Dave Kahle Wisdom

Practical Wisdom Blog by Dave Kahle

Podcasts and blog posts to help sales professionals and business executives sell better, lead better, and live better.

I’m glad you found your way here.

I’ve spent 30 years in the business trenches; it’s been full and fulfilling. In that time, I’ve been the number one salesperson in the country for two different companies in two different industries. I’ve written 13 books, spoken in 47 states and 11 countries, and personally and contractually worked with over 500 organizations. I’ve touched tens of thousands of people through my articles, podcasts, webinars and seminars.

On the personal side, my life has been full as well. Coleen and I have raised 5 children, helped with 19 foster children, and enjoy 14 grandchildren. I’ve been a father, a foster father, a stepfather, an adoptive father and a grandfather – and now you know why my hair is grey!

In all of this, my faith is very important to me, and provided me with my “Why” as well as a unique perspective.

As you might imagine, in all of this, I’ve learned a few things. I’ve made lots of mistakes and have had my share of success. And, while I’m still learning, I want to share with you some of the practical wisdom I’ve gained along the way.

You’ll find that some of my ideas will challenge you – as I tend to see things in non-conventional way. As you interact with what I share, you’ll find that some of your fondest beliefs and most comfortable paradigms may be in for revision.

Changing Commissions

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...

What to do about backorder and customer service problems

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...

Q & A for Sales People: Price Increases

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...

Is The System the Solution?

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...

Q & A for Sales People: Time management –Are you a lap dog?

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...

Is “On The Job” Training the Best Way to Develop a Sales Person?

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...

Sales Leader’s Q & A: Goals in an Uncertain Economy

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...

Four Fundamentals of Key Account Selling

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 penetrating...

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