren’t even aware of it. Let’s take a look. The Kahle Way(r) B2B Selling System:...
by Kahle Wisdom | Feb 23, 2023 | Podcasts
Over my career, I’ve worked with hundreds, maybe even thousands of sales managers, and I’ve learned some things. Regardless of the size of business, the product sold or market to which it is sold, sales managers share some common hurdles. Here are the...
by Kahle Wisdom | Feb 16, 2023 | Podcasts
Every sales manager wants to hire star salespeople. But few do. One reason for that is we don’t know what to look for in an interviewee. In this concluding article in a series of six, I identify the qualities of character that contribute to the make-up of a...
by Kahle Wisdom | Feb 9, 2023 | Podcasts
Hiring a star salesperson is one of the best things you can do. But, very few people do it well. We often look for the wrong things in the interview process. We should be looking for the character of the prospect. Here’s the next in my series on the...
by Kahle Wisdom | Feb 2, 2023 | Podcasts
We’d all like to hire great salespeople. Few of us ever do. Part of the reason may be the qualities and qualifications we look for in the interview process. In this next of a series of qualities of character of the best salespeople, I unveil the next in the...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 26, 2023 | Podcasts
We’d all like to hire superstar salespeople. The problem is spotting one in the interview process. What do you look for? In this, one of a series on the qualities of character of superstar salespeople, I share my number three recommendation: Th Ability and...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 19, 2023 | Podcasts
We’d all like to hire a superstar salesperson. But we often look for the wrong things in the interview process. Instead of product or industry knowledge, we should look for qualities of character. Here’s my second characteristics of superstar...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 12, 2023 | Podcasts
Companies lead by Servant Leaders more than double the return on investment when compared to other management styles. In this interview with author Max Cates, we dig into the nuts and bolts of servant leadership Serve, Lead, Succeed — Book by Max Cates The...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 5, 2023 | Podcasts
If you can hire a superstar salesperson, your life will be easier and you’ll look like a hero. Easier said than done. In this podcast, I share what to not look for, and share one of six things I look for in a sales hire. The Kahle Way B2B Selling System The...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 29, 2022 | Podcasts
Sales productivity may be a new concept for many sales executives. “Sales” is easy to understand, and “productivity” is pretty clear, but when those two words are combined the combination becomes a bit vague. What exactly is sales...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 22, 2022 | Podcasts
Great business leaders invariably exhibit the same qualities of character. In this first of series, I look at the qualities of character that mark great leaders, with a deep dive into the first: An unshakeable work ethic. Let’s unpack that. The Xi Community. ...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 15, 2022 | Podcasts
In this sixth of a series on the character traits of successful business leaders, I identify one that might be surprising. It is, however, incredibly powerful – humility. Humility is often misunderstood. In this podcast, I describe it, and show how it is a powerful...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 8, 2022 | Podcasts
The best business leaders have acquired a similar set of skills. Without this set of character traits, it is difficult to lead a growing organization. In this series, I uncover a key set of character traits for great business leaders. This is number four –...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 1, 2022 | Podcasts
Listen to my response to this question: Our “A” customers do 90% of our business. How much time or effort would you put into your “B” customers to bring them up to “A” customers? The answer will surprise you. The Kahle Way B2B...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 24, 2022 | Podcasts
More important than the business model in the long-term success of a business is the character of the CEO. In this series, I describe the top qualities of character that mark the successful business leaders. This is number two – the ability and propensity to learn....
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 17, 2022 | Podcasts
How can I sell more when I have so much to do?” That’s a common question with lots of different answers – all having to do with better sales time management. Here’s one key to selling more, even when you are pressed for time. Focus on this one...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 10, 2022 | Podcasts
Great leaders have a number of character traits in common. This is the third in a series of posts dealing with the set of character traits that great business leaders exhibit – A continuous quest for MORE. The XI Community. Learn More Here. Check out this...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 3, 2022 | Podcasts
Are outside salespeople a thing of the past? For generations, outside salespeople thrived on face-to-face relationships. Their approach to the job was to get in the car and go see people. The world is full of businesses who have grown on that sales model. Until...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 27, 2022 | Podcasts
Which is more important, the business model, or the character of the CEO? From my experience, the character of the CEO trumps everything. In this article/podcast, I dig deeply into that idea – the ultimate success formula. The Xi Community (Excellence &...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 24, 2022 | Podcasts
Great leaders have a number of character traits in common. This is the third in a series of articles dealing with the set of character traits that great business leaders exhibit – A continuous quest for MORE. The XI Community. Check out this...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 20, 2022 | Podcasts
One of the fundamental concepts in B2B selling is this: There is a unique ‘best” selling process for every combination of markets, products and customers. Identifying that process, and using it to unleash the power of your sales team, is a major step in...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 13, 2022 | Podcasts
I was young, cocky and a bit full of myself when I had one of the most humbling experiences of my life, and learned a lesson that has stuck with me for decades. Personal responsibility is easy to say, but quite a bit more difficult to actually embed into your life....
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 6, 2022 | Podcasts
Self-delusion is becoming more widespread today and threatens to damage our lives and retard our culture. It’s time we recognized it. Check out this...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 29, 2022 | Podcasts
Getting the last look. In this response to a question, the writer of the question wants the ability to go in after the bids have been submitted, to look at the competitive bids or at least the lowest bid prices, and to change his/her prices in order to be awarded the...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 22, 2022 | Podcasts
A client described this situation: Business is flat, and he’s unable to get his sales force to promote the lines that he wants to promote, he’s unable to get them to use some of the new technology that the company wants them to use, and he’s unable...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 15, 2022 | Podcasts
Sales managers, deprived of training and solid direction, typically default to one of these styles. Look at each, and the pros and cons of each and determine which applies to you. The Sales Leader’s Excellence & Influence Course Check out this...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 8, 2022 | Podcasts
Only about five percent of sales organizations invest in developing their salespeople. Those that do are often the industry leaders. Creating and managing a formal program to develop your salespeople is one of your best investments. The Excellence & Influence...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 1, 2022 | Podcasts
There are a lot of 100% commission sales compensation plans around. Should there be? Think deeply about this as I respond to two questions about sales force compensation. The New Customer Acquisition Course. The Sales Leader’s Excellence & Influence Course...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 25, 2022 | Podcasts
Join with me to examine a couple more of that series of words that a significant percentage of the population would rather not hear – humility and commitment. The Sales Leader’s Excellence & Influence Course Check out this...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 18, 2022 | Podcasts
Throughout the history of mankind, successful people have been disciplined people. At some point in their development, they have discovered the power that lies in discipline. And they chose, with an act of willfulness and intentionality, to pursue disciplines. As a...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 11, 2022 | Podcasts
Higher character has been recognized, across generations and cultures, as one of the ideal qualifications for positions of leadership. Until recently. We’ve discarded the idea of higher character, and are paying the price. The Sales Leader’s Excellence...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 4, 2022 | Podcasts
The calls for “lower price” are becoming more frequent and frantic in this age of inflation. How should you handle them? Listen as I respond to three questions concerning lower prices. You may gain a perspective you’ve never had before. The Sales...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 28, 2022 | Podcasts
Value-added means different things to different people. If you are going to be a true value-added seller in the 21st century marketplace, you must be flexible and capable enough to offer different things to different customers, responding to the individual...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 21, 2022 | Podcasts
Our perspectives shape our behavior and set our character. We can change our perspectives and thereby change our lives. Check out this...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 14, 2022 | Podcasts
Here’s my answer to two common questions: How do you sell commodities? and What do you do when the customer is only interested in low price? The Sales Leader’s Excellence and Influence Course. Learn more here. Check out this...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 7, 2022 | Podcasts
It’s one of the most common laments I hear from principals and sales managers: “I wish I had a more professional sales force.” No doubt that thought has passed through your mind at some time in the recent past. You’re not alone, of course. I...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 30, 2022 | Podcasts
Here’s my response to this question: How can we get inside sales to do some proactive sales activities each day? We want our inside sales people to use some of their time to shift into the proactive mode to make outbound phone contact to existing and new...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 23, 2022 | Podcasts
Listen to my reply to this question: “Q. Dave, I’m from outside the industry, and am accustomed to what I see as a much more professional sales force than what I currently have. Am I off-base in expecting a professional group of salespeople, as opposed...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 9, 2022 | Podcasts
: “Lack of directability is one of the problems common to sales forces. That means the sales force rarely does what management wants them to do. Instead, they do what they have always done, or they work only in their own best interests instead of the interests...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 2, 2022 | Podcasts
Lots of people understand ‘productivity’, and ‘sales’ is easily understood, but when you put the two words together, the concept often becomes baffling. Sales Productivity can be the key to growing your business and taking market share. Begin...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 30, 2022 | Podcasts
The rapid change whirling around every company puts great pressure on organizations to change themselves. Not only must the organization as a whole change, but the individuals within each organization must themselves change, learn and grow more rapidly than at any...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 26, 2022 | Podcasts
: Many sales models are built on the concept of the entrepreneurial salesperson. There was a time when this model was effective, but in today’s competitive economy, there are serious difficulties with the entrepreneurial model. Let’s consider this...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 25, 2022 | Christian-Leadership
Courses for Christian Business People Our Courses consist of Collections, Learning Paths and Routes “CN” designates a Collection of podcasts, blog posts and other resources treating a theme. All Collections are free to all members. CN: Penetrating the Difficult...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 25, 2022 | Christian-Leadership
Topics for Christian Business People Sales Systems Listening more Effectively Personal Improvement Sales Principles...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 25, 2022 | Leadership-Sales Management
Courses for Sales Managers and Sales Leaders Our Courses consist of Collections, Learning Paths and Routes “CN” designates a Collection of podcasts, blog posts and other resources treating a theme. All Collections are free to all members. CN: Penetrating...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 25, 2022 | Leadership-Sales Management
Topics for Sales Managers and Sales Leaders Interact with your colleagues and our team of experts on these topics: Sales Systems Listening more Effectively Personal...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 25, 2022 | Miscellaneous
Our Courses consist of Collections, Learning Paths and Routes “CN” designates a Collection of podcasts, blog posts and other resources treating a theme. All Collections are free to all members. CN: Penetrating the Difficult Account CN: Thriving in...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 25, 2022 | Miscellaneous
Topics for B2B salespeople: Interact with colleagues around these topics: Sales Systems Listening more Effectively Personal Improvement Sales Principles and Practices Free...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 19, 2022 | Podcasts
If you’re paying your sales reps straight commission, you’re using an obsolete formula. If you’re paying your sales reps a straight salary, you’re also using an obsolete formula. Both of those formulas are vestiges of an earlier, simpler times....
by Kahle Wisdom | May 12, 2022 | Podcasts
While there is a degree of significance to be achieved though one’s family, my focus in this article is on a higher level of significance. Having “notable worth or influence” implies that significance of that level is relatively rare. People take...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 5, 2022 | Podcasts
There is something incredibly compelling about being a part of an organization that aspires to something larger and more noble than others of their ilk. Something in the soul of human beings longs to be a part of something that not only strives for a better future but...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 28, 2022 | Podcasts
When budgets are limited, the single most effective use of training money is not on the salespeople, but rather the sales managers. Let’s dig into this. The XI Community Sales Leader’s Group:...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 21, 2022 | Podcasts
One of the biggest obstacles to the growth and development of a salesperson — or anyone else – is not their lack of skills and experience, but rather the internal obstacles that hinder their actions. Dig into what holds you back, so that you can break free. The...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 14, 2022 | Podcasts
Developing a handful of ‘partners’ is one of the most effective B2B sales strategies. These are customers who are so committed to you that they form the foundation of your revenue. Dig into the whys and hows of creating partners in this article. The XI...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 7, 2022 | Podcasts
At its most fundamental level, business is always and only about three things: Money, people and systems. There is a huge body of content revolving around money in business and there is an equally impressive body of knowledge and infrastructure for the...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 31, 2022 | Podcasts
Very soon we’ll be confronting the next wave of change as our companies and our jobs lurch back to something resembling pre-Covid normal. The question in the back of every executive’s mind is this:” How do we handle the post-Covid changes?” ...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 24, 2022 | Podcasts
Our times are uniquely characterized by an unprecedented pace of change. If we are going to survive and thrive in this environment, we have to do some different things, and do others much better. One of these is the discipline of purposeful learning. It is the...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 17, 2022 | Podcasts
Our times are uniquely characterized by an unprecedented pace of change. We need to do some things differently and some things better than ever. One of those is the discipline of purposeful learning. If we are going to survive and succeed in these turbulent times,...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 10, 2022 | Podcasts
We live in a time of unprecedented change. The wise business person will put disciplines and processes in place to keep the organization ahead of what’s next. We’re recommending a SCAN meeting. Check out this...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 3, 2022 | Podcasts
In today’s competitive environment, it’s important that sales organizations field a ‘directable’ sales force. The key word here is directable. It means that your sales force can be counted on to quickly, thoroughly and positively...
by Kahle Wisdom | Feb 22, 2022 | Podcasts
How do we handle an unethical customer? One who says he would do anything to make money on a job, or to get a job? Dave, how can a sales person have a life at night and not be reactive to customers calling at night – seven or eight per night? In regards to...
by Kahle Wisdom | Feb 10, 2022 | Podcasts
“Sales time” is that portion of a salesperson’s work week wherein they are interacting with their customers and prospects. It can be on the phone, over an interactive webinar, or in person. It’s the heart of the job, wherein the salesperson...
by Kahle Wisdom | Feb 3, 2022 | Podcasts
Sales is a profession that is ripe with temptation. Salespeople deal with a lot of people, and a lot of money. Either one of those by itself presents a challenge. Add them together and it can be overwhelming. Here are some guidelines to help you stay on the right...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 31, 2022 | Podcasts
Interested in improving the productivity of your sales force? Investing in training and developing your salespeople is always a good idea. But it isn’t the entire solution for many organizations. Often, enormous improvements in sales productivity can...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 27, 2022 | Podcasts
I know you are concerned with sales. It’s easy to determine how well your people are selling to your customers. That’s what sales reports are for. But your customers are more concerned with how well they are being served by your salespeople. Why is that...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 20, 2022 | Podcasts
A difficult customer – someone who is angry or upset – can be one of the most challenging and rewarding encounters for most companies. If you cam handle the situation well, you will often gain a long-term customer. Mishandle it, and you’ll watch the situation...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 13, 2022 | Podcasts
If you are like most segments of the economy, there have been more price increases announced in your industry in the last three months than in the last three years combined. Unfortunately, many sales forces are peopled with individuals who have never lived through a...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 6, 2022 | Podcasts
In most organizations, sales managers are the essential bridge between the company’s sales goals and the realization of those goals. It’s an incredibly important and difficult job. Unfortunately, it is often the most under-trained job in the entire...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 30, 2021 | Podcasts
In most organizations, sales managers are the essential bridge between the company’s sales goals and the realization of those goals. It’s an incredibly important and difficult job. Unfortunately, it is often the most under-trained job in the entire...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 23, 2021 | Podcasts
Ah, if only the people around us were more professional. Our lives would be easier, our businesses would grow more effortlessly, we’d find our jobs more fulfilling…the list of dramatic benefits can go on and on. But what does it mean to be more professional?...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 16, 2021 | Podcasts
The job of the field salesperson will continue to grow more complex, more challenging and more difficult for the foreseeable future. So what does that mean to you? It means that you will need to continually change and adapt constantly. It means that you will need to...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 9, 2021 | Podcasts
On-boarding a new employee typically involves someone(s) to train the new employee, and weeks training the new person. But what if you could develop a system that eliminated much of that training time? Years ago, we developed a tool that was originally conceived as a...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 2, 2021 | Christian-Personal Development
As an educated and experienced practitioner in the profession of helping people change their behavior, I’m come to the conclusion that our set of preexisting beliefs supplies the largest and most potent set of obstacles to self-improvement and the greater...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 25, 2021 | Podcasts
Of all the things that you can do and say when you are talking with a customer, there is none that even comes close to the power of asking a good question. It stands alone, apart from every other tactic, as your single most powerful sales tool. Nothing even...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 11, 2021 | Podcasts
The pace of change has increased, the growth in complexity has multiplied, and information has proliferated at an unprecedented pace. We are in extraordinary times. And unprecedented times call for unique and disciplined approaches if we are to survive and thrive....
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 4, 2021 | Podcasts
The pace of change has increased, the growth in complexity has multiplied, and information has proliferated at an unprecedented pace. We are in extraordinary times. And unprecedented times call for unique and disciplined approaches if we are to survive and thrive....
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 21, 2021 | Podcasts
The pace of change has increased, the growth in complexity has multiplied, and information has proliferated at an unprecedented pace. We are in extraordinary times. And unprecedented times call for unique and disciplined approaches if we are to survive and thrive....
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 30, 2021 | Podcasts
The pace of change has increased, the growth in complexity has multiplied, and information has proliferated at an unprecedented pace. We are in extraordinary times. And unprecedented times call for unique and disciplined approaches if we are to survive and thrive....
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 23, 2021 | Podcasts
The pace of change has increased, the growth in complexity has multiplied, and information has proliferated at an unprecedented pace. We are in extraordinary times. And unprecedented times call for unique and disciplined approaches if we are to survive and thrive....
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 16, 2021 | Podcasts
In previous podcasts, I noted some of the factors that combine to create an incredibly turbulent, complex, rapidly changing and information-saturated world in which we find ourselves. Our ability to navigate these turbulent waters is the single biggest challenge we...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 9, 2021 | Podcasts
There are as many misconceptions about selling as there are people. In this excerpt from How to Sell Anything to Anyone Anytime, I provide some common-sense, usable definitions of what selling really is, and get the reader started on understanding how to do it...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 2, 2021 | Podcasts
In my previous posts, I noted some of the factors that combine to create an incredibly turbulent, complex, rapidly changing and information-saturated world in which we find ourselves. Our ability to navigate these turbulent waters is the single biggest challenge we...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 26, 2021 | Podcasts
It is easy to work with people you like, and it is even easier to work with people who like you. But that’s not always the case. Sooner or later, you’ll have to deal with a difficult customer. Here’s a set of proven principles and practices to help...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 19, 2021 | Podcasts
In my previous post, I noted some of the factors that combine to create an incredibly turbulent, complex, rapidly changing and information-saturated world in which we find ourselves. Our ability to navigate these turbulent waters is the single biggest challenge we...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 12, 2021 | Podcasts
Acquiring new customers is one of those processes that frustrates and discourages most B2B sellers. It doesn’t have to be a frustrating and discouraging process. Like almost every aspect of a sales system, acquiring a new customer is a matter of understanding...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 5, 2021 | Podcasts
How do I sell to an account that is firmly in the hands of a competitor – a difficult key account? How do you manage this account? What should you do? Join me to unpack this common and frustrating situation. Check out this...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 29, 2021 | Podcasts
The pace of change has increased, the growth in complexity has multiplied, and information has proliferated at an unprecedented pace. We are in extraordinary times. And unprecedented times call for unique and disciplined approaches if we are to survive and thrive....
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 22, 2021 | Podcasts
One of the top ten strategies for effective time management for salespeople is this: Nurture helpful relationships. Listen as Dave unpacks this powerful strategy and shows you how to enhance your effectiveness by implementing this concept. The Sales Leader’s...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 15, 2021 | Podcasts
There is one tool that it so far superior to anything else, that it is in a class by itself. Asking a good question is the single-most effective thing you can do with a customer. A well-phrased, appropriately-timed question is your most powerful sales tool. In this...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 8, 2021 | Podcasts
How can I sell when I’m not the lowest price? I wish I had a dollar for every time I was asked that question in a sales training session. First, let’s start with this premise: “Low price” is not the main reason people buy! In every survey of...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 1, 2021 | Podcasts
Q. I have a problem. I still find a percentage of customers who keep me at “arms length.” How do I overcome this attitude from the select few of my customers? Q. You have convinced me that spending time face-to-face with customers is the best use of my...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 24, 2021 | Podcasts
In all of my training and consulting work, I’ve found it helpful to establish, right at the beginning, a big picture view of the sales process. Once we have an overview, we can understand every sales principle and practice, and use the big picture to focus our...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 17, 2021 | Podcasts
Things are changing at an unprecedented pace and will continue to do so. This is not an event, but a permanent state of affairs. The only way to assure that we survive and thrive in this environment is to become adept at the ultimate sales improvement skill –...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 10, 2021 | Podcasts
This podcast answers these questions: Q. What do we do when a customer wants to spread the business between several vendors, even though I know we can provide better service? Q. How can I get between my competitor, and these contacts that are, in some cases, close...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 3, 2021 | Podcasts
Over the 30+ years that I have been working with B2B sales forces, I’m often asked this question: “If you could improve a sales person in just one thing that would bring the quickest and biggest change, what would it be?” My answer: Better time...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 27, 2021 | Podcasts
More than any other type of sales, B2B salespeople must be good at relationship building. You see your customers more often, and for longer periods of time than almost any other type of sales person. This means that you must build relationships that provide you a...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 20, 2021 | Podcasts
Many salespeople harbor a set of beliefs that hinder their performance. These often sound reasonable and are held onto without question. Looking a bit closer at them uncovers how they limit a salesperson’s performance. One of the most harmful of these limiting...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 13, 2021 | Podcasts
Remember the television commercial of the salesperson driving down the expressway with a cell phone balanced on his shoulder, a cup of coffee in one hand, and a laptop computer teetering on the dashboard? The voice in the background says, “You know he’s...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 6, 2021 | Podcasts
Abusive customers are not fun. They’re stressful, and they make you feel like crap. I’ve been on the receiving end of verbal abuse several times in my career, and it’s never pleasant. “The Customer Is Always Right” is a nice saying that...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 29, 2021 | Podcasts
One of the challenges for a B2B salesperson is staying in front of the customer who buys occasionally. In this excerpt from How to Sell Anything to Anyone Anytime, I share two specific techniques to keep yo at the top of your customers’ mind. Check out this...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 22, 2021 | Podcasts
The most powerful sales call you can make is the one that goes on after the sale. In this podcast, we’ll cover how to use your customer’s satisfaction with their purchase as a way to create future opportunities for yourself and your company. We’ll...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 15, 2021 | Podcasts
Filling the top of the sales funnel with likely suspects is a problem for every sales organization. Sometimes, it takes a bit of creativity as well as common sense. Here are eight ways to identify new suspects. Check out this...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 8, 2021 | Podcasts
“My customers don’t have as much time to spend with me as they used to.” That’s a comment I’m hearing more frequently in my sales seminars. It’s a growing phenomenon. Your customers used to be able to spend more time with you. ...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 1, 2021 | Podcasts
What happens when you spend a great deal of time and effort creating a big proposal for a prospect, and discover that they gave it to their current vendor to match? Have you been betrayed, or is there some other explanation? In any case, what do you do? Check out...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 25, 2021 | Podcasts
Selling is at the same time both simple and incredibly challenging. It is simple in that almost every adult of reasonable intelligence, who has just a modicum of people skills, can understand it and do it. It is incredibly challenging in that to become exceptionally...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 18, 2021 | Podcasts
I call it the ‘gap between idea and action,’ and it is one of the largest chasms in the road hindering our path to personal and organizational improvement. The gap between idea and action describes the ubiquitous phenomenon that we, all of us, have ideas...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 11, 2021 | Podcasts
Sooner or later, almost every professional B2B sales person comes to grips with the challenges of penetrating key accounts. Key accounts are different than the ordinary, and require some more sophisticated skills and strategies. Yet, they hold the secret to...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 4, 2021 | Podcasts
Our actions follow our attitudes. The relationship between actions and attitudes is so close, that the two go hand-in-hand, and our actions can be seen as outward expressions of our attitudes. While it is easy to connect the two in this example, the principle that it...
by Kahle Wisdom | Feb 25, 2021 | Podcasts
It’s a common mindset. The field salesperson wants every communication with the customer to go through him/her. However, that idea costs both the company and the sale person dearly and frustrates the customers. It is an insidious hindrance to sales...
by Kahle Wisdom | Feb 18, 2021 | Podcasts
Occasionally, at a seminar or training program, I’ll overhear one sales person mention this to another — “I have my own style of selling.” From my perspective, that idea is more detrimental to that sales person’s success than almost any...
by Kahle Wisdom | Feb 11, 2021 | Podcasts
Here are two questions about tricky customer issues that I respond to in this podcast: If you dropped the ball with a customer, how can you redeem their trust again? How do you know how far to push a sale without overstepping your bounds and threatening the sale...
by Kahle Wisdom | Feb 4, 2021 | Podcasts
Over my career as a salesperson, I sold a variety of products in a variety of selling situations. From suits and sport coats in a retail men’s store, to capital equipment to schools, to surgical staplers to surgeons in the operating room, to 70,000 line items...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 28, 2021 | Podcasts
In my twenty plus years of educating salespeople, I have encountered tens of thousands of sales people, and worked with literally hundreds of sales organizations. The vast majority of them want to do better. Yet, the vast majority of them remain at a level best...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 21, 2021 | Podcasts
Does your dress matter in professional sales? What are the rules of manners that you should be aware of? These are two questions I was asked, and I respond to them both in this podcast. Check out this...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 14, 2021 | Podcasts
There is not a salesperson in existence who hasn’t repeatedly heard of the need to “close the sale.” That advice is incredibly overdone. There is no one aspect of sales (at least in the B2B world) that undeservedly receives more disproportionate...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 7, 2021 | Podcasts
Goal setting is one of the universal best practices for salespeople. Yet, many salespeople don’t make it a part of their routines. The first step toward rectifying that is to understand why goals are such an important part of a successful salesperson’s...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 17, 2020 | Podcasts
Here are the three Most Common Sales Management Mistakes. To know more listen to the podcast. In most organizations, sales managers are the essential bridge between the company’s sales goals and the realization of those goals. It’s an incredibly important...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 14, 2020 | Podcasts
Sometimes it is so frustrating. You know you have a better product than that which your prospect is currently using. Your price is attractive, your service is outstanding. If the prospect would switch to your solution, you know they’d be delighted. ...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 10, 2020 | Podcasts
In this rapidly changing economy, everyone is looking for a simple fix to dealing with the uncertainty of our economic environment. It seems like few are happy with their situations. And all but a few point their fingers at the changing economy and vibrant...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 9, 2020 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
In our surveys, CEOs indicate “on-the-job” training as the predominant method of developing salespeople. If everyone is doing it, it must be OK, right? I don’t think so. See if this sounds familiar. You are ready to expand your sales force, so you hire a nice guy...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 3, 2020 | Podcasts
Remember President George H. Bush’s program to identify and recognize individual Americans who were outstanding in their fields, or who completed acts of bravery or selflessness, and in so doing, brightened the lives of those around them? It was called a...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 26, 2020 | Podcasts
If we chose to, we learn more from our failures than we do from our successes. Within every failure there is the seed of a lesson well learned, of a solid character trait emerging. It is our failures that contribute most intensely to our development. Let’s...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 19, 2020 | Podcasts
Q. How do I ensure that I get the last look in a competitive bid situation? Q. Occasionally, customers may say they have seen or received a lower price for the same product in order to receive better pricing from us. How would you handle that type of call? In this...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 12, 2020 | Podcasts
One of the watershed moments in the life and growth of a business occurs when the executives design and implement a system of measurements. This signals the development of the business from an entrepreneurial effort to a serious organization that can exist outside of...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 5, 2020 | Podcasts
“Why should someone spend time with you?” That was the question I asked the six sales people who were the subjects of an intense week-long training session. The response? Blank stares. Some uncomfortable fidgeting. Nothing anywhere close to a coherent,...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 29, 2020 | Podcasts
What sets the exceptional professional apart from the average? Regardless of what the profession, from sales to psychiatry, the exceptional professionals share certain characteristics. Here’s one: The propensity to take risks. Join with me as we unpack this...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 22, 2020 | Podcasts
For a professional or salesperson, your job is much more than just a job – it’s a profession. But what does it mean to be more professional? More importantly, what can we do to make sure that we, and our associates, are becoming ever more professional? ...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 15, 2020 | Podcasts
We’ve all heard the numbers: Consumer confidence is down, retail sales are down. And for many of us, the markets we serve are down, as well. There is an important relationship to note here. Confidence – an attitude – is down, so sales are down. When...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 8, 2020 | Podcasts
We are all familiar with the Pareto principle, which, when applied to the world of sales, says that 80% of the business comes from 20% of the customers. As a general rule, that 80/20 rule is accurate in lots of different situations. Whenever there is a large group...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 1, 2020 | Podcasts
Have recent events left you unemployed? I can empathize. I have been there. In my life, I’ve had three major periods of unemployment. I understand the uncertainty, anxiety and self-doubt that comes with that. You just don’t feel like life is as...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 24, 2020 | Podcasts
Successful people – and successful salespeople – routinely set goals. In this podcast, we explain why and how. You’ll master a process you can use forever. Check out this...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 17, 2020 | Podcasts
Because a salesperson’s income is often unpredictable, salespeople need to develop some disciplines and principles to guide their personal finances. This article lays provides some tips and techniques to manage your personal finances. Check out this...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 10, 2020 | Podcasts
In an earlier podcast, I suggested some strategies for effectively handling the changes wrought by the pandemic. In this one, I’m looking at your broader responsibilities. What about your business or organization? Are there some things you should be doing to...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 3, 2020 | Podcasts
Sales leaders often lament the lack of professionalism in the world of sales. Unfortunately, there is not a standard for what it means to be a professional salesperson. Let’s take a close look at what a professional salesperson is and is not. You may want to...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 27, 2020 | Podcasts
: In my first professional selling job, I learned a fundamental principle which is all too often disregarded by sales people today. The principle is this: If you are going to present effectively, you must prepare thoroughly. Unfortunately, far too many salespeople...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 20, 2020 | Podcasts
We are in the middle of some difficult times. Rather than belabor that point, I’d like to come to the heart of the problem: What do we do? We need to answer that question in an immediate, urgent basis: What do we do right now? We also need to answer the...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 13, 2020 | Podcasts
I’m afraid for the future of our country. I’m afraid because I believe that the discipline of thinking before we act – in every circumstance and level of society — is rapidly disappearing. In its place, we are witnessing a whole host of...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 6, 2020 | Podcasts
In this podcast, I respond to two listeners questions: One has to do with how many appointments a salesperson should make, and the other asks about being frustrated trying to get an appointment in an account. My answers may surprise you. Check out this...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 30, 2020 | Podcasts
There are two types of questions salespeople should use: Questions to ask customers, and questions to ask yourself. In this podcast, we drill deeper into questions to ask yourself and develop a routine and a set of questions that will fuel your development for the...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 23, 2020 | Podcasts
A good question is one of the most powerful tools know to mankind. It certainly is a salesperson’s most powerful tool. In this podcast, I dig into questions that salespeople (and other professionals) should be asking themselves. You may have never come across...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 16, 2020 | Podcasts
The rules have changed. Now, you must add value to every sales call. This article unpacks that idea and provides two specific techniques to add value to every sales call. Check out this...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 9, 2020 | Podcasts
I believe that there are certainly practices in the business world where morality perfectly coincides with wise business. Integrity is one such practice. It is both good business as well as good morals. Here’s why… You may also want to listen to: Just...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 2, 2020 | Podcasts
Customers asking about a ‘lower price’ is a universal headache for B2B salespeople. In this session, I respond to four specific questions on that theme. Gain some insights and ideas you may never have had before. You may also want to listen to: It is the...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 25, 2020 | Podcasts
One of my clients recently mentioned to me that, when hiring prospective sales people, he looks for a “passion for sales” in their personality. The idea struck me. I had never really thought in those terms before. What is a ‘passion for...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 18, 2020 | Podcasts
I am convinced that the process of continuously improving – not only professionally in the core competencies of a professional sales person, but also personally as well – is the ultimate success skill for our time. Check out this...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 16, 2020 | Podcasts
I’m afraid for the future of our country. I’m afraid because I believe that the discipline of thinking before we act – in every circumstance and level of society — is rapidly disappearing. In its place, we are witnessing a whole host of...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 11, 2020 | Podcasts
Every salesperson must deal with customer objections. In this first of two, I reveal a technique that will make the process much easier. Check out this...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 9, 2020 | Podcasts
“Can you boil down your advice to one word?” That’s what a seminar participant asked me. “No,” I said, “but I can boil it down to three: Focus, focus, focus.” I said that because I see ‘focus’ as the solution to...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 4, 2020 | Podcasts
Whenever I ask salespeople to rate themselves on their competence at all the different parts of the sales process, they invariably rate themselves low at closing the sale. Unfortunately, salespeople who don’t close consistently waste a lot of their time, waste...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 2, 2020 | Podcasts
Our current level of electronic noise makes deep thinking almost impossible. Today I received over 209 email messages, had 35 postings on my Facebook page, uncountable listings on my Linkedin page, and several voice mail messages. This was after having methodically...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 28, 2020 | Podcasts
This is a response to a salesperson who asked my recommendation for what to read and listen to in order to improve his/her performance. Way beyond that, you’ll gain a greater understanding of how to improve as a salesperson, and acquire one question that can...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 26, 2020 | Podcasts
What may be the single most important predictor of an organization’s long-term business development and survival is that organization’s ability to learn. In a world that is changing more rapidly today than at any previous time in human history, the...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 21, 2020 | Podcasts
Positive customer relationships are the basis of much B2B business, right? Positive business relationships ensure us an audience with the customer, make every step of the selling process go easier, and even provide us with a competitive edge. It’s not unusual...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 19, 2020 | Podcasts
We’ve all heard about the importance of our attitudes. Usually the directive goes like this; “XXXXXXXXXX, you need to improve your attitude!” Fortunately, there is a lot more to attitudes than just the oft-spoken refrain to improve ours. Successful...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 14, 2020 | Podcasts
As salespeople, we love to complain about the competition. Unfortunately, complaining doesn’t do us any good. A better approach is to create a system to learn about the competition. Knowledge of the competition — not only their strengths and weaknesses...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 12, 2020 | Podcasts
At its most fundamental level, business is always and only about three things: Money, people and systems. There is a huge body of content revolving around money in business. When it comes to people, as an element in business, there is an equally impressive body of...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 7, 2020 | Podcasts
“Low price, low price, low price.” It’s the mantra that sales people in every industry segment are hearing more these days than ever before. But, is low price the motivating factor in a customer’s decision to buy? Here’s a secret that...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 5, 2020 | Podcasts
My wife is a crises counselor. You would think that, by the very nature of the word crises, she would see a continually changing group of clients who were dealing with the occasional crises. Not so. She frequently engages with the same group of folks who lurch from...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 4, 2020 | Leadership-Sales Force
A study of the behavioral characteristics of the best salespeople was published a few years ago. One of the not-so-surprising conclusions was this: The best salespeople “listen more constructively” than their more average counterparts. Define Constructive Listening...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 30, 2020 | Podcasts
Dealing with prospects is one of the most daunting and frustrating parts of the salesperson’s job. In this podcast, I respond to two questions from salespeople about key aspects of this difficult task. You’ll gain some ideas you can use today. Check out...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 28, 2020 | Podcasts
There are, in the world of sales and sales systems, certain practices that have such an enormous impact on the company and the market that they are in a special class of activities that call for executive involvement at the highest levels. One of that handful of...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 23, 2020 | Podcasts
I recently came across some research that confirmed what many of us in the profession of educating sales people have known for years: That purchasers would be “much more likely” to buy from a sales person if that sales person would just...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 21, 2020 | Podcasts
Goal-setting is one of those hallowed practices that belong in every leader’s arsenal. We’ve all heard that people who set goals are far more successful than those who don’t. And every well-run business has a policy and a practice of setting annual...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 16, 2020 | Podcasts
“Every profession expects the serious practitioner of that profession to continually seek out the best practices of that profession, and then to roll them into his/her routine with discipline.” That...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 14, 2020 | Podcasts
Becoming a learning organization – gaining the ability for an organization and its people to change in response to the changing world around them — may be the ultimate success skill for the Information Age. For adults on the job, learning is synonymous to...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 9, 2020 | Podcasts
In the most trying circumstances, having a greater purpose can be a powerful mechanism to see you through. Here’s my personal story. Check out this...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 7, 2020 | Podcasts
We are in the middle of some difficult times. How do we handle this crisis and utilize this opportunity? In an earlier podcast, I shared some suggestions to help individuals navigate these turbulent waters. In this podcast, I’m focusing on sales forces. So,...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 2, 2020 | Podcasts
We are in the middle of some difficult times. Rather than belabor that point, I’d like to come to the heart of the problem: What do we do? We need to answer that question in an immediate, urgent basis: What do we do right now? We also need to answer the...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 31, 2020 | Podcasts
We are in the middle of some difficult times. Rather than belabor that point, I’d like to come to the heart of the problem: What do we do? We need to answer that question in an immediate, urgent basis: What do we do right now? We also need to answer the...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 26, 2020 | Podcasts
“Your price is too high!” The infamous price objection. Wouldn’t it be great if we could somehow wipe it out and never hear it again? Unfortunately, that will never happen. Too many of the people with whom we deal are paid to get the best deal...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 24, 2020 | Podcasts
I was young, cocky and a bit full of myself when I had one of the most humbling experiences of my life, and learned a lesson that has stuck with me for decades. Personal responsibility is easy to say, but quite a bit more difficult to actually embed into your life....
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 19, 2020 | Podcasts
Should a salesperson invest in his/her own development? If so, how much time and how much money. I respond to those questions in this episode. Check out this...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 17, 2020 | Podcasts
“Is there one business model that you would recommend to a budding entrepreneur?” That was the question a young man asked me recently. I reflected for a moment over the past 25 years, and answered this way: “No. I’ve worked with over 500...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 12, 2020 | Podcasts
If there is only one practice within the scope of the professional sales person upon which you can focus, let it be to gain mastery in asking better sales questions. A series of better sales questions provides you leverage and a competitive edge at every stage of the...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 10, 2020 | Podcasts
Motivation is one of the least understood concepts in the business world. If you want to achieve any degree of success in your career, you can and should motivate yourself. Here’s a first step that will impact the rest of your life. Check out this...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 5, 2020 | Podcasts
Building rapport with customers is a fundamental sales skill. Yet, few salespeople have been trained in the specific tactics to facilitate this. Here are seven ways to build rapport with anyone. Check out this...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 3, 2020 | Podcasts
Whether you are a small businessperson or a professional salesperson, you can utilize a powerful strategy to take your performance to dramatically higher levels — leverage. Leverage revolves around the idea of multiplying the effects of some effort to gain more...
by Kahle Wisdom | Feb 27, 2020 | Podcasts
Are successful salespeople made or born? It is the eternal question: the sales manager’s version of nature versus nurture. While countless books and articles have addressed “what successful salespeople do”, few have described “who successful...
by Kahle Wisdom | Feb 25, 2020 | Podcasts
In recent years, I’ve seen a deeper degradation in the learning potential of the work force fueled by a growing inability to concentrate. I’m afraid that much of the adult population in this country has become so conditioned to sound bytes, texts and...
by Kahle Wisdom | Feb 20, 2020 | Podcasts
“Success,” like “beauty” is a slippery term whose definition depends, in some significant way, on the perspective of the observer. In this article, I unpack the definition of success for a salesperson. Check out this...
by Kahle Wisdom | Feb 18, 2020 | Podcasts
Failure can be a powerful influence in building our character. In this podcast, we look at a couple notable failures and consider the relationship between failure and the powerful character traits of pride and humility. This can impact your life and your career....
by Kahle Wisdom | Feb 13, 2020 | Podcasts
We are all guilty of projecting our values onto our customers. If we think nothing is worth the stated price, we subconsciously project that attitude onto our customers, and find ourselves constantly discounting. Check out this...
by Kahle Wisdom | Feb 11, 2020 | Podcasts
There is a fine line between perseverance and self-delusion. Understanding that difference can mean the difference between years of frustration on one hand, and success and fulfillment on the other. Here are some tips on making the distinction. Check out this...
by Kahle Wisdom | Feb 6, 2020 | Christian-Leadership
One of the watershed moments in the life and growth of a business occurs when the executives design and implement a system of measurements. This signals the development of the business from an entrepreneurial effort to a serious organization that can exist outside of...
by Kahle Wisdom | Feb 6, 2020 | Podcasts
While we can’t change the competition, we certainly are responsible for our attitudes and behaviors toward the competition. What we say and how we act about the competition can have a daily bearing on our bottom lines. Here are seven specific tactics to help...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 30, 2020 | Podcasts
“When do you give up on trying to see an account?” There is no one definitive answer, but there are six specific practices that you can apply to gain that first meeting with a prospect. Check out this...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 23, 2020 | Podcasts
This is one of those pieces of conventional wisdom that no one seems to question: “It’s good to be passionate about your product.” Like so many of these conventional myths that ingrain themselves into our psyche, this one has the potential for...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 16, 2020 | Podcasts
Good salespeople are not good talkers. Rather, they are good listeners, good thinkers, and hard workers. Good talkers generally make mediocre sales people. Check out this...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 9, 2020 | Podcasts
Over my 35 years of helping B2B sales forces to sell better, I have noticed a certain set of beliefs that crop up pretty regularly. These are unquestioned beliefs that serve to hinder a salesperson’s performance. This is the second in a series where I expose...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 2, 2020 | Podcasts
Over my 30 years of experience working with B2B salespeople, I have discovered that there are certain common beliefs that most sales people never question, and yet which hinder their performance. In this first of series, I identify and discuss one of the most...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 26, 2019 | Podcasts
The sales profession is replete with myths that salespeople tell themselves, and then believe, that hinder their performance. This is the first of series on these myths. In this piece, we look at the idea that “I have great relationships with my...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 19, 2019 | Podcasts
We’ve all seen the contestants on American Idol – some of which are horribly self-deluded. They think they have talent when they don’t. Unfortunately, that trait of self-delusion is common among more than American Idol contestants. Join with me as I dig...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 19, 2019 | Podcasts
Great leaders have a number of character traits in common. This is the third in a series of articles dealing with the set of character traits that great business leaders exhibit – A continuous quest for MORE. Excerpt: Here’s my nomination for a character trait that...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 12, 2019 | Podcasts
In this session, I respond to two questions from salespeople: One has to do with the idea of ‘finesse’ and the other on methods to insure that you get the ‘last look.’ My advise may not be what you were expecting. Check out this...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 5, 2019 | Podcasts
Effective salespeople think about what they do before they do it. That’s called planning. And, good planning requires disciplines and routines. In this podcast, I unveil a planning process that has focused and energized thousands of B2B salespeople. Check out...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 3, 2019 | Podcasts
Great business leaders invariably exhibit the same qualities of character. In this first of series, I look at the qualities of character that mark great leaders, with a deep dive into the first: An unshakeable work ethic. Check out this episode! Excerpt: First, for...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 28, 2019 | Podcasts
This is my answer to a question submitted by a sales manager: How many sales calls should a salesperson make? The answer may surprise you. Check out this...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 21, 2019 | Podcasts
Why is it so difficult to change our behavior? Why are managers and leaders frustrated in trying to help people do better and sell better? The stealth cause is an aspect of human nature that is rarely acknowledged and even more rarely overcome. I’m drilling...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 15, 2019 | Podcasts
Every profession produces a set of best practices. Despite the excuses we make for ourselves, what is true for every other profession is also true for sales. There are best practices for salespeople and the best salespeople study them, and embed them into their...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 8, 2019 | Podcasts
It is the information age, and effective sales people and sales organizations understand the value of collecting good information about their prospects and customers. Good information leads to good decisions. Sales Potential is one often neglected piece of...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 1, 2019 | Podcasts
B2b sales is long-term endeavor. Some accounts take years to develop, and some buyer-seller relationships last for decades. Investing in a long-term reputation is, then, a wise choice. Here’s one of the best things to do to build that reputation....
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 25, 2019 | Podcasts
Because a salesperson’s income is often unpredictable, salespeople need to develop some disciplines and principles to guide their personal finances. This article provides some tips and techniques to manage your personal finances. Check out this...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 18, 2019 | Podcasts
Dealing with an angry or difficult customer is challenging for everyone. The stakes are huge, and the emotions can often get out of control. Here are nine proven tips to help you handle the next confrontation with dignity and competence. Check out this...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 15, 2019 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force, Leadership-Sales Management, Christian-Kingdom issues
For most of my life, I have been a salesperson and an educator of salespeople. One of the things that I have enjoyed the most about my career in sales is the intensely demanding nature of the job. Human beings are incredibly complex creatures, whose motivations and...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 15, 2019 | Leadership-Sales Force
You have made a call or two on a prospect, qualified them, and rate them as high potential. The problem is they don’t have an opportunity at the moment. Lots of potential, but it’s all down the road a bit. Your challenge is to maintain contact so that when they do...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 15, 2019 | Leadership-Sales Force
Building rapport with customers is a fundamental sales skill. Yet, few salespeople have been trained in the specific tactics to facilitate this. Here are seven ways to build rapport with anyone. Think of it like squirting oil into gears. Imagine some gears grinding...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 15, 2019 | Leadership-Sales Force
Every sales organization, and every sales process, begins with identifying a group of suspects. Suspects are people and organizations you suspect may one day do business with you. They aren’t yet prospects, because you don’t know if they have a legitimate need for...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 4, 2019 | Podcasts
We all know the feeling. Your key contact in one of your good accounts sheepishly admits that they have moved some business to a competitor. No problem with your service, it was just a price issue. Nothing is more...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 27, 2019 | Podcasts
Becoming one of the master salespeople — the top five percent in the industry — doesn’t happen by chance. It is the result of a disciplined approach to the project of improving yourself. In this podcast, I share some of what I’ve learned over...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 24, 2019 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force
Q. Customers ask every year at “budget” time for us (as their main distributor) to give them a better discount. Will this ever stop? A. No. Q. How can we continue to grow when we keep giving away margin? A. Let’s think about this one together. If your margins are...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 24, 2019 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force, Leadership-Sales Management
Question and Answer Q. Your Ezine referenced something that I struggle with almost daily. I’m definitely known for having very high expectations that aren’t so easy to meet. I wondered if you could elaborate on what strategies you have seen succeed regarding this,...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 19, 2019 | Podcasts
One of the most common thing sales people hear is: “I’m happy with my current vendor.” In other words, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Here’s how to respond. Check out this...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 12, 2019 | Podcasts
Call reluctance is the term used to describe a salesperson’s hesitancy to make the next sales call. It’s a common issue that can detract from a salesperson’s performance. In this piece, we provide some solutions. Check out this...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 8, 2019 | Leadership-Sales Management
Watch this post on YouTube Listen to this post's Podcast Invest in Your Sales System and Grow Your Business One of the most common reasons companies don’t reach their growth potential is a lack of understanding of their sales systems and a lack of appropriately...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 5, 2019 | Podcasts
Customers always create a perception about the sales people who call on them. Sometimes this perception works for us, and sometimes it works against us. By intentionally influencing our position with the customer, we can influence the customer’s perception and...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 29, 2019 | Podcasts
What happens when you spend a great deal of time and effort creating a big proposal for a prospect, and discover that they gave it to their current vendor to match? Have you been betrayed, or is there some other explanation? In any case, what do you do? Check out...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 22, 2019 | Podcasts
In a misguided attempt to stay busy and see as many people as possible, too many salespeople subscribe to the theory that any activity is good activity. Sales people now must confront an overwhelming number of potential “things to do,” and that requires...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 19, 2019 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force
One of the fundamental principles that I’ve held to for my career in sales is this: One of the best things a sales manager can do is make joint sales calls with his/her sales people. While I continue to believe that, I received an email from an Ezine subscriber some...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 19, 2019 | Leadership-Sales Force
Salespeople are most successful when they use proven sales strategies to develop accounts. It makes sense. Rarely will you make one sales call on someone and then never see them again. More likely, you will come to know these customers. You can’t expect to sell...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 15, 2019 | Podcasts
Here’s one of the foundational principles for sales success: You’ll always be more effective if you think about what you do before you do it. In this podcast, I unpack that statement, and provide you with a step-by-step planning process you can use for to...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 8, 2019 | Podcasts
Sales is an emotional roller coaster, and unless you figure out how to manage those emotions and keep yourself motivated, you’ll have a difficult time succeeding. Unpack this issue and gain specific ideas and techniques to keep yourself motivated. Check...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 1, 2019 | Podcasts
It’s the moment that many salespeople dread. You’ve asked the customer to do something – give you an appointment, issue a P.O., or schedule a demonstration and, instead of saying “Yes,” the customer gives you a reason why he/she does not want...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 25, 2019 | Podcasts
The quickest way to improve your performance is to improve your use of time. Salespeople are often guilty of these four common time wasting habits. See if you are guilty of any of them, and then eliminate them to improve your sales results. Check out this...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 23, 2019 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force, Leadership-Sales Management
Confidence – an attitude – is down, so sales are down. When confidence is up, sales follow. The principle at work here is this: Our actions follow our attitudes. The relationship between actions and attitudes is so close, that the two go hand-in-hand, and our actions...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 22, 2019 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management, Miscellaneous
Why is it so difficult for us to do what we want to do? I believe there are two primary forces: Habit and Self-Image. Q. My sales people all acknowledge the wisdom of spending more time in their high potential accounts, but they don’t do it. How can I get them to...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 22, 2019 | Leadership-Sales Force
Question and Answer: Dave, I’ve tried for months to see a prospect account, but can’t get them to return my calls. When is it best to just give up? There is a question we have all asked at one time or another. As usual, there is no simple answer. Let’s explore this....
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 18, 2019 | Podcasts
Salespeople are overwhelmed with too much to do and not enough time in which to do it. Something must change. The best way to take control of your time is to change the way you think and the amount of time you spend thinking. In this post, we share three specific...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 29, 2019 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force
How many times have you said that? It’s a very common response to almost every request. Unthinkingly, rather than think about the request, we default to blaming our busy schedule. I can understand. You are not alone. Almost every businessperson today has too much...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 27, 2019 | Podcasts
There is something about adversity that has the power to linger forever in our memories, shaping our character and molding our behavior for the rest of our life. Here are three keys to dealing with it effectively. Check out this...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 24, 2019 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force
One of the habits often practiced by highly successful people is the habit of regular goal setting. There is a reason for that. Goals compel you to work with discipline and concentration rather than going about your job mindlessly and routinely. Goal setting is a...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 24, 2019 | Thinking Better, Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
Every sales organization understands that their sales force – it’s health and strength – is the company’s primary strategic asset. Most astute principals and chief sales officers realize that in this very competitive economic environment, those companies who sell...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 24, 2019 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
If you already did, focus on results. Question: My question is about the new generation of kids that are potential candidates for sales positions, or already on your sales staff. They think they deserve it all now (privileged, entitled salespeople) and are not...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 24, 2019 | Leadership-Sales Force
The sales presentation is the ultimate purpose of every sales process, of every sales call, and of every sales system. The job of the salesperson revolves around the point in time when he offers the customer something to buy. The sales presentation can take a variety...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 21, 2019 | Podcasts
Few sales people ever stop to give thought to what it means to stay balanced. Using a sailboat metaphor, we look at six specific initiatives to bring your life into balance and empower you to work at the most effective level. This is a higher-level...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 14, 2019 | Podcasts
In our chaotic economic environment, countless things demand your attention and divert your focus. In this unprecedented environment, we need to have a greater understanding of how we can become more effective and less scattered. That means understanding how we make...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 12, 2019 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force
Excerpted from 11 Secrets of Time Management by Dave Kahle, Career Press In 2003 I wrote “Ten Secrets of Time Management for Salespeople,” because I was convinced that time management had become the number one issue for professional salespeople. The book struck a...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 12, 2019 | Leadership-Sales Force
Excerpted from 11 Secrets of Time Management for Sales People by Dave Kahle. Copyright Career Press. Picture the way a sailboat operates. Its majestic sails catch the wind and power the boat forward. But if a sailboat were only equipped with sails, it would be...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 7, 2019 | Podcasts
Salespeople have a tendency to repeat certain negative behaviors and turn them into habits. Generally, they are not even aware of them. These negative habits detract from their performance. Here’s number five on the list of the five most common sales mistakes....
by Kahle Wisdom | May 31, 2019 | Podcasts
There are certain negative habits that B2B salespeople commonly create. These unconscious habits reduce their effectiveness — and most don’t know that they have them. Here’s number four in the series. Check out this...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 17, 2019 | Podcasts
Over the decades that I’ve been involved in sales, I’ve worked with tens of thousands of sales people. Certain negative tendencies — mistakes that sales people make — keep surfacing. Here is number three of my top five. See to what degree...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 16, 2019 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management, Christian-Leadership
Change We’re living in incredibly turbulent times. Despite newspaper headlines proclaiming growing employment and an expanding economy, many business people admit to a pervasive feeling of uncertainty and confusion about their businesses. The well-spring of...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 14, 2019 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
Oops! Got a sales meeting coming up in two weeks, better get ready for it. Let’s see, what should we do? I’ll go over last month’s numbers, that’ll take a half hour. Then…I know! The credit manager has been complaining about the state of receivables lately. I’ll...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 14, 2019 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force
Do great B2B sales people, regardless of what they sell, have any practices in common? In other words, do the best sales people all sell the same way? Are there best practices in sales? A number of years ago, a professional association attempted to answer that...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 14, 2019 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
Question: I wanted to do some sales training last year, but it just wasn’t the right time for it. We had too many things on our plate. Looking at our calendar this year, I am coming to the same conclusion. Am I ever going to have time to do sales training? Will it...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 14, 2019 | Leadership-Sales Force
Having trouble making appointments with your high-potential prospects? Consider a pre-call touch. Here’s a situation. You have created a list of 20 highly qualified prospects. You’ve researched them, and you know that these 20 people hold your prosperity in their...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 10, 2019 | Podcasts
Over the decades that I’ve been involved in sales, I’ve worked with tens of thousands of sales people. Certain negative tendencies — mistakes that sales people make — keep surfacing. Here is number two of my top five. See to what degree you...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 19, 2019 | Podcasts
Business to business sales people often make the same mistakes. Most are not even aware of them. In this series, I’m going to describe the five most common mistakes sales people make, and provide a step-by-step format for overcoming them. Check out this...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 11, 2019 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force
Question: I have long enjoyed your articles. I am in my second year of being a full commission salesman and wanted to get your advice. When I make an onsite visit or pick up the 500 pound phone and call the customer, I feel like I am begging for work… asking the...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 11, 2019 | Leadership-Sales Force
Reprinted with permission of the publisher from HOW TO SELL ANYTHING TO ANYONE ANYTIME© 2011 Dave Kahle Published by Career Press, Pompton Plains, NJ. 800-227-3371. All rights reserved. Now that I’ve punctured your misconceptions about what sales is, and given you...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 10, 2019 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
Hiring an effective sales person is one of management’s most difficult tasks. That’s because 90% of the person you hire is hidden beneath the surface. When interviewing a hiring candidate or coaching an employee, it’s helpful to visualize the image of an iceberg with...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 10, 2019 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force, Leadership-Sales Management
Lest we forget… I wrote this article in the aftermath of the 9.11 terrorists attacks, and thought it might have some relevance for balance in your life today. A personal note from Dave Kahle I hope you’ll forgive my short deviation from purely business issues,...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 10, 2019 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
Question: What is the ideal number of sales representatives that a sales manager should manage? Answer: Good question. As is commonly the case, my answer begins with “it depends…” Compensation It depends, first, on the type of compensation plan that is used...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 5, 2019 | Leadership-Sales Force
The idea of entertaining your customers is often a after-thought for many sales people. From my experience, strategically entertaining your customers is one of the best things you do. Join me to unpack this issue, and gain several ‘how-to- tips. Check out this...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 13, 2019 | Leadership-Sales Force
We all know it — customers have less time to see salespeople today than ever before. They have too much to do and not enough time in which to do it. That makes the job of the field sales person much more difficult. That’s why the ‘value-added...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 12, 2019 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force
Question: Customers in my industry do not accept price increases unless they have zero alternatives. How do we handle this? Answer: I’m sure you are not the only person thinking this way, nor is your industry the only one with this issue. Probably almost every one...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 6, 2019 | Leadership-Sales Force
Does this sound familiar? You have more customers to take care of, more variety of products and services to sell, more information to manage, and more meetings to go to today than you did a year or so ago. Welcome to the compressed, chaotic job that is the life of...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 6, 2019 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
Question: I’m frustrated. My sales force just doesn’t seem to be motivated. They agree with me at sales meetings, but then don’t follow through. Any ideas? Answer: Yes. I just had a phone conversation with a client who had a familiar story to tell. He had built...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 6, 2019 | Leadership-Sales Force
Every salesperson talks about “Closing the sale.” The best salespeople understand that before you can close the sale, you must open it. What is opening? “Opening” means using well designed and delivered questions to thoroughly uncover as many...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 1, 2019 | Leadership-Sales Force
How do you sell when the competition has exactly the same product? Are you reduced to being the low price? Unfortunately, many sales people have never thought deeply about how to effectively sell commodities, and resort to discounting. Here’s a proven,...
by Kahle Wisdom | Feb 19, 2019 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management, Christian-Leadership
What may be the single most important predictor of an organization’s long term survival is that organization’s ability to learn. In a world that is changing more rapidly today than at any previous time in human history, the consistent practice of learning is the only...
by Kahle Wisdom | Feb 19, 2019 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
We’ve all done it. Promoted a good sales person, often our best, to sales manager. My files are full of cases where the results were below expectations for everyone involved. Principals and CSOs are often disappointed in the lack of results. And the sales managers...
by Kahle Wisdom | Feb 19, 2019 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force
Question: In regards to personality conflicts with an account, at what point do you walk away and let someone else in your organization try? Answer: Great question. Let me answer in two ways. First, from a purely theoretical perspective, a professional sales person...
by Kahle Wisdom | Feb 19, 2019 | Leadership-Sales Force
I often hear my clients lament that they wish they had a more professional sales force. That idea of a “professional sales force” gets a lot of conversation in sales management and sales executive circles. But what exactly does it mean? And why is it a good...
by Kahle Wisdom | Feb 14, 2019 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
Question: Dave, I’m a sales manager, and I’m increasingly losing my patience with sales people who constantly whine and complain. Any thoughts on how to handle the chronic whiners? Answer: Believe me, I can empathize with you. I had my share of whiners in my days as...
by Kahle Wisdom | Feb 14, 2019 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force
In my first professional, full-time sales position, the company brought all the new sales people to a six-week training class in Mill Valley, California. There, we memorized three, four-page, single-spaced sales presentations. Most days consisted of practicing those...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 30, 2019 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force
Question: We do not want to turn sales people into collection agents, but there certainly is a role that sales people can play in the process. Do you have any thoughts? Answer: Yes, I do. Like you, I don’t want to turn sales people into collection agents. Let’s...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 30, 2019 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force
Best practices for salespeople? One of the most debilitating myths about the sales profession is this: Sales people can learn on their own, on the job, and eventually become good at their jobs. They’ll eventually develop their own style, this myth implies, and that...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 30, 2019 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
Q: Do you have any suggestions that will help our local sales reps provide increased value across all markets? Stretch out of their market comfort zones? A: Ah, comfort zones and salespeople. They are the bane of the B2B salesperson. I believe that the loss of...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 30, 2019 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force
Excerpted from Chapter Seventeen, Question Your Way to Sales Success, by Dave Kahle In part one of this series, I made the point that thinking better is the ultimate success skill for a sales person, and that good thinking always came from asking yourself the right...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 30, 2019 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management, Christian-Leadership
Building a successful business requires serious focus on four fundamental components. Those include the three elements of infrastructure: Systems, people and money, and the thing that ties those three together and empowers them to reach their potential: corporate...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 25, 2019 | Leadership-Sales Force
The heart of sales is the sales opportunity. Increasing the number of sales opportunities bring greater sales. Let’s dig into this issue together. Check out this...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 24, 2019 | Leadership-Sales Force
This is one of those nuances that the very best sales people grasp, but the bulk of sales people never catch ~ positioning yourself in the mind of the customer to viewed as someone of competence and integrity. Join with me to dig into it. Check out this...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 19, 2019 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
Question: “What would you suggest in the situation where a sales representative will attempt to build a relationship with the customer on a personal basis, but refuse to build a relationship for the company he/she represents? He/she prefers to wear the “white hat” and...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 19, 2019 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force
Excerpted from Chapter Seventeen, Question Your Way to Sales Success Reprinted, with permission of the publisher, from QUESTION YOUR WAY TO SALES SUCCESS © 2008 by Dave Kahle. Published by Career Press, Franklin Lakes, NJ. 800-227-3371. All rights reserved. ...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 3, 2019 | Leadership-Sales Force
Question: If you dropped the ball with a customer, how can you redeem their trust again? Answer: By “dropped the ball”, you can be referring to two different situations. First, it was your company who messed up. Your company didn’t fulfill the promises you made. ...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 3, 2019 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
When interviewing a hiring candidate or coaching an employee, it’s helpful to visualize the image of an iceberg with 10% visible above the surface, and 90% invisible below the surface: The visible 10% is necessary, but limited information: * Skills * Experience...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 26, 2018 | Leadership-Sales Force
Are you wasting your customers’ time? Or adding value every time you call on them? In this pressurized, multi-tasking world, where your customers are expected to produce more in less time, they may be growing less eager to meet with you than they were just a year...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 26, 2018 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
Question: How do you switch from paying your sales people based on the sale to paying them based on the collection of the sale? Answer: Any time you make changes to a sales person’s compensation plan, you are playing with fire. Any adjustments require that you be...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 24, 2018 | Leadership-Sales Force
Here’s my response to this question: Help! I’m so frustrated. I just attended a “sales training” program that never addressed the real issues that I have to deal with every day. What causes me problems is not my lack of sales ability, it is...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 18, 2018 | Leadership-Sales Force
Question: Customers in my industry do not accept price increases unless they have zero alternatives. How do we handle this? Answer: I’m sure you are not the only person thinking this way, nor is your industry the only one with this issue. Probably almost every one...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 17, 2018 | Leadership-Sales Force
At its most fundamental level, business is always and only about three things: Money, people and systems. There is a huge body of content revolving around money in business. When it comes to people, as an element in business, there is an equally impressive body of...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 29, 2018 | Leadership-Sales Force
Question: Dave, how can a sales person have a life at night and not be reactive to customers calling at night – seven or eight per night? Answer: This is really a time management issue. I have a hard time imagining why you would need to receive seven or eight calls...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 29, 2018 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
In our surveys, CEOs indicate “on the job” training as the predominant method of developing sales people. If everyone is doing it, it must be OK, right? I don’t think so. See if this sounds familiar. You are ready to expand your sales force, so you hire a nice guy...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 29, 2018 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
Question: How can I set sales goals with any degree of reliability when this year’s economy is so uncertain? Answer: I can appreciate your problem. The economic atmosphere is so uncertain it’s difficult to predict what is going to happen even a month from now. But...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 29, 2018 | Leadership-Sales Force
Almost every professional B2B sales person comes to grips with one of the challenges of penetrating key accounts. Key accounts are different than the ordinary, and require some more sophisticated skills and strategies. Here are four fundamentals for effectively...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 23, 2018 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
Question: Our president recently suggested that we penalize the sales people for not meeting their goals by taking commissions away from them. Do you have any thoughts? Answer: Wow. My initial reaction is that it sounds so harsh. Put that way, and you are liable to...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 20, 2018 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-General, Leadership-Sales Force, Leadership-Sales Management, Leadership-Sales Systems
Sales productivity may be a new concept for many sales executives. “Sales” is easy to understand, and “productivity” is pretty clear, but when those two words are combined the combination becomes a bit vague. What exactly is sales productivity, and why should you be...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 17, 2018 | Leadership-Sales Force
Here’s a question sent it be a sales person: “My boss recently decided that we must call prospects once every hour, every day, until we get a yes or no, regardless of what they say, or if it’s voicemail. What’s your opinion of this?”...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 17, 2018 | Leadership-Sales Force
“He has the gift of gab. He’ll make a good salesperson.” It’s been a while since I last heard that expression. The idea is, of course, that salespeople are good talkers. The idea is that if you are a good talker, you are well on your way to having the necessary...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 17, 2018 | Leadership-Sales Force
One of the most common thing sales people hear is:”I’m happy with my current source.” Here’s how to respond. Question: I have many customers who refuse to even consider some of my products because the one they have now is working fine and they don’t want to change...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 17, 2018 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-General, Leadership-Sales Force, Leadership-Sales Management
Question: How can I help an experienced sales person regain his interest in the job? Answer: It sounds like you have someone who is just going through the motions. That can be deadly for the career of a sales person, as well as detrimental to the company. One of the...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 14, 2018 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force
Intro: Every profession produces a set of best practices. Despite the excuses we make for ourselves, what is true for every other profession is also true for sales. There are best practices for sales people. One of the most debilitating myths about the sales...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 14, 2018 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force, Leadership-Sales Management
Intro: In order for an individual or a society to reach its potential, it must continuously grow and develop. That requires consistent, methodical exposure to new ideas. Unfortunately, many people have arrested their development by remaining within their status quos....
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 13, 2018 | Leadership-Sales Force
Sales People and Personal Finance Challenges Question: Dave, I am finding it difficult to manage my personal finances. As a commissioned sales person, my income varies from month to month. It seems like I’m always struggling with finances. Do you have suggestions...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 13, 2018 | Leadership-Sales Force
Customers always create a perception about the sales people who call on them. Sometimes this perception works for us, and sometimes it works against us. By intentionally influencing our position with the customer, we can influence the customer’s perception and...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 11, 2018 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
The essential challenge of effective time management is to spend more of our time doing those things which bring us the best results, and less of those things that don’t bring us results. So we struggle, every day, with surmounting this challenge. We try to spend...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 11, 2018 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management, Christian-Kingdom issues
It’s more and more popular to blame other people, or some ‘ism’ for your own circumstances. As long as we claim to be a victim we’ll never achieve our potential. As soon as we accept personal responsibility for our own circumstances, we gain the freedom to change...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 21, 2018 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
It’s one of the most common laments I hear from CSO’s: “I wish I had a more professional sales force.” No doubt that thought has passed through your mind at some time in the recent past. You’re not alone, of course. Let’s take a look at what it really means,...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 21, 2018 | Leadership-Sales Force
“Happy with the current vendor” is the catch-all phrase that prospects can use to signify a number of different positions. Here’s how to deal with it.Question:How do you make in-roads with a prospect who is happy with the competition – another...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 20, 2018 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
Sales meeting don’t have to be boring. You can organize better sales meetings with just a little bit of revised thinking. Question: Please advise on how to make weekly sales meetings “kick.” Need some help in supercharging my boring sales meetings. Can you lend...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 20, 2018 | Leadership-Sales Force
In our fast-paced 21st Century economy, field salespeople must make effective use of their time, And that means disciplined strategic planning for salespeople. “Ready, shoot, aim.” Unfortunately, that’s the all too common description of the field sales person’s modus...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 7, 2018 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
Developing salespeople is one of those initiatives that payback double; the salespeople improve their performance, and feel better about your organization investing in them. In one move you can help keep the good salespeople you have, motivate your salespeople,...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 7, 2018 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
Sales people often slide into comfort zones which restrict their performance. In this Question & Answer, we deal with these sales comfort zones. Question: Do you have any suggestions that will help our local sales reps provide increased value across all markets?...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 24, 2018 | Christian-Kingdom issues, Christian-Leadership
It was 2010, and the financial crises which exploded in 2008 was, at last, reaching my business. My clients, B2B sales organizations, were shrinking and a few were going out of business. Investing in developing their sales force – the heart of my business —...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 24, 2018 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
In most organizations, sales managers are the essential bridge between the company’s sales goals and the realization of those goals. The gritty day-to-day interactions between the sales people and their customers are frequently filtered through the perspective of...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 24, 2018 | Leadership-Sales Force
Question: How do you deal with a difficult customer who owes you money and constantly draws you out by hanging the money he owes you over your head? This customer also requires three times more service than most of our other customers. Answer: It sounds like this...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 24, 2018 | Christian-Kingdom issues
In recent years, I’ve come to understand that the influence of culture on our behavior is far more powerful than almost any other factor. We believe and internalize the messages that our culture sends us, and eventually, those beliefs become part of our sub-conscious...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 24, 2018 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives
Implement Change – Question: My new sales manager is having a difficult time trying to implement change. Because many members of our experienced sales force still need to execute a number of the changes in the past year, do you have any suggestions? Implement...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 24, 2018 | Thinking Better, Leadership-Sales Force, Sales-B2B
Planning is one of the foundational principles for sales success: You’ll always be more effective if you think about what you do before you do it. Can you imagine a football team not creating a game plan or not practicing before the big game? Can you imagine a...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 18, 2018 | Christian-Kingdom issues, Christian-Leadership
Most Christian business people are woefully ignorant of the impact their businesses can have on the Kingdom. God designed business to be a powerful force in the Kingdom. A Christian business is a powerful ministry. “What’s next?” That’s a question every...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 26, 2018 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force, Leadership-Sales Management
“I wish my people were more professional,” executives and managers often commiserate to me. Even with those who don’t voice it, that unspoken yearning often hovers just-under-the-surface of their conversation. Ah, if only the people around us were more professional. ...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 26, 2018 | Christian-Kingdom issues, Christian-Leadership
When you think of great examples of faith from the Bible, you automatically conjure up Abraham, who fathered the Hebrew people. His faith is legendary; so great that he was willing to sacrifice his only son to be obedient to God. Dig a little into businesses in the...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 25, 2018 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force
Question: What do I do when my goals don’t match the company’s goals for me? Answer: I can look at this is in two ways – expressing two different situations. In the first, there is a legitimate difference in the expectations for a sales person, but a basic agreement...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 25, 2018 | Christian-Kingdom issues, Christian-Leadership
In the first moments of creation, when God instituted business, he designed it to be the place where mankind unleashed his inherent creativity. Let’s look: Genesis 1:15 “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. “...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 19, 2018 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
Question: I started a new company one year ago and I have a shoe string budget. I’m unable to pay for any sales courses at this point in my business, but I have been able to read a few books on sales. What would you do in my position to attract customers and build...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 19, 2018 | Leadership-Sales Force
“Selling is more challenging now than it was just a couple of years ago.” Most of the participants in my sales seminars nod solemnly when I make that statement. And then they begin to fidget in their seats when I follow that up with this: “And it will be more...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 19, 2018 | Christian-Leadership
There are certain ideas bantered about so frequently and repeated with such sincerity that no one questions their accuracy. One such idea is the issue of work/home balance. The idea is that there is a conflict between one’s work and one’s home life. Particularly for...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 4, 2018 | Leadership-Sales Force
“Your price is too high!” The infamous price objection. Wouldn’t sales be a great profession if we could somehow wipe it out and never hear it again? Unfortunately, that will never happen. Too many of the people with whom we deal are paid to get the best deal they...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 22, 2018 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
In most organizations, sales managers are the essential bridge between the company’s sales goals and the realization of those goals. The gritty day-to-day interactions between the salespeople and their customers are frequently filtered through the perspective of the...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 22, 2018 | Leadership-Sales Force
“Good salespeople are problem solvers.” Or, so the illusion goes. That belief ranks high on my all-time list of the beliefs that most limit a salesperson’s performance. This one is especially insidious because it is so commonly held, without reservation, by such a...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 22, 2018 | Leadership-Sales Force
Question: How do I ensure that I get the last look in a competitive bid situation? Answer: This is a question that I’m often asked. In a lot of industries, particularly those involved in construction, government purchases and large-volume manufacturing, most of the...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 7, 2018 | Christian-Kingdom issues, Christian-Leadership
It is, but you might not know it. Let me explain. The very first words God spoke to Adam were to charge him with a lifetime purpose (work the Garden and keep it) and then to give him a job, within that greater purpose (name the animals.) God then worked with Adam to...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 7, 2018 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
I’m often asked to help a company refine their sales force compensation plans. As a consulting company, that’s work that we regularly do. I believe in having a well-designed, effectively managed compensation plan as a fundamental part of any productive sales system....
by Kahle Wisdom | May 7, 2018 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
Question: I have three new salespeople and a handful of more experienced reps. I find myself spending a disproportionate amount of time with the new guys, and, therefore, ignoring the others. Is this OK? Or should I spread my coaching time around to be equally...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 7, 2018 | Leadership-Sales Force
Question: I’m one of those sales people who haven’t spent $20.00 this year on a book or seminar to improve myself. I just don’t want to go to the trouble. I believe that I can learn sufficiently on the job, and I’m tired of going to school. Should I feel bad?...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 27, 2018 | Podcasts, Christian-Leadership
Most Christians today consider business to be outside the scope of Christianity. It’s God first and family second. But, what if the Bible knew no distinction between family and business? Dig into the scriptures with me. Your views of business will never be...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 24, 2018 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force, Leadership-Sales Management
Q: I sell advertising for a local newspaper. In our sales compensation plan, we compete with our revenue numbers from the previous year, and approximately 6% is added to the previous year’s revenue number. That becomes your goal for that particular month. We get a...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 24, 2018 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force
“My customers seem to have less time available for me than before. They are harder to see, and when I do get in front of them, they often seem rushed or preoccupied. What can I do about this?” Sound familiar? It’s a question that I am hearing more and more often. ...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 24, 2018 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
Every manager has, or will, confront this troublesome issue — it is a common challenge for folks who are charged with improving sales. It’s arisen in almost every workshop for sales managers or branch managers I’ve done. One or more of your sales people has...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 9, 2018 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force, Leadership-Sales Management, Christian-Leadership
My wife is a crises counselor. You would think that, by the very nature of the word crises, she would see a continually changing group of clients who were dealing with the occasional crises. Not so. She frequently engages with the same group of folks who lurch from...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 4, 2018 | Christian-Kingdom issues, Christian-Leadership
Adapted from The Good Book on Business by Dave Kahle In the Old Testament, we noted that businesses took on spiritual significance. In the beginning, God created work, and by extension, business, as the venue in which he would interact with mankind. We saw that the...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 26, 2018 | Leadership-Sales Force
I’ve been pondering an email I recently received. In it, the young sales person described his most pressing challenge: The sales roller coaster. When things go well, he’s up, emotionally, and when things don’t go well, he’s down. The swings from up to down were...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 26, 2018 | Christian-Kingdom issues, Christian-Leadership
I know that comes as a surprise to many Christian business people, who have been conditioned by our contemporary religious culture to think of money-making as a second-class endeavor. Running a business that actually makes a profit is, in some religious circles, a...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 26, 2018 | Leadership-Sales Force
Are Successful Salespeople Born That Way? It is the eternal question, the sales manager’s version of nature versus nurture. I teach salespeople how to become better at their jobs. I believe successful salespeople are nurtured. There are best practices in the sales...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 22, 2018 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management, Christian-Leadership
Are things changing rapidly in your business? Silly question, isn’t it? Of course they are changing. Rapid change is the distinguishing characteristic of our age. Take that rapid change and add to it growing competition, increasing complexity, consolidations at...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 22, 2018 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force
Question: Dave, I’m wearied by the preponderance of books and business advice by all these sports coaches. What’s your opinion? How many different coaches do we need to hear from? Is sports coaches advise to sales people worthwhile? Is it another example of our...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 15, 2018 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force, Leadership-Sales Management
Question: I’ve read your ideas about the need to invest in developing myself. Can you quantify that? How much time and money should I spend on my own education? Answer: Now that‘s a question I’m rarely asked. Its refreshing to receive it. I’m assuming that you are...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 15, 2018 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force, Leadership-Sales Management
Again this week I encountered what has become a common event. I was called in to consult with a client. Sales were flat for too long, and the client knew that something had to be done. One of my first questions was this: “What do you know about your customers?”...
by Kahle Wisdom | Feb 27, 2018 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force
“I’m spending more and more time managing information. It’s squeezing out my selling time.” Welcome to the information age. You are not unique. This problem of information inundation is a relatively new but almost universal threat to your livelihood. Four or five...
by Kahle Wisdom | Feb 27, 2018 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
Question: Dave, I’m finding it difficult to manage my salespeople in our straight commission environment. Any suggestions as to how I can get them to do what I want them to do? Answer: I do have some thoughts about the “straight commission environment.” I spent much...
by Kahle Wisdom | Feb 21, 2018 | Leadership-Sales Force
Question: Recently, as I was cold calling my target list in a new industry, I stumbled on my first serious opportunity. After meeting and gaining commitment from my new prospect, I asked the woman who first tried to screen me, “Why did you pass my call on to your...
by Kahle Wisdom | Feb 21, 2018 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force, Leadership-Sales Management
That we live in a time of relentless and pervasive change is no longer news to anyone. There is one important implication of this situation that continues to be a challenge. That is that we need to continually change our behavior to adapt to the world around us.My...
by Kahle Wisdom | Feb 21, 2018 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
That’s right. Serving, not selling. I know you are concerned with sales. It’s easy to determine how well your people are selling to your customers. That’s what sales reports are for. But your customers are more concerned with how well they are being served by...
by Kahle Wisdom | Feb 21, 2018 | Leadership-Sales Management, Christian-Leadership
Stories can be powerful tools to shape behavior and dramatically communicate expectations. Wise executives continually seek opportunities to capture and then relate a story that supports and illustrates the organization’s culture. If the story can be tied to a piece...
by Kahle Wisdom | Feb 20, 2018 | Leadership-Sales Force
I just fired my accountants. They really hadn’t done anything wrong. They were responsive when I called. They appeared to keep up with the latest information in their profession. Their work was neat, accurate and timely. Their prices were fair. They conducted...
by Kahle Wisdom | Feb 19, 2018 | Leadership-Sales Management, Christian-Leadership
Almost all the great leaders in the Bible were developed in business. The implications of this pattern of truth in the Bible are staggering – prompting us to take a new view of the purpose of our business and a new vision of what we do within them. The Pattern First,...
by Kahle Wisdom | Feb 7, 2018 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management, Christian-Leadership
Adapted from Sell Better: How to Create a Sales System to Grow Your Business by Dave Kahle Whereas acquiring a customer typically requires an investment, the “creating a client” process is generally where you re-coop the investment and start to make your sales system...
by Kahle Wisdom | Feb 7, 2018 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management, Christian-Leadership
Adapted from “Sell Better: How to create a sales system to grow your business” by Dave Kahle A customer is someone who gives you money for what you have. So, the first time someone who has not purchased from you before gives you money for what you have, that person...
by Kahle Wisdom | Feb 1, 2018 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
Question: How can I set sales goals with any degree of reliability when this year’s economy is so uncertain? Answer: I can appreciate your problem. The economic atmosphere is so uncertain it’s difficult to predict what is going to happen even a month from now. But...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 29, 2018 | Leadership-Sales Force
“This would be a great business if it weren’t for the competition!” Unfortunately, the existence of the competition impacts every industry, every business and every sales position. What the competition does or does not do can make a dramatic impact upon a company and...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 29, 2018 | Christian-Kingdom issues, Christian-Leadership
“Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant. … 4 There are various gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. 6 There are various operations, but it is the same God who operates all of...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 29, 2018 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
Question: How does one respond to companies that are now participating in “on-line” auctions? It is basically a 30-minute bidding war and the low bid is presented. One needs to decide, (auction style) how low to price the product. Specifications and drawings are...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 29, 2018 | Miscellaneous
Question: “How do you provide a solution when selling a commodity?” Answer: Great question. On the surface, it seems almost like a contradiction in terms – “If it’s a commodity, how can it be a solution?” Before I begin, let me suggest you go to my website and read...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 29, 2018 | Christian-Kingdom issues, Christian-Leadership
From the very beginning of creation, all the way through the Bible to today, God established work, and by extension, business, as the primary occupation of mankind and the fundamental place where he would interact with man and develop a relationship with him. If you...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 29, 2018 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force
That’s right. Serving, not selling. I know you are concerned with sales. It’s easy to determine how well your people are selling to your customers. That’s what sales reports are for. But your customers are more concerned with how well they are being served by...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 29, 2018 | Leadership-Sales Force
Did you enjoy what you had for dinner last night? You are probably wondering what that question has to do with sales. Bear with me a moment, and answer the question. Now, pause a moment, and think about what you did when you read that question. Your mind probably...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 18, 2018 | Podcasts, Christian-Kingdom issues, Christian-Leadership
http://tcentrepreneur.libsyn.com/-radionthedge60-god-is-in-the-business-business-thats-where-he-does-his-deals-and-dealings-with-you-and-me
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 3, 2018 | Christian-Kingdom issues, Christian-Leadership
Excerpted from The Good Book on Business by Dave Kahle(Wri-Art-Spir-86)It is the early moments of creation. God is busy at work, creating the universe, and has just created his most complex entity: Man. Or, more specifically, the man Adam. He is a special creature,...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 3, 2018 | Leadership-Sales Management, Christian-Leadership
In a previous post, I wrote that qualities of character in the CEO were a more important indicator of business success than the business model. In this, and the next few posts, I’m going to share those qualities that I believe mark a great business leader. First, a...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 3, 2018 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force
Question: You have convinced me that spending time face-to-face with customers is the best use of my sales time. How much of my week should I spend entertaining customers; taking them to lunch, ballgames, etc.? Answer: Great question. Let me answer this is two...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 3, 2018 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
Question: Are sales people made or born? Answer: I field this question, in one form or other, in almost every seminar I do. Just heard it again yesterday in relationship to the competency of building relationships. The questioner opined that building relationships...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 22, 2017 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force
Question: My boss recently decided that we must call prospects once every hour, every day, until we get a yes or no, regardless of what they say, or if it’s voicemail. What’s your opinion of this? Answer: I really think there are two questions here. The first has to...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 6, 2017 | Christian-Kingdom issues, Christian-Leadership
“I practice my Christian faith when I involve myself and my family in the programs of the church. My business is my business – that’s something else. The two don’t have much to do with each other.” That comment expresses a pretty common view of the relationship...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 6, 2017 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force
Recently, one of the sales people with whom I was working volunteered that he often obtained demonstration samples by coming into the office, visiting the warehouse, opening a box of the product he wanted to sell, taking one out, and re-closing the box. When it comes...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 28, 2017 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management, Christian-Leadership
“I have my own style of selling.” That is a remark I have heard a number of times, usually from relatively inexperienced salespeople. What they usually mean is something like this: “I don’t have any real system to what I do, I don’t want any scrutiny, and I probably...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 28, 2017 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force
Question: I’ve heard you mention several times the importance of prioritizing and targeting customers. Can you shed some more light on this? Answer: This is a key issue with me, as I believe it is one of the ways to make the biggest, most rapid change in your...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 28, 2017 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force
We all know the feeling. Your key contact in one of your good accounts sheepishly admits that they have moved some business to a competitor. No problem with your service, it was just a price issue. Nothing is more discouraging. You’ve spent years developing this...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 28, 2017 | Leadership-Sales Force
Question: How do we get more calls in when driving time is so long? Answer: I’m going to answer this on two levels. First, when you have a big geographical territory with lots of windshield time, you have to do a better job of routing your calls to maximize the time...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 13, 2017 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
In our surveys, CEOs indicate “on the job” training as the predominant method of developing sales people. If everyone is doing it, it must be OK, right? I don’t think so. See if this sounds familiar. You are ready to expand your sales force, so you hire a nice guy...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 10, 2017 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force, Leadership-Sales Management
This was to be a totally different article. I intended to write about what makes a successful sales person. However, as I began to conceptualize the article, it occurred to me that I ought to begin with a definition of success. And it was there that I got...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 10, 2017 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force
Excerpted from Chapter 13 of Take Your Performance Up a Notch Whenever I ask sales people to rate themselves on their competence at all the different parts of the sales process, they invariably rate themselves low at closing the sale. Unfortunately, sales people who...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 9, 2017 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force
Excerpted from Chapter Thirteen of Take Your Sales Performance Up a Notch They don’t always say yes! That might be the very first thing you learn as a salesperson. As a matter of fact, “No” in all its various forms and expressions, maybe the one word that...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 9, 2017 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force
“Every profession expects the serious practitioner of that profession to continually seek out the best practices of that profession, and then to roll them into his/her routine with discipline.” That statement comes out of my mouth in almost every seminar or key-note...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 9, 2017 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force
In my first professional, full-time sales position, the company brought all the new sales people to a six-week training class in Mill Valley, California. There, we memorized three, four page, single-spaced sales presentations. Most days consisted of practicing those...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 9, 2017 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force
I recently came across some research that confirmed what many of us in the profession of educating sales people have known for years: That purchasers would be “much more likely” to buy from a sales person if that sales person would just “listen” to the...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 8, 2017 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force
Focus, focus, focus. That’s the phrase that I find myself repeating constantly in every sales seminar that I present. I believe focus is the greatest challenge for sales people today, and the greatest single solution to their challenges. There are so many demands...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 25, 2017 | Leadership-Sales Force
Question: What is your opinion of call reports? Answer: It depends on what you mean by call reports. If, for example, you mean a requirement in your company that you note down somewhere – on a laptop, tablet, smart phone or piece of paper, who you called on, what...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 25, 2017 | Leadership-Sales Management
Are things changing rapidly in your business? Silly question, isn’t it? Of course, they are changing. Rapid change is the distinguishing characteristic of the new millennium. Take that rapid change and add to it growing competition, increasing complexity,...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 18, 2017 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force, Leadership-Sales Management
Sales management is too important to not do it better In a world where it is more and more difficult to distinguish yourself on the basis of product, service or price, the best companies excel on the basis of the quality of their sales force.Those companies...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 17, 2017 | Leadership-Sales Management, Christian-Leadership
“But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15) In his parting address to the Hebrews, whom he has led for most of his life, Joshua declares the commitment upon which he has lived his life. He will serve the Lord. Note that his commitment is...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 17, 2017 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force
It’s the moment that many sales people dread. You’ve asked the customer to do something – give you an appointment, issue a P.O., or schedule a demonstration and, instead of saying “Yes,” the customer gives you a reason why he/she does not want to do what you’ve asked...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 17, 2017 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force
Question: How many sales calls should a salesperson make? A: In about one out of every two seminars that I do, I hear this question. It springs from a manager’s concern for defining what constitutes a “good sales day.” And salespeople want to know so that they have...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 17, 2017 | Leadership-Sales Management, Christian-Leadership
“Can you boil down your advise to one word?” That’s what a seminar participant asked me. “No,” I said, “but I can boil it down to three: Focus, focus, focus.” I said that because I see ‘focus’ as the solution to a number of modern dilemmas. ...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 25, 2017 | Christian-Business, Christian-Kingdom issues, Christian-Leadership
Could there be more spiritual potential in your business than you have yet realized? Almost every Christian business owner, salesperson and executive has a firm grasp on the idea of stewardship – that everything in this world including our businesses, belongs to God,...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 25, 2017 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
Watch this post on YouTube Listen to this post's Podcast Question: How can we get inside sales to do some proactive sales activities each day? We expect our inside salespeople to use some of their time to shift into the proactive mode to make outbound phone...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 25, 2017 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force
It’s a challenging year for a lot of salespeople. The world is changing rapidly, and every new headline contains information that seems to impact business in a significant way. The competition is more active, customers are more discriminating, and nobody has enough...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 13, 2017 | Leadership-Sales Force
Question: What are your views on dress? Does it matter? Answer: Sure it matters. Everything that you say and do matters. Dress can be a powerful part of your persona. On one hand, how you dress can facilitate your objectives and make you more effective, and on the...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 13, 2017 | Leadership-Sales Force
How much time should I spend entertaining my customers? Good question. The world of the field sales person is changing rapidly these days, and everything is in question. The practice of entertaining customers is one of those issues that needs to be rethought. First,...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 11, 2017 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management, Christian-Leadership
One of the biggest decisions a business makes is the decision on which market segment to focus. ‘Market segment’ is the term that describes a group of suspects and prospects who have something in common. For example, if you are a mechanic with an auto repair shop, you...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 11, 2017 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management, Christian-Leadership
There are, in the world of sales and sales systems, certain practices that have such an enormous impact on the company and the market that they are in a special class of activities that call for executive involvement at the highest levels. One of that handful of...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 7, 2017 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force, Leadership-Sales Management
We’re living in incredibly turbulent times. In spite of newspaper headlines proclaiming growing employment and a slowly growing economy, many business people admit to a pervasive feeling of uncertainty and confusion about their businesses. The well-spring of...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 7, 2017 | Christian-Kingdom issues, Christian-Leadership
(This is the fourth in a series on mistaken beliefs and false paradigms that hinder us from developing our businesses to their full potential. See the others in the series here.) For much of my Christian life, I’ve struggled with a difficult and painful image...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 28, 2017 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force, Leadership-Sales Management
“Low price, low price, low price.” It’s the mantra that salespeople in every industry segment are hearing more these days than ever before. Customers, looking for ways to contain costs, naturally pressure their vendors for lower costs. But, is low price the...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 16, 2017 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
Question: Which of these two choices is more likely to result in an effective salesperson? A. Hiring someone with technical expertise or industry experience and training them to become a salesperson, B. Hiring someone with sales aptitude, and training them in the...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 16, 2017 | Leadership-Sales Force
Excerpted from 11 Secrets of Time Management for Sales People, Career Press Early into one of my sales positions, my boss informed me that the operations manager was upset with me. I was too focused and task-oriented in my dealing with the company’s internal...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 10, 2017 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force, Leadership-Sales Management
Q: In regards to working on a big new project with a prospect, we showed huge savings and better operation. The customer gave all our information to the current supplier and they matched it. Is it ok to go above the buyer’s head? Q: One of my salespeople just spent a...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 10, 2017 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force, Leadership-Sales Management, Christian-Leadership
Question: The thing that distinguishes us from our competition is service. How do I make service more tangible to our customer? Answer: This is a great question because it is so common. Let’s put it into perspective. Believe it or not, almost every company I deal...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 7, 2017 | Christian-Kingdom issues, Christian-Leadership
Almost every Christian business owner, salesperson and executive has a firm grasp on the idea of stewardship – that everything in this world including our businesses, belongs to God, and we are just temporary stewards of it. “Everything,” of course, means everything –...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 24, 2017 | Leadership-Sales Management, Christian-Leadership
“Our business should make money so that we can give it away” – that’s the message our contemporary culture teaches us. Those of us who look for a higher purpose for our business find that message easy to accept. We see that message reinforced by a variety of different...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 24, 2017 | Leadership-Sales Management, Christian-Leadership
“For my whole life, I was led to believe that we were the richest country on earth. Now, I see that we are the poorest. It’s like my whole life has been wasted.” This comment comes from John, the 80-year old father of one of our Albanian foster children, who was...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 11, 2017 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force, Leadership-Sales Management
Question: I like the idea of setting goals for personal improvement, not only with my sales people, but for my own growth and development as well. Can you give me a more specific idea of what kind of goals I should be creating? Answer: Sure. This is one of my hot...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 10, 2017 | Leadership-Sales Management, Christian-Leadership
Over lunch with one of my clients, he asked an unusually deep question: “In your training, do you try to instill new skills, or do you find you are more effective by removing the hindrances people have to using the skills they already have?” I was stunned. In...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 10, 2017 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
I was in the depths of a major depression. As a third year sales person with a good company, I was doing well, and was on my way to becoming the top sales person in the nation for that company. But business had slowed down a little, and I didn’t have my usual...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 10, 2017 | Leadership-Sales Management, Christian-Kingdom issues, Christian-Leadership
I’m facing a big business decision – whether to invest a significant portion of my retirement funds into a new venture whose financial success is hardly assured. At the same time, last week I worked with a friend who is faced with a very similar decision – whether to...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 6, 2017 | Leadership-Sales Force, Leadership-Sales Management, Christian-Leadership
Remember John Delorean? He was the superstar General Motors executive who started the Delorean Motor Company. When the company began to falter, he was arrested and charged with complicity in a drug deal that some speculated was an attempt to raise money to prop up...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 28, 2017 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
Question: Our business has been struggling for the last year or so. Several of my salespeople are just not producing. I’m not sure I can continue to work with them. When do I decide to terminate their employment? Answer: Wouldn’t it be nice if we didn’t have to ask...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 28, 2017 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force, Leadership-Sales Management, Christian-Leadership
I was speaking to a group of professional sales people in Johannesburg, South Africa, on the subject of integrity in business. At dinner later in the evening, my host, who had been sitting in the audience, sheepishly shared with me that several of the people seated...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 26, 2017 | Leadership-Sales Force
Q. Is “being yourself” a sales strategy? A. If you are naturally an attractive, sensitive, empathetic human being who everyone loves to be with, if you have a great measure of sensitivity and perceptiveness coupled with outstanding intelligence and unshakable...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 19, 2017 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
Not long ago I was speaking at a national sales meeting for a large regional distributor. The regional vice president for the company’s primary manufacturer was at the meeting, supporting the efforts of his big distributor. At the coffee break, we struck up a...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 19, 2017 | Leadership-Sales Force
A study published a few years ago identified the top five behavioral characteristics of the superstar sales people. Number two on the list was this: They ask better questions. Amazing. Of all the possibilities for ways that the superstars differ from average sales...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 15, 2017 | Leadership-General, Leadership-Sales Force, Leadership-Sales Management
Question: I am currently working in a family business. For about ten years, sales have been decreasing. I was just appointed as the head of sales. I have several sales people who have been with the company for 30-40 years. They simply refuse any system or training...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 5, 2017 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force, Leadership-Sales Management
“I really struggle with the highs and lows of field sales. Most days I feel like the weight of the world is on my shoulders. Any suggestions?” This is one of those rarely voiced issues that every sales person confronts sooner or later. The job of the sales person...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 5, 2017 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management, Christian-Kingdom issues, Christian-Leadership
Today I received over 209 email messages, had 35 postings on my Facebook page, uncountable listings on my Linkedin page, and several voice mail messages. This was after having methodically unsubscribed to legions of emails and registered on the “do not call” list. ...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 23, 2017 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Christian-Leadership
Here’s a story to which many of you can relate. We had an opening for an inside salesperson and took a chance on a young man who appeared to have the necessary aptitude and character, but who lacked any experience. He had been a social worker and was looking...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 11, 2017 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force, Leadership-Sales Management, Christian-Leadership
Whether you are a small business person, or a professional sales person, you can utilize leverage — a powerful strategy — to take your sales performance to dramatically higher levels.. Leverage revolves around the idea of multiplying the effects of some...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 8, 2017 | Leadership-Sales Management, Christian-Leadership
One of the characteristics that distinguish a Biblical business from its competitors is the degree to which the executives of Biblical businesses embed prayer into the fabric of the business. This is an uncomfortable thought to many Christian business...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 27, 2017 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management, Christian-Leadership
Stories can be powerful tools to shape behavior and dramatically communicate expectations. Wise executives continually seek for opportunities to capture and then relate a story that supports and illustrates the organization’s culture. If the story can be tied to a...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 17, 2017 | Leadership-Sales Force, Christian-Leadership
Decades ago, I almost lost my first professional sales position because of my Christian faith. “Being a Christian sales person is going to be tricky,” I concluded. While that may have been true in my young and immature mindset, over the years, I’ve...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 4, 2017 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
One of the most common complaints I hear from my clients is this: “I can’t seem to motivate the salespeople to call on prospects and develop them into new customers.” There is a relatively simple, fun, and inexpensive way to remedy this situation. It’s called a sales...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 24, 2017 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
Question: I’d like to provide my sales people (and all the employees) information on costs, profits, etc. so that they have a healthy understanding and respect for our owner’s investment and risk as well as their value. Any suggestions as to how to go about it?...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 21, 2017 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force, Christian-Leadership
“Plans fail when there is no counsel, but they succeed when advisers are many.“ (Proverbs 15:22) This is an often-quoted verse, a piece of advice from King Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived. While the advice doesn’t appear to be pointed only at business...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 1, 2017 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force, Leadership-Sales Management
I call it FIP. Fine in the Past. It refers to all the sales and marketing efforts, ideas, policies, principles, techniques, and strategies that worked well in the past but are no longer effective. The past is everything that’s pre-2012. I still recall a poignant...
by Kahle Wisdom | Feb 20, 2017 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management, Christian-Leadership
Before you respond by lecturing me on the wisdom of setting goals, you should know that I am committed to the process of goal setting as a best practice for a number of different business expressions. Goal-setting, for example, is at the heart of our Kahle Way® Sales...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 18, 2017 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force, Leadership-Sales Management
One of the most debilitating myths about the sales profession is this: Salespeople can learn on their own, on the job, and eventually become good at their jobs. They’ll eventually develop their own style, this myth implies, and that will bring them the maximum...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 12, 2017 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
Goal-setting is one of those hallowed practices that belong in every leader’s arsenal. We’ve all heard that people who set goals are far more successful than those who don’t. And every well-run business has a policy and a practice of setting annual goals for its...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 31, 2016 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force
Field sales people have a unique aspect to their jobs – they have the ability to decide what to do every moment of every day. The need to make this decision – where to go, who to see, who to call, what to do – distinguishes the sales profession from most others. I’ve...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 20, 2016 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force, Leadership-Sales Management
“I have my own style of selling.”That is a remark I have heard a number of times, usually from relatively inexperienced salespeople. What they usually mean is something like this: “I don’t have any real system to what I do, I don’t want any scrutiny, and I am...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 20, 2016 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
Question: How do you switch from paying your sales people based on the sale to paying them based on the collection of the sale? Answer: Anytime you make changes to a sales person’s compensation plan, you are playing with fire. Any adjustments require that you be...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 10, 2016 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force, Leadership-Sales Management, Christian-Leadership
In a previous post, I wrote that qualities of character in the CEO were a more important indicator of business success than the business model. In this, and the next few posts, I’m going to share those qualities that I believe mark a great business leader. ...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 9, 2016 | Leadership-Sales Force
Q: I’m seeing a lot of anxiety and nervousness about the economy all around me. Do you have any thoughts on how to respond to this? To my readers…This started out as a normal question and answer. The more I wrestled with my thoughts, the more I became convinced that...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 21, 2016 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force, Leadership-Sales Management
In the B2B world, the relationship between the customer and the vendor, and more specifically, the vendor’s salesperson, can be of utmost importance. It doesn’t take long in the business to understand that if the customer dislikes you, he is rarely going to see you. ...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 21, 2016 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
Question: “What would you suggest in the situation where a sales representative will attempt to build a relationship with the customer on a personal basis, but refuse to build a relationship for the company he/she represents? He/she prefers to wear the “white hat”...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 21, 2016 | Leadership-Sales Force
Question: Sales are down, operating expenses are up, management is crying that sales expenses are up. What should a salesperson do in such a situation? Answer: These certainly are challenging times. I’ve been through enough of these to have learned some things. ...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 16, 2016 | Leadership-Sales Management, Christian-Leadership
In a previous post, I wrote that qualities of character in the CEO were a more important indicator of business success than the business model. That generated this series of posts describing those character traits that I believe are most conducive to business success....
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 2, 2016 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force, Leadership-Sales Management, Christian-Leadership
In a previous post, I wrote that qualities of character in the CEO were a more important indicator of business success than the business model. In this, and the next few posts, I’m going to share those qualities that I believe mark a great business leader. First, a...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 27, 2016 | Leadership-Sales Force, Leadership-Sales Management, Christian-Leadership
In a previous post, I wrote that qualities of character in the CEO were a more important indicator of business success than the business model. In this, and the next few posts, I’m going to share those qualities that I believe mark a great business leader. First, a...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 24, 2016 | Leadership-Sales Management
I was up against the wall, with no options. Almost literally between a rock and a hard place. Here’s the story. I had left a very secure sales position for one of a lot more challenge, and a lot more risk. My new position was the opposite of my previous one in a...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 14, 2016 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management, Christian-Kingdom issues
In a previous post, I wrote that qualities of character in the CEO were a more important indicator of business success than the business model. In this, and the next few posts, I’m going to share those qualities that I believe mark a great business leader. First, a...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 6, 2016 | Leadership-Sales Management, Christian-Kingdom issues
There are practices which define the degree to which a business is Biblical. Take this free assessment to determine where your business lies on the scale. Click here.
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 3, 2016 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
In a previous post, I wrote that qualities of character in the CEO were a more important indicator of business success than the business model. In this, and the next few posts, I’m going to share those qualities that I believe mark a great business leader. First, a...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 30, 2016 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
Watch this post on YouTube Listen to this post's Podcast Excerpted with permission of the publisher, from the Transforming Your Sales Force for the 21st Century, Copyright 2004, by Dave Kahle. Used with permission of the author.I just finished a phone call with a...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 30, 2016 | Leadership-Sales Management
In a previous post, I wrote that qualities of character in the CEO were a more important indicator of business success than the business model. In this, and the next few posts, I’m going to share those qualities that I believe mark a great business leader. First, a...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 31, 2016 | Leadership-Sales Management, Christian-Kingdom issues
I was young, cocky and a bit full of myself when I had one of the most humbling experiences of my life, and learned a lesson that has stuck with me for decades. I had been the number one sales person in the nation for a company – my first full-time professional sales...
by Kahle Wisdom | Aug 6, 2016 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
It seems like more and more business people have lost the ability to say no. See if this experience doesn’t sound familiar. I had met with an individual, talked with him personally, and invited him to a small group meeting. He came, interacted positively and...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 26, 2016 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force
How do I sell to an account that is firmly in the hands of a competitor – a difficult key account? In one form or another, I hear that question at almost every sales seminar I teach. It’s a great question, reflecting one of the most perplexing and frustrating...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 25, 2016 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force, Leadership-Sales Management
In a previous post, I wrote that qualities of character in the CEO were a more important indicator of business success than the business model. Two questions popped up following that statement:Why do you say that?Which qualities of character are most important to...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 18, 2016 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
“Is there one business model that you would recommend to a budding entrepreneur?”That was the question a young man asked me recently. I reflected for a moment over the past 25 years, and answered this way:“No. I’ve worked with over 400 businesses, and in that pack...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 14, 2016 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
Not long ago I was speaking at a national sales meeting for a large regional distributor. The regional vice president for the company’s primary manufacturer was at the meeting, supporting the efforts of his big distributor. At the coffee break, we struck up a...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 13, 2016 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force, Leadership-Sales Management
Whether you are a small business person, or a professional sales person, you can utilize a powerful strategy to take your sales performance to dramatically higher levels — leverage. Definition Leverage revolves around the idea of multiplying the effects of some...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jul 4, 2016 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
Question: I wanted to do some sales training last year, but it just wasn’t the right time for it. We had too many things on our plate. Looking at our calendar this year, I am coming to the same conclusion. Am I ever going to have time to do sales training? Will it...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 30, 2016 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
How can I help an experienced sales person regain his interest in the job? It sounds like you have someone who is just going through the motions. That can be deadly for the career of a sales person, as well as detrimental to the company. One of the challenges of a...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 24, 2016 | Miscellaneous
Question: I find it difficult to stay upbeat and positive all the time. I have a tendency to get down on myself when something goes poorly and then find it hard to look forward to the next sales call. I can’t be the only sales person who struggles with this. Can you...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 14, 2016 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
In this series of posts, we’re dealing with words that make people uncomfortable. We’ve talked about ‘personal responsibility,’ ‘humility,’ and ‘discipline.’ In this post, we’re going to examine another of that series of words that a significant percentage of the...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jun 13, 2016 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
Oops! Got a sales meeting coming up in two weeks, better get ready for it. Let’s see, what should we do? I’ll go over last month’s numbers, that’ll take a half hour. Then…I know! The credit manager has been complaining about the state of receivables lately. I’ll...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 28, 2016 | Leadership-Sales Management
The propensity to take risks. What sets the exceptional professional apart from the average? Regardless of what the profession, from sales to psychiatry, the successful professionals share certain characteristics. Here’s one: The propensity to take risks. Now,...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 27, 2016 | Leadership-Sales Force
Have you ever wondered how you can provide some motivation for yourself, or someone around you? As a professional speaker, I’m often asked to ‘motivate’ the audience. As a trainer and sales authority, I’m often asked to give my clients ideas on how they can motivate...
by Kahle Wisdom | May 13, 2016 | Leadership-General, Leadership-Sales Force, Leadership-Sales Management
The following scenario plays over and over again in every one of your sales territories every day. And it costs you hundreds of thousands of dollars annually. I was working with one of my client’s salespeople. The client was an HVAC commercial contractor. The...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 28, 2016 | Leadership-Sales Management, Christian-Kingdom issues
I was recently interviewing a mature Christian business person for one of the spots in my Truth@Work Business Roundtables. “Tell me about your spiritual journey,” I suggested. He launched into a description of his local church, and the various roles he played in...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 27, 2016 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force, Leadership-Sales Management
“Why should someone spend time with you?” That was the question I asked the six sales people who were the subjects of an intense week-long training session. The response? Blank stares. Some uncomfortable fidgeting. Nothing anywhere close to a coherent, persuasive...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 26, 2016 | Leadership-Sales Management, Christian-Kingdom issues
(c) Morris E. Ruddick Making God your Senior Partner is a lot more than lip-service. It entails proactive planning with the Holy Spirit. That means input and guidance from the Lord on decisions. That requires consciously hearing from God. One of the distinctive...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 15, 2016 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
Question: We are discussing the role of the sales person in collecting bad paying accounts. We don’t want to turn the sales people into collection agents, but we do see a role for them. What are your thoughts? Answer: This is one of those questions that come up...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 15, 2016 | Christian-Kingdom issues
I think we all understand that culture – those things that we are taught to believe as we grow up and that are subsequently practiced by those around us – is an immensely powerful force in shaping the quality and tenor of people’s lives. We can look at people groups...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 15, 2016 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force
Q. How do you recommend I handle profanity from a customer? Q. What do you do when a customer becomes abusive with you? Loud, screaming, and personally threatening? Answer: I thought I’d put both of these together because they speak to similar situations. “The...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 14, 2016 | Christian-Kingdom issues
Here’s another one of those commonly-held beliefs that most Christians never question. Yet, the belief distorts the believer’s view of reality, and causes a whole list of negative consequences. I call those kinds of beliefs cataract beliefs. Like a cataract in our...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 4, 2016 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force, Leadership-Sales Management
I often hear my clients lament that they wish they had a more professional sales force. That idea of a “professional sales force” gets a lot of conversation in sales management and sales executive circles. But what exactly does it mean? And why is it a good thing?...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 2, 2016 | Leadership-General, Leadership-Sales Management
Humility? Wouldn’t it be great if we could get through life – or at least our work day – without any unpleasantries? Alas, we all know that won’t happen. Not only do we have to deal with difficult situations and trying people, but even our language contains words...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 1, 2016 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force
Best Practice #20: Is always well prepared to handle most common objections. Effectively handling objections is one of those practices that truly distinguish the committed, professional sales people from those who aren’t that interested. That’s because it takes time...
by Kahle Wisdom | Apr 1, 2016 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force
Q. How do you sell something if you don’t believe it is right for the customer? A. What a great question. I suspect that every salesperson, at some point in his career, wrestles with that question. What should you do about selling something you don’t believe...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 28, 2016 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force, Leadership-Sales Management, Christian-Kingdom issues
Next week, I will be holding a free informational webinar to describe the opportunity to be a part of our third Christian Executive Mastermind group. We’ll choose a select group of 10 individuals to meet with monthly. We’ll meet via video webinar, and provide expert...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 15, 2016 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force, Leadership-Sales Management
Are things changing rapidly in your business? Silly question, isn’t it? Of course they are changing. Rapid change is the distinguishing characteristic of the new millennium. Take that rapid change and add to it growing competition, increasing complexity,...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 15, 2016 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force
In all of my training and consulting work, I’ve found it helpful to establish, right at the beginning, a big-picture view of the sales process. Once we have an overview, we can understand every sales principle and practice, and use the big picture to focus our efforts...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 8, 2016 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force, Leadership-Sales Management
Q. I find it difficult to stay upbeat and positive all the time. I have a tendency to get down on myself when something goes poorly and then find it hard to look forward to the next sales call. I can’t be the only salesperson who struggles with this. Can you help?...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 7, 2016 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force, Leadership-Sales Management
Discipline is the second of my set of uncomfortable words that we would rather not hear. Wouldn’t it be great if we could get through life – or at least our work day – without any unpleasantries? Alas, we all know that won’t happen. Not only do we have to deal with...
by Kahle Wisdom | Mar 3, 2016 | Miscellaneous
I just hung up the phone from a coaching call with one of my clients. He was applying for a significant executive position, and wanted my help with his resume and interview strategy. We talked for a bit, and I suggested a different way to look at his resume.A light...
by Kahle Wisdom | Feb 5, 2016 | Leadership-Sales Force
Best Practices for Sales People # 19: Keeps track of all the names, titles, and positions of all the key contact people within every account. This is so basic, you would think everyone would be doing it. Not so. I was sitting across the desk from the operations...
by Kahle Wisdom | Feb 5, 2016 | Leadership-Sales Force
Question: How do I overcome a customer’s negative perception of my company because of some earlier mishaps in the account? Answer: Wouldn’t life be so much easier if we didn’t have to deal with these kinds of situations? But, of course, these problems are, in one...
by Kahle Wisdom | Feb 5, 2016 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force, Leadership-Sales Management, Christian-Kingdom issues
Wouldn’t it be great if we could get through life – or at least our work day – without any unpleasantries? Alas, we all know that won’t happen. Not only do we have to deal with difficult situations and trying people, but even our language contains words that make us...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 28, 2016 | Leadership-Sales Force
I recently came across some research that confirmed what many of us in the profession of educating sales people have known for years: That purchasers would be “much more likely” to buy from a sales person if that sales person would just “listen” to the customer. (1) ...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 14, 2016 | Christian-Kingdom issues
Once a year, a small college in Michigan publishes a list of words that should be banished from the English language. These include words that have become incredibly over used, and still others that have been twisted to mean something entirely different from their...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 14, 2016 | Christian-Kingdom issues
Once a year, a small college in Michigan publishes a list of words that should be banished from the English language. These include words that have become incredibly over used, and still others that have been twisted to mean something entirely different from their...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 14, 2016 | Christian-Kingdom issues
Once a year, a small college in Michigan publishes a list of words that should be banished from the English language. These include words that have become incredibly over used, and still others that have been twisted to mean something entirely different from their...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 13, 2016 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management, Christian-Kingdom issues
Question: Dave, I have hired a new, young, aggressive sales person. I want to make sure he understands the ethical boundaries of his job. Is there some recommended way to teach ethics to a new sales person? Answer: You can teach him ethics, but I’m not sure that he...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 7, 2016 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
We all want to hire superstar sales people. Finding one, however, is more difficult than you can imagine. Here’s the key to spotting and hiring a superstar salesperson. Don’t be sidetracked by what he/she knows relative to products or industries, and...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 7, 2016 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
We all want to hire superstar sales people. Finding one, however, is more difficult than you can imagine. Here’s the key to spotting and hiring a superstar salesperson. Don’t be sidetracked by what he/she knows relative to products or industries, and...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 7, 2016 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
We all want to hire star sales people. Finding one, however, is more difficult than you can imagine. Here’s the key to spotting and hiring a star sales person. Don’t be sidetracked by what he/she knows relative to products or industries, and don’t...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 7, 2016 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
We all want to hire star sales people. Finding one, however, is more difficult than you can imagine. Here’s the key to spotting and hiring a star sales person. Don’t be sidetracked by what he/she knows relative to products or industries, and don’t...
by Kahle Wisdom | Jan 4, 2016 | Christian-Kingdom issues
One of the reasons successful people become successful is the inner drive to achieve and/or acquire that is a fundamental part of their personality. Almost every successful person I have known has become successful by intention. In other words, they wanted to be...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 29, 2015 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force
Question: Giving quotes. Client (prospect) seems interested but never gets back to you. Answer: I’m assuming that the question here is, “How do I get the prospect to give me an answer when I provide a quote?” This is one of the most common frustrations for sales...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 29, 2015 | Leadership-Sales Force
Here again is one of those best practices that mark the behavior of the superstars, the top five percent of the sales force. Most salespeople never even consider this. Every salesperson has to compete for the business. In some cases, there can be dozens of...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 12, 2015 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force
Question: To what extent should salespeople be responsible for collecting accounts receivable? Isn’t it a conflict to be responsible for both sales and collections? Answer: Great question, and one that comes up fairly frequently. Let’s think it through....
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 12, 2015 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
We all want to hire star sales people. Finding one, however, is more difficult than you can imagine. Here’s the key to spotting and hiring a star sales person. Don’t be sidetracked by what he/she knows relative to products or industries, and don’t...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 7, 2015 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
Which of these issues are worrying you these days? Keeping the good sales people you have? Motivating your sales people? Stimulating your sales people to become more productive? Attracting good quality, new sales people? If you are concerned about any one of these...
by Kahle Wisdom | Dec 5, 2015 | Christian-Kingdom issues
You know the analogy – an elephant in a room would be so large, so consuming of the space that it would prevent any freedom of movement for the other folks in the room. The most common human response to something that big is to ignore it. So the conversation in the...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 28, 2015 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
“Six qualities of superstar sales people” We all want to hire superstar sales people. Finding one, however, is more difficult than you can imagine. Here’s the key to spotting and hiring a superstar salesperson. Don’t be sidetracked by...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 28, 2015 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
“Six qualities of superstar sales people” Want to make your job much easier? Want to look like a hero to your boss? Want to make the best single decision you’ll ever make as a sales manager? Then hire a superstar sales person. A...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 23, 2015 | Thinking Better, Growth-Personal Development, Christian-Kingdom issues
As a veteran sales trainer, one of the obstacles that I constantly confront in the folks with whom I am working is “mindless habits.” In other words, almost everyone can sell better, or manage better, or lead better, if they could overcome their pre-existing habits....
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 20, 2015 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force, Leadership-Sales Management
Are successful sales people made or born? It is the eternal question: the sales manager’s version of nature versus nurture.Since I spend most of my time teaching sales people how to become better at their jobs, I’m 100 percent in the “made” camp. There are best...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 20, 2015 | Leadership-Sales Force
“You should have an objective for every sales call.” That’s a bit of sage wisdom that we have all heard, probably multiple times, throughout our sales careers. Unfortunately, I disagree. I believe you should have four objectives for every sales call. Every sales...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 5, 2015 | Leadership-Sales Management, Christian-Kingdom issues
There is a lot of conversation these days about using our businesses to make a positive impact on our communities and the people we touch. Typically, the conversation runs to mission statements and high-level topics. While there is nothing wrong with those, from time...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 2, 2015 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
Question: My sales people all acknowledge the wisdom of spending more time in their high potential accounts, but they don’t do it. How can I get them to actually do what they know is the right strategy? Answer: You are up against a problem that goes back to the...
by Kahle Wisdom | Nov 1, 2015 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
In most organizations, sales managers are the essential bridge between the company’s sales goals and the realization of those goals. The gritty day-to-day interactions between the sales people and their customers are frequently filtered through the perspective of the...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 27, 2015 | Miscellaneous
“I wish my people were more professional,” executives and managers often commiserate to me. Even with those who don’t voice it, that unspoken yearning often hovers just-under-the-surface of their conversation. Ah, if only the people around us were more professional. ...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 27, 2015 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force
Question: Our “A” customers do 90% of our business. How much time or effort would you put into your “B” customers to bring them up to “A” customers? Answer: This is the kind of question I field in almost every one of my seminars. The answer is a little more complex...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 27, 2015 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives
Question: I have been reading some of your articles and then came across your website. I was wondering what kind of advice you would give to a sales person trying to become a sales manager. What steps should I try taking first? Answer: Good question. I’m sure...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 18, 2015 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force
Positive customer relationships are the basis of much B2B business, right? Positive business relationships ensure us an audience with the customer, make every step of the selling process go easier, and even provide us with a competitive edge. It’s not unusual...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 14, 2015 | Christian-Kingdom issues
Once a year, a small college in Michigan publishes a list of words that should be banished from the English language. These include words that have become incredibly over used, and still others that have been twisted to mean something entirely different from their...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 14, 2015 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
The sales structure is the sum total of all the policies, guidelines, procedures and tools your company uses in its sales effort. It’s everything about how your company sells, other than the people themselves. For example, your compensation plan is part of the...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 13, 2015 | Leadership-Sales Force
A study published a few years ago identified the top five behavioral characteristics of the superstar sales people. Number two on the list was this: They ask better questions. Amazing. Of all the possibilities for ways that the superstars differ from average sales...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 3, 2015 | Leadership-Sales Management, Christian-Kingdom issues
There is a spectrum on which Christian businesses and Christian business people can be placed to identify their relative position regarding the degree to which “Christianity” influences their business. See where you fall on the spectrum. On one end of the spectrum is...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 3, 2015 | Miscellaneous
I was up against the wall, with no options. Almost literally between a rock and a hard place. Here’s the story. I had left a very secure sales position for one of a lot more challenge, and a lot more risk. My new position was the opposite of my previous one in a...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 3, 2015 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
Question: I like the idea of setting goals for personal improvement, not only with my sales people, but for my own growth and development as well. Can you give me a more specific idea of what kind of goals I should be creating? Answer: Sure. This is one of my hot...
by Kahle Wisdom | Oct 2, 2015 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Management
Q: How often should a sales manager visit the customers? A: There are a couple of ways to answer the question. From one perspective, as a sales manager, you need to have your own relationship with good customers in your area of responsibility. There are several...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 30, 2015 | Leadership-Sales Force
One of my clients recently mentioned to me that, when hiring prospective salespeople, he looks for a “passion for sales” in their personality. The idea struck me. I had never really thought in those terms before. What is a ‘passion for sales?’ What does it look...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 27, 2015 | Leadership-Sales Force
Dealing with a difficult customer – someone who is angry or upset – can be one of the most challenging and rewarding encounters for most companies. If your people handle the situation well, you will often gain a long-term customer. Mishandle it, and you’ll watch the...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 25, 2015 | Leadership-Sales Management, Christian-Kingdom issues
How did Abraham come to his faith? We are all aware of Abraham, the father of the Israelite nation and the great example of faith. Have you ever wondered how he was able to develop such a legendary faith? In his day there was no scripture, no pastors, and no...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 25, 2015 | Leadership-Sales Management
For the better part of my working life, I have been taught to create “challenging goals.” The idea is that if some work is worth doing, it is worth doing well. And, that means to conceive of the end result as higher and better than that which an ordinary effort...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 24, 2015 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives, Leadership-Sales Force
The world is full of B2B sales people who claim, quite proudly, to have great relationships with their customers. If that were true, it really would be great. But unfortunately, “great relationships” is too often a veil that sales people hide behind to keep from...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 22, 2015 | Leadership-Entrepreneurs & Executives
Every manager has, or will, confront this troublesome issue. It’s arisen in every workshop for sales managers or branch managers I’ve done. One or more of your salespeople have leveled off. Their performance hasn’t improved much in the last few years. Where before...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 22, 2015 | Christian-Kingdom issues
Once a year, a small college in Michigan publishes a list of words that should be banished from the English language. These include words that have become incredibly over used, and still others that have been twisted to mean something entirely different from their...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 22, 2015 | Leadership-Sales Force
I still remember the worst sales call I ever made. More than just remember it, I react to the memory. I get a queasy feeling in my stomach every time I think about it. It wasn’t just a bad sales call, it was a humiliating, embarrassing event. I don’t think I’ll...
by Kahle Wisdom | Sep 17, 2015 | Miscellaneous
Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!
