Many of us have received our quota and thought, “Where the $#@&! did this number come from?” Today, you will learn the truth. I’ll shed some light on how quotas get created, how they are assigned, and what you can do about it. You may be surprised.
Creating an Effective Commission Plan
As a sales professional, I have been paid for sales results my entire career. Specifically, this included a salary + commission. As a recipient of commissions, as the administrator of commission plans and as the creator of commission plans, I have learned that the best plans follow two rules: Keep it SIMPLE. Be Generous when Rewarding…
How Much to Pay a New Sales Rep
Let’s talk money. Today, we’re going to discuss real-world pay rates for Inside Sales Reps. Although I have decades of experience hiring sales reps, I won’t be sharing anecdotes about the “good old days” when we made peanuts compared to today’s Millennials, worked longer hours and then walked home uphill through 2 feet of snow….
How Long Will it Take to Ramp Up Your Sales Team?
About 2 years ago, I saw a video of a guy doing handstand pushups. Despite having never done a handstand in my entire life, I thought, “I’ll bet I can do that. I’m in good shape. I workout every day. ” I couldn’t do a single handstand push up. But what I lack in skill and technique,…
Weekly 1-on-1s for Sales Reps – Set Goals, Make Things Happen and Cement Relationships
I learned how important weekly 1-on-1s could be early in my career from one of my first mentors. He dedicated 1 hour every Friday afternoon to meet with me. During these meetings we discussed sales opportunities, challenges and areas where I needed his help. I learned so much from him in these 1-on-1s that I…
Why You Should Always Be Training Your Replacement
If you are the Top Sales Rep, a Team Lead, a Manager, a Director, or a VP, you should always be grooming someone to replace you. Many leaders neglect to do this. When they do, they are dooming themselves and their teams to complacency and mediocrity. There are many good reasons for training your replacement:…
My Story – A Meandering Path to a Career in Sales
I was not born a “natural salesman”. Instead, I followed a meandering path that eventually led me to a career in Sales. This is my story. Childhood I spent my early childhood years in Tamaqua, a declining coal mining town in eastern Pennsylvania. Multiple generations of my close knit relatives lived within a few blocks…
Use Inbox Zero to Take Control of Your Email, Your Day and Your Mind
As far as I’m concerned, there’s only one way for sales professionals to effectively manage email and that’s Inbox Zero. Today I will explain the Inside Sales Dude Inbox Zero method. It is simple, effective, & repeatable. I’ve been using it for more than 10 years in multiple companies. This is not really about the…
Block Time for Sales Reps to Manage Daily Activity
How can a Sales Rep make 75 outbound calls a day, send another 75 personalized email follow ups, perform a few sales demos, attend a mandatory all-hands meeting, follow up on emails, close business and still get out of the office at a decent hour? I’ve talked about using the 3 Big Rocks method for…
Software I Use to Work Remotely
Last week I arrived at my airport gate only to see FLIGHT CANCELLED on the screen beside the gate. I approached the agent and was told, “Don’t worry. There’s no problem. Instead of flying you to Orlando for your connection to Fort Lauderdale, you’ve been automatically rebooked to fly into Baltimore and from there catch a connection to Florida. You’ll arrive in Florida by…