Resources

Accurately forecasting sales force performance is a challenge that consistently bedevils sales operations and sales leadership. Sales organizations that reliably produce good forecasts use a systemic approach, guided at multiple levels within the organization, and actively managed for quality. How do firms do this? Our expert panel shares war stories,...Read more

Our first in an ongoing series of panel discussions on coaching effectiveness, this Sales Management Association Experts' Exchange features three perspectives on implementing and managing impactfull sales coaching initiatives. Session Panel Gary Braun, Principal, Pivotal Advisors Paul Helmore, Vice President Sales Data and Consulting Services, Schlumberger Oilfield Services Tim McChrystal,...Read more

Coaching is fundamental to improving salespeople's performance, yet it remains perhaps the least understood and most inconsistently implemented management skill in sales organizations. The following articles, webcasts and research projects focus on sales coaching development for sales managers.

Many of our members are preparing for 2011 sales compensation plan design changes. Any plan changes - even minor ones - can potentially create distraction, anxiety, and confusion among the sales and support personnel impacted. How do leading organizations use sales compensation changes to drive productivity improvements and positive change? We've...Read more

Sales operations is an emerging management discipline in firms with sales organizations of significant size. Sales operations contributes to productivity by leveraging an array of support capabilities, including enabling technology, process improvement, reporting, and training. Here is a selection of The Sales Management Association's research, webcasts, and other content of interest...Read more

Sales management brings a distinct perspective to the sales compensation automation discussion - a discussion too often dominated by Finance, HR, and Accounting. In this archived Sales Management Association webcast, current sales compensation trends are explored, including the advantages that accrue to sales management when sales compensation is automated. Ecolab's...Read more

Sales leaders ask with some frequency: "If we changed our sales process, could our current sales force be successful?" The sales organization must adapt in response to changes in buyer behavior, increased competition, disruptive technology, segmentation strategy changes, and many other factors. Yet different sales processes often require different selling...Read more

This study examines the effects of goal setting on salesperson effort and new product sales. Employing the motivation hub’s theoretical framework, company-assigned goals (i.e., quotas), self-set goals, and self-efficacy are modeled as antecedents to selling effort and new product sales. To investigate the model, longitudinal data were collected from 143...Read more