Improve Sales Management

It Takes More Than Compensation to Unleash a Sales Force

It Takes More Than Just Compensation to Unleash a Sales Force!

By Dave Kahle / May 6, 2022

I’m often asked to help a company refine their sales force compensation plans. As a consulting company, that’s work that we regularly do. I believe in having a well-designed, effectively managed compensation plan as a fundamental part of any productive sales system. But, it’s a mistake to think that the compensation plan is the entire solution. It’s only a part.…

Read More

How Do You Get ’em to do What You Want ’em to?

By Dave Kahle / April 6, 2022

“How do I get ’em to do what I want ’em to?” That’s probably the question I’m asked more than any other. Frustrated CEOs, CSO’s and sales managers express that thought over and over, in one way or another. They’re talking about their salespeople, of course. They harbor a feeling that some of their salespeople just aren’t doing what they…

Read More
adult-analyzing-brainstorming-collaboration

Transforming Your Sales Force by Creating Specific Expectations

By Dave Kahle / November 4, 2021

Excerpt from Transforming Your Sales Force for the 21st Century by Dave Kahle. I just finished a phone call with a potential client who had called to discuss a problem.  His 18-person sales force was paid on straight commission.  All had been with the company for 8 – 15 years and were earning healthy incomes.  His problem was that he…

Read More

Developing Your Salesperson

By Dave Kahle / May 4, 2021

Which of these issues are worrying you these days? Keeping the good salespeople you have? Motivating your salespeople? Stimulating your salespeople to become more productive? Attracting good quality, new salespeople? If you are concerned about any one of these issues, you are not alone.  These are near the top of almost every businessperson’s list these days.  With good reason.  If…

Read More

On Fielding a Directable Sales Force

By Dave Kahle / April 14, 2021

Not long ago I was speaking at a national sales meeting for a large regional distributor. The regional vice president for the company’s primary manufacturer was at the meeting, supporting the efforts of his big distributor. At the coffee break, we struck up a conversation. “Three years ago, I was the regional vice-president of sales for my company,” he told…

Read More

Sales Leader’s Question: When to terminate?

By Dave Kahle / January 8, 2021

Question: Our business has been struggling for the last year or so. Several of my salespeople are just not producing.  I’m not sure I can continue to work with them.  When do I decide to terminate their employment? Answer: Wouldn’t it be nice if we didn’t have to ask this question? In an ideal world, everyone would succeed, and our…

Read More

Sales Manager Q & A: Should you penalize sales people?

By Dave Kahle / December 4, 2018

Once you set up a compensation plan, you are, I believe, obligated to meet the terms of that plan.  That doesn’t mean that you can’t change the plan.

Read More
The best sales managers invest in the regular and continuous development of their sales force. DaveKahle.com

Sales managers most common mistakes, #3 of 3

By Dave Kahle / August 17, 2018

The wise sales manager will require some minimum standard for entry level people, and then regular and continuous development of those who are on the inside.

Read More
The best sales managers give direction and feedback | DaveKahle.com

Sales managers most common mistakes, #2 of 3

By Dave Kahle / August 6, 2018

In most surveys of what sales people really want from their managers, “direction and feedback” are often at the very top of the list.

Read More
How strong is your sales structure? DaveKahle.com

Sales managers most common mistakes, #1 of 3

By Dave Kahle / May 31, 2018

A highly focused, strategically-designed sales structure can be one of the company’s greatest assets, as it ultimately shapes the behavior of the sales force.

Read More

Archives