When it comes to talent management, it’s critical for organizations to bring the best talent into their sales forces. But how can companies actually find sales rep candidates in the marketplace with the Challenger Rep skill set? Sales Insights Challenger Rep Hiring Sales TalentThe best bet is to hire more Challenger Reps, since this kind of rep is 4x more likely to be a high performer in today’s selling environment. Find out now. MORE >>

I’ve been getting a large number of M&A-related questions lately, specifically on how to integrate two different sales forces, the challenges posed by new or changing roles and responsibilities of reps and managers, as well as the shuffling of accounts that normally accompany a merger. To help, I’ve compiled here some key learnings gathered from members who have integrated two different sales forces into one. The merging of two sales forces will bring new sales processes, new tools/templates, and potentially new roles/responsibilities and skills.  MORE >>

But, we still ask this same question in Sales – is a sales manager born a great coach or can a sales manager become a great coach? The good news – our research at the Sales Executive Council shows we CAN make great coaches , which means there are more than just a few “Hall of Fame” sales coaches out there. But now the question becomes, HOW do we foster successful coaching in our sales organizations?  What’s required to make “Hall of Fame” sales coaches?  . Sales Insights Sales CoachingWhy focus on core performers? MORE >>

Here are a few must-reads to add to your list: Top 3 SEC Resources for FS and Banking Sales Professionals: 1. What it is: SEC FS and Banking members’ most popular resource, this study details how a single rep profile—the “Challenger”—is five times more likely to be a high performer than the type of rep most companies are creating–the “Relationship Builder” Challenger™ reps succeed because they excel in three major skills that set them apart from others: teaching unique perspectives, tailoring messages for resonance, and asserting control of sales interactions. MORE >>

Which is why, we, in Sales, are going through some changes. In this world, we’ve seen Challengers and the Commercial Insight that they bring to sales conversation be the critical market differentiator; which is why so many of you have decided to go down the Challenger path or still look at the possibility of it. Sales Messaging—here, it’s about enabling the sales organization and those in the field to have a teaching conversation with customers and prospects. Sales Enablement—ensuring the sales tools and processes align with the Challenger approach. MORE >>