Resources

Sales forces often stumble in providing proposals to customers. Offerings are increasingly complicated, and customers more apt to demand customized solutions; as a result, getting approved, accurate proposals in customers’ hands represents a real challenge to many firms. Many are addressing this challenge by investing in cloud-based CPQ solutions, which...Read more

What’s the first thing a sales effectiveness consultant (worth their salt) will build into a proposal? Ride-alongs with your sales organization. The reason is simple: direct observation can tell you almost everything you need to know about a salesperson’s effectiveness. Ride shotgun enough, and you’ll also gain understanding of bigger...Read more

Companies across all industries are rethinking their selling systems. Under continued pressure to improve productivity without raising selling expense, sales forces must now respond to disruptive changes in how customers buy. Empowered, digitally-armed and connected buyers are exerting greater control over buyer/seller conversations, and they’re engaging less with salespeople. Who...Read more

Transforming a sales force involves substantial investments of time, people and money. How do firms measure the impact of their sales transformation initiatives, and calculate return on the investments required? This Sales Management Association webcast explores ideas for measuring and maximizing sales transformation investment return. Topics include: Understanding prevailing approaches...Read more

In this Sales Management Association webcast, Wendy Reed, EVP Marketing of The TAS Group presents the results of TAS's global Dealmaker Index study, including implications for companies and individuals focused in improving sales performance. Based on an analysis of 92 sales performance factors, mapped against proven successful approaches, the Dealmaker Index...Read more

The most recent update to our annual Sales Operations Issues study includes input from sales operations professionals from 125 firms, with median annual revenue of US$400 million. Highlights include analysis of sales operations departments' accountabilities, roles, and most important issues, respondents' assessment of their current performance in key functional areas,...Read more

Companies typically apply operations strategy to the supply chain, establishing clear principles and processes for operating, directed at specific goals such as reducing costs and speeding up delivery times. The leaders of consulting firm Sales Economics, Inc., explain that applying the same kind of strategy to the sales organization can...Read more

Business-to-business sales has changed from being an isolated function with little cross-functional influence to becoming an integrated part of long-term customer management and from an operational practice to a strategically focused part of business strategy. This suggests a need to change the unit of analysis from the activities and attributes...Read more