Four of the most common terms you will hear anywhere in sales are prospect, lead, contact, and opportunity. Sometimes they are used interchangeably, but each has their own distinct meaning that directly refers to the sales process. So what exactly is a lead, a prospect, contact, and an opportunity? What do the terms mean, how […]

The onboarding of sales development representatives (SDRs) is one of the most challenging, and sometimes underserviced parts of a business. Sales development roles are commonly treated as entry-level positions. SDRs are given as little as a week of onboarding, and are expected to get by with on-the-job learning. This, combined with steep quotas, mean the […]

In TOPO’s 2019 Sales Development Benchmark Report, 88% of respondents cited SDRs as an important channel in their outbound strategy. Combined with an increasing emphasis on the importance of live call execution and conversational skills, it’s clear that the role of a sales development rep has changed. This change necessitates a shift in the skillset […]

Scaling, or the stage that follows the growth phase of an organization, is especially hard on a sales team. At this point of growth, significant executive attention and pressure is placed on new revenue growth. Additionally, when selling a new product in an emerging market, freshly hired sellers & managers are tasked with testing messaging […]

If you’re not one of 54.3% of sales reps that meet or exceed their sales goals, you’re probably wondering how to become one. You may think it requires constant pitching, non-stop prospecting, and continuously pushing towards a close. If so, you’re wrong. Top-performing sales reps get that way by doing things very differently. They do […]

Today’s business buyers are accustomed to personalized buying experiences. We all experience the convenience and speed of consumer transactions in our personal lives, and have come to expect it in the workplace as well. Salesforce found that 80% of customers say the experience a company provides is as important as its products and services. The […]

According to Marketo, 10.99% of sales referrals convert. The same research found that only 0.9% of regular sales prospects turn into customers. That’s a huge difference. One reason for this variance is likely due to the fact that only 3% of people consider salespeople to be trustworthy. Additionally, most buyers now research and select vendors […]

No matter how consistently you coach your reps or how well they’ve performed in the past, there are always times when sales teams struggle to hit their goals. This can be especially true at the end of a challenging quarter or year. Your reps may be giving it their all, but seem to be running […]

Sales reps typically acquire leads from marketing lists, online campaigns, research, social media, or old-fashioned cold calling. These often provide sufficient lead volume for team members to hit their targets. But, sometimes they just aren’t enough. Where can reps find more leads to meet or exceed their goals as the end of the month, quarter, […]

Hubspot found that the average sales close rate is between 15 and 27%, depending on the industry. With over 70% of deals falling through, everyone has plenty of lost or dropped sales opportunities in their CRM. These prospects fail to convert numerous reasons, from no decision, postponed, budget constraints, contact departure, to even a slow […]

In B2B sales, the right sales discovery questions are absolutely essential to a successful sale. It is during the discovery period that sales reps can uncover the information that moves deals forward. The find the pains, needs, wants, and problems that the prospect is experiencing and can therefore tailor their sale to their specific use […]

Prospects do not want to be rushed through your buying process while feeling like just another number or box to check. When it comes down to it, buyers purchase from people they like and trust. In both B2C and B2B purchases, buyers develop emotional connections that influence their purchase decisions. To increase your chances of […]