SBI BlogRevenue Growth Insights

Coaching & Training

Managing Enterprise Sales: Quality vs. Quantity

Previously, we discussed why “linearity” doesn’t work when managing enterprise sales opportunities. Selling to the enter...

19 Nov 21

5 min read

By David Jacoby Read More

Coaching & Training

3 Key Skills You Already Have as a Non-Sales Professional

For some people, the word “sales” comes along with its own set of baggage and negative connotations. Your point of refer...

15 Nov 21

6 min read

By Norman Behar Read More

Coaching & Training

The Problem with Linearity in Enterprise Sales Opportunities

Many senior sales leaders are enamored with “linearity”- the concept that the sales process can be broken into monthly, ...

10 Nov 21

4 min read

By David Jacoby Read More

Coaching & Training

Q4 Sales Closing Techniques and Strategies

Willie Sutton, an infamous bank robber, was asked why he robbed banks, and he responded, "Because that's where the money...

29 Oct 21

6 min read

By Ray Makela Read More

Coaching & Training

Selling to the Chief Technology Officer

If you sell technology solutions, you know that meeting with Technology Officers early in the sales process can dramatic...

22 Oct 21

6 min read

By David Jacoby Read More

Coaching & Training

Leveraging Conversation Intelligence to Improve Sales Coaching

In our research report 5 Hallmarks of High-Impact Sales Organizations, we identified sales coaching as the top sales man...

1 Oct 21

5 min read

By Norman Behar Read More

Coaching & Training

Selling to Complex Accounts: Your Customer Coach Relationship Strength

When navigating a large, complex sales opportunity, one of the most important relationships a sales rep can cultivate is...

30 Sep 21

4 min read

By David Jacoby Read More

Coaching & Training

Position Yourself as a Trusted Advisor, Not a Salesperson

“Do you mind if I ask you a few questions to understand your needs better?” This is the go-to line most salespeople use ...

22 Sep 21

5 min read

By David Jacoby Read More

Coaching & Training

Motivating Salespeople in a Hybrid Environment

Many companies are wrestling with the question about what their future work environment looks like as they emerge from C...

17 Sep 21

7 min read

By Ray Makela Read More

Coaching & Training

The Challenge of Overreliance on Sales Stars, and What To Do About It

Many sales organizations have become overly reliant on their top sales performers to achieve their goals. While it is co...

31 Aug 21

5 min read

By Norman Behar Read More

Coaching & Training

How to Establish Credibility with Customers

Inevitably at some point during a sales call, the customer will ask, “Who else have you done this for?” What they’re rea...

24 Aug 21

3 min read

By David Jacoby Read More

Coaching & Training

Accelerate Sales Ramp-Up Time in a Hybrid World For Employees

Blended learning approaches are certainly not new, but given the challenges over the past 18 months, we are seeing many ...

19 Aug 21

7 min read

By Ray Makela Read More

Coaching & Training

The X Factor: 5 Key Qualities to Look for in Sales Trainers

The success of a sales training initiative is based on multiple considerations as noted in my prior blog posts: How to C...

31 Jul 21

5 min read

By Norman Behar Read More

Coaching & Training

How to Get Access to Key Executives

In previous blogs, we discussed how to prepare for a meeting with a key executive (see here and here). But the 800-pound...

26 Jul 21

6 min read

By David Jacoby Read More

Coaching & Training

Empathy in Sales & Why Your Sales Team Should Develop This Skill

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella often speaks of how his career – and his company – have been shaped by empathy. He views it ...

19 Jul 21

7 min read

By Ray Makela Read More

Coaching & Training

Selling to Key Executives: Start with Research

How do you prepare for a meeting with a CXO or other important executive? A friend of mine who is a senior investment ba...

14 Jul 21

7 min read

By David Jacoby Read More

Coaching & Training

How to Choose a Sales Training Partner

Most companies don’t go through the process of hiring a sales training partner very often. When they do, they’re often l...

30 Jun 21

9 min read

By Ray Makela Read More

Coaching & Training

4 Key Factors for Developing a Sales Training Program

When companies experience sales challenges, they often view sales training as the solution. While training can impact sa...

28 Jun 21

5 min read

By Norman Behar Read More

Coaching & Training

How COVID-19 Created a Collaborative Learning Experience Virtually

With in-person, instructor-led training off the table for over a year, companies had to innovate and leverage technology...

14 Jun 21

4 min read

By Norman Behar Read More

Coaching & Training

Psychology of a Successful Salesperson

Here’s a post one of my colleagues recently made on LinkedIn after a long day of prospecting: “Today, I made 114 calls. ...

14 May 21

4 min read

By David Jacoby Read More

Coaching & Training

Student Perspectives on Online, Collaborative Sales Training

The expansion of online, collaborative learning is one of the most exciting evolutions to come out of the challenges of ...

30 Apr 21

5 min read

By Ray Makela Read More

Coaching & Training

Sales Training That Sticks: Five Key Success Factors

Sales organizations continue to invest in sales training but are often challenged when it comes to demonstrating that th...

26 Apr 21

6 min read

By Norman Behar Read More

Coaching & Training

Selling to the Enterprise Customer vs. the SMB Market

One of the biggest challenges for a sales organization is moving upmarket. For example, if you target the small- and med...

21 Apr 21

4 min read

By David Jacoby Read More

Coaching & Training

4 Key Leadership Mindsets for Your Sales Team's Success

Sales leaders often achieved their position based on their individual success and personal attributes. But when their ro...

8 Apr 21

6 min read

By Ray Makela Read More

Coaching & Training

What I Learned Talking to 53 Sales Managers

Last week, I surveyed 53 sales managers, asking them, among other things, what essential skills their top-performing sal...

31 Mar 21

4 min read

By David Jacoby Read More

Coaching & Training

What Ted Lasso Can Teach Us About Leading a Sales Team

“I think that’s what it’s all about: embracing change and being brave.” While this line is very applicable to the events...

27 Mar 21

8 min read

By Ray Makela Read More

Coaching & Training

Improve Pipeline Management & Increase Win Rates

Managing your team’s sales pipeline is both an art and a science – and that’s why it’s one of the most challenging aspec...

18 Mar 21

5 min read

By Norman Behar Read More

Coaching & Training

6 Ways to Encourage Your Customer to Keep Talking

Early in the sales process, typically during discovery, it’s critical to learn as much about your customer’s issues, con...

5 Mar 21

3 min read

By David Jacoby Read More

Coaching & Training

The Sales Manager's Role in Building a High-Performance Team

Hiring isn’t an exact science. Sometimes you think you have identified the perfect sales candidate, and it doesn’t pan o...

26 Feb 21

7 min read

By Ray Makela Read More

Coaching & Training

Selling: It’s Not as Simple as ABC

Sales leaders often express that their sales teams need to close more business. While these leaders may be frustrated wi...

19 Feb 21

5 min read

By Norman Behar Read More

Coaching & Training

You Had a Great Sales Kickoff Meeting – What Now?

The typical in-person Sales Kickoff (SKO) looked very different this year – and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In f...

5 Feb 21

5 min read

By Ray Makela Read More

Coaching & Training

What Do My Sales Reps Do All Day?

One universal challenge of managing a remote sales team can be summed up with the simple question, “What do my sales rep...

26 Jan 21

6 min read

By Norman Behar Read More

Coaching & Training

4 Simple Steps to Positive Meetings with Key Executives

It’s harder than ever to reach senior executives. The usual protections provided by gatekeepers are still there—but now ...

22 Jan 21

7 min read

By Ray Makela Read More

Coaching & Training

Three Relationships You Must Build for Sales Success

Stop me if this sounds familiar: Your salesperson tells you that the first meeting with the major account was a success....

11 Dec 20

5 min read

By David Jacoby Read More

Coaching & Training

Going From Virtual Training to Collaborative Learning

COVID-19 has accelerated the move from traditional classroom-based sales training to virtual training. Participants' exp...

9 Dec 20

5 min read

By Ray Makela Read More

Coaching & Training

Use These 6 Persuasion Principles to Improve Your Selling

While COVID-19 has forced sales organizations to make a dramatic shift towards selling virtually, it hasn’t changed huma...

16 Nov 20

5 min read

By David Jacoby Read More

Coaching & Training

How To Create Effective & Engaging Virtual SKO

For decades, the annual Sales Kickoff (SKO) has served as the premier event for companies to bring their sales teams tog...

26 Oct 20

4 min read

By Norman Behar Read More

Virtual Selling

Tips for Virtual Sales Calls: The Virtual Selling Readiness Checklist

Is your team ready to sell virtually? Training for virtual selling is about a lot more than just slapping the name “Virt...

4 Sep 20

3 min read

By Ray Makela Read More

Coaching & Training

How to Establish Your Credibility on a Virtual Sales Call

Whether your selling virtually or in-person, the first minutes of an initial sales call with a new prospect are critical...

3 Sep 20

4 min read

By David Jacoby Read More

Coaching & Training

How to Conduct a Virtual Sales Call & Connect with Customers

We receive a lot of inquiries about how to help sales reps improve their ability to engage with clients effectively—espe...

21 Aug 20

10 min read

By Ray Makela Read More