Top Sales Library - a resource of all things sales

Mike Schultz

3 Ways to Add Value to Your Sales Meetings (Most Sellers Don’t Do)

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One of the most eye-opening stats from our latest research, Top Performance in Sales Prospecting, is the lack of value buyers report receiving in their sales meetings. Many sellers talk about value and say they provide exceptional value to their customers, yet few are actually delivering on this promise. In the study of 488 buyers,… Read More

4 Steps to Fill Your Pipeline with Quality Opportunities

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Prospecting is a challenge for even the most experienced sellers, and with the shift to working, buying, and selling virtually, organic opportunities to make new connections and create conversations have disappeared. There aren’t any in-person networking events, tradeshows, travel, or opportunities to grab dinner, a cup of coffee, or attend a sporting event together. Filling… Read More

4 Ways to Improve Productivity

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I can hardly read a magazine, pick up a business book, or watch a talk show without hearing someone talking about the latest trick for improving productivity. Being a skeptical person, my first reaction to these claims is “show me the research.” Sure enough, nine times out of 10 these “tips” aren’t backed by any… Read More

4 Ways to Improve Productivity

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I can hardly read a magazine, pick up a business book, or watch a talk show without hearing someone talking about the latest trick for improving productivity. Being a skeptical person, my first reaction to these claims is “show me the research.” Sure enough, nine times out of 10 these “tips” aren’t backed by any… Read More

5 Common Sales Negotiation Mistakes

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Negotiations are everywhere. From selling big corporate deals and setting salaries to deciding what to watch on TV and getting your kids to eat their vegetables, we’re constantly playing a game of give and take. For every negotiation you encounter, you’ll find at least ten different pieces of advice telling you ten different ways to… Read More

5 Roles of a Sales Coach

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Great sales managers need to be great sales coaches, and great sales coaches do five things well. Most leaders agree the opportunity to improve sales performance through coaching is tremendous. Unfortunately, while companies are enjoying success with business coaching in general, sales coaching is often a major disappointment. When done well, sales coaching produces excellent… Read More

50 Powerful Sales Questions

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Asking incisive questions is an essential part of any sales conversation. Great sales questions help you find out what’s going on in your buyer’s world. They help you connect with buyers, understand buyer needs and what’s important to them, and help you drive the sale forward. In this guide, we share 50 of the most… Read More

7 Ideas for Building Trust in Sales

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Lots of things have changed in the world of sales, but some things have not. Building trust was important 50 years ago, and it’s just as important today. When buyers trust sellers, they depend on them, listen to them, give them access, and spend time with them. Trust is critical for sales success. But today’s… Read More

7 Qualities of a Great Sales Negotiator

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What makes a great negotiator? Negotiation is a craft that can be learned by just about anyone, as I discussed in my recent podcast with RainToday. There are, however, certain characteristics of great negotiators that are difficult to develop through the even the most rigorous of training initiatives. They are qualities you either have or… Read More

9 Habits of Extreme Productivity

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The most successful sellers are motivated, proactive, focused, and goal-oriented. Indeed, they get the most done and achieve the best results in less time. So what makes these sellers significantly more productive? We all have the same number of hours in a day, yet some sellers achieve considerably more than others. The answer: They’re systematic…. Read More

9 Principles of Virtual Learning Success

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Since the global pandemic of 2020 began, virtual training has become an imperative. But designing and delivering effective virtual training is more the exception than the norm. Virtual training failure is all too common. That’s because virtual training that works is still in its infancy, and most organizations struggle to convert what works for in-person… Read More

Curious How to Win More Sales?

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One of the major findings of our research on What Sales Winners Do Differently is that today’s sales winners don’t just sell the value of their products and services, they are the value. They are knowledgeable experts who bring ideas and new perspectives to the table. Essentially, they harness the power of ideas when selling,… Read More

How to Build Fluent Product Knowledge and Improve Sales Success

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Build product knowledge to improve sales success. Salespeople know what they sell, and they sell what they know. When it comes to salesperson knowledge, people know too little about their particular industry, their customers’ needs, and their company’s products and services to be able to sell the full suite of solutions. Without this knowledge they… Read More

How to Lead a Masterful Sales Negotiation

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A sales negotiation can be lengthy, nerve-wracking, and complex. For many sellers, every negotiation adds at least one gray hair. The challenge is that too many people find themselves in a sales negotiation, but they don’t understand the underlying dynamics of how sales negotiations work. To help you master the art of sales negotiation, we’ve… Read More

Is Relationship Building in Sales Dead?

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There’s been a lot of noise the last couple years declaring relationship selling dead. “The Internet has changed everything.” “Personal connections don’t matter anymore.” “Selling is not about relationships.” “Throw out everything you thought you knew about sales, Armageddon is coming!” Blah, blah, etc. As we’ve discussed before, we strongly disagree with the idea that… Read More

Negotiation Tactics: Who Should Go First?

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Too many sellers wait for the buyer to drive the sales negotiation. Instead, sellers should go first and take control. Rule No. 3 in the 6 Essential Rules of Sales Negotiation is Lead the Negotiation. When buyers take control, sellers are often left playing catch up, and reacting instead of leading the negotiation to a… Read More