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Done well, Customer Relationship Management software (CRM) can be the best asset a small to mid-sized business has. Done poorly, it is a very frustrating time waster. It only works if you use it – and use it right. The first step to navigating around CRM roadblocks is identifying them. This article covers five key challenges organizations must overcome to be successful with CRM

It would be stretching it to say that with a plan and the right technology in place, navigating a sales cycle is as easy as plugging an address into a GPS and driving to your next appointment or making your next phone call. It is not a stretch to say, however, that without a territory management plan, an understanding of the buying process, a CRM system, a defined end goal and an understanding of how to maximize the effectiveness of the technology available, your organization will struggle to reach its sales objectives. This article discusses what it takes to implement a successful territory management plan.

Holiday season is approaching fast and all of us are turning to loads of ways to enjoy the festive fun. If any rocking event is coming up this holiday and you have a ticket still left to sell, this article can help you fill the seats in the last minute. Here we are talking about all those important aspects, which can help you boost your last-minute ticket sales.

Done correctly, CRM is about discipline – the discipline to record key information about customers and prospects, to analyze and interpret that information and to act upon what you have learned. It’s also about results – about having real-time data at your fingertips and being able to move on a dime if you notice things are trending in a new direction. In short, CRM done right is less about the system itself and more about how you use it. Oftentimes small to mid-sized businesses fail to capture the information they need within the system and those that do capture it aren’t sure what to do with it. So, what should you be doing?

A well-thought-out coverage strategy is often overlooked as a competitive advantage. But forward-thinking CSOs know that it is the foundation for effectively supporting their customers, adding value, and improving the company’s bottom line. A successful strategy for how your selling organization covers your customers is solid and resilient, able to withstand changes in customer preferences, product lines, and economic conditions.

By helping your salespeople identify what they’ll gain by achieving their goals, you put the incentive to succeed on their shoulders. They’ll be better motivated by being able to envision what success can help them attain in life.

As a rule, 20% of salespeople are responsible for 80% sales volume and turnover among reps is high. Suffice it to say that hiring and retaining successful salespeople is integral to sustainable growth. But what exactly constitutes a top 20% salesperson, how can he or she be picked out from a crowd of applicants and how do you reduce turnover? This is an age-old question.

Mystery shopping seems to be a growing practice around the world as businesses try to monitor their customer service. By stepping into the shoes of their customer, they can gain perspective.

Training sales managers is not always the first thing that sales directors think about. Instead the focus seems to be on training the new sales representative. Yet the reality is if a new sales representative is supported and coached they are likely to sell twice as much as a representative who is not.

Training sales managers in your organisation will improve your results. An established fact. Though what are the key core skills to focus on that will bring the highest rewards. This is Part 2 of our core skills for sales managers.