Sales Cultures Redefined: Recent Episodes
Taylor Cooper
Lance Cooper, CEO and founder of SalesManage Solutions, gives you tips for redefining sales cultures for today’s young reps and leaders - ones that win when facing sales performance challenges. You’ll hear remarkable sales leaders tell you about their philosophies and sales increasing strategies. You’ll also learn practical skills that will build an outstanding sales culture through the best recruiting, on-boarding and coaching systems: processes, tools and skills. Over a thirty year span, he has coached salespeople and sales leaders in over 300 companies and in multiple markets to redefine their cultures from good to great. Listen and hear proven methods that will work to increase sales, income and to transform the lives of people in three different generations: Z, Y and X!
Join us as we look at how the best companies in the world build cultures that last through a view that is longer and more impactful than short-term wins.
Character is crucial in building a successful sales team. Inspired by Dr. Thomas Wright and Tyler Lauer’s 2013 research, we explore why integrity and ethics are vital for long-term success. Let's look at how to identify and recruit sales reps with strong character and how this approach leads to sustained profitability and growth. The CTS Sales Profile: https://ctssalesprofile.com/
Assertiveness, or social confidence, helps sales leaders interact effectively, set clear expectations, ask tough questions, and handle crucial conversations. This trait impacts the skills great sales leaders need, such as selling ability, creating sales plans, setting inspiring goals, coaching consultative selling, confronting challenges, effective communication, one-on-one coaching, and building teams.Thanks for joining us this week. Reach out for help in selecting and developing your sales leaders. Until next time, keep recruiting and coaching the best!The CTS Sales Profile: https://ctssalesprofile.com/
There are essential traits that predict long-term success in a sales manager position. Contrary to popular belief, the best sales leaders aren't always the top salespeople. We explore the critical factors beyond mere sales prowess that make an outstanding sales manager and the areas to focus on when recruiting them.Selecting the right sales manager is pivotal, impacting sales rep retention, customer satisfaction, profits, and overall sales culture. Let us guide you in making this critical decision and improving your hiring process. Reach out to learn more about selecting the perfect sales manager for your team's success.The CTS Sales Profile: https://ctssalesprofile.com/
Let's challenge the common notion of motivating others and explore the intrinsic drivers that propel sales professionals to excel. Contrary to popular belief, motivation isn't something we can give to others; instead, it emerges from within, influenced by various factors.We'll cover the three primary sources of motivation for sales reps, shedding light on the traits that distinguish top performers. From the competitive spirit fueled by the desire to surpass others to the pursuit of financial stability driven by personal goals, we'll share the motivators we've discovered after interacting with thousands of sales people.We offer practical strategies for recruiting and nurturing top talent by showing how to identify personality traits to provide structured guidance and training. Whether you're an experienced recruiter or a sales leader seeking to optimize team dynamics, this podcast provides valuable insights to enhance your hiring and management practices.
Join us as we explore the three core areas of sales coaching: Sales Planning, Activity Management, and Face-to-Face Prospect and Customer Interaction. Within each area, we identify keystone habits that serve as the foundation for achieving outstanding sales goals and fostering a strong company brand.
There are ten critical mistakes that hinder successful sales team recruitment, affecting predictive hiring accuracy. Let's look at these pitfalls and how they can significantly impact the selection of top-tier sales representatives and reduce success rates.From lacking precise job descriptions and structured recruiting systems to overlooking character traits and sourcing inefficiencies, learn what to avoid in the pursuit of recruiting exceptional sales talent.
In this episode, we look at a salesperson's drive defined in psychological realms as the conscious pursuit of chosen goals.Our discussion navigates pivotal questions for exceptional sales leadership—understanding one's own motivations towards winning as a sales representative and assessing the present strength of the 'will to win'. Furthermore, we explore the crucial considerations for sales coaches in comprehending the motivational triggers and strength levels of their sales team members, both existing and potential.
In this episode, learn how Sanders inspires contagious confidence and sets high standards while genuinely caring for team progress. Discover practical parallels between football challenges and sales environments, mastering the art of fostering optimism amid adversity.Explore the power of hope in leadership, celebrating incremental progress and setting growth expectations. Gain insights into nurturing a culture of effort, excellence, and confidence rooted in hard work, aligning sales teams with a winning mindset.Also, don’t miss our new YouTube channel, CTS Sales Profile Solutions, for actionable insights! Subscribe and stay tuned for a new video each week!
Lance delves into the pivotal influence of a sales leader's mindset on team success in this episode.Referencing a Wall Street Journal article, Lance explores how deeply held beliefs shape behaviors, impacting various aspects of life like exercise routines and financial management. He shares personal anecdotes, shedding light on childhood influences that continue to affect decision-making in adulthood.Drawing from the research of Stanford's Carol Dweck on mindsets, Lance highlights the dichotomy between fixed and growth mindsets, illustrating their profound impact on resilience and perseverance when faced with challenges.We encourage listeners to challenge limiting beliefs, seek positive influences, and evolve as leaders. Tune in to this episode to reshape beliefs and mindsets for personal growth and bolstering team success.
This episode discusses the inherent desire for personal and professional greatness, and it draws from sports coaching wisdom, emphasizing attitudes like determination and humility as crucial drivers of success, more potent than innate talent.
This episode looks at the challenges faced by today's new graduates and the implications for the world of sales. The education landscape has drastically transformed in recent times, with the pandemic causing a shift from in-person classes to remote learning. Many new graduates lack practical experience and essential life skills due to the isolation and digitalization of their education. Lance breaks down the 15 essential face-to-face interactions or interpersonal skills that form the foundation of successful sales careers.
How To Successfully Prospect For New Business Is Like Fishing Not Catching by Lance Cooper
In this episode of Sales Cultures Refined, your host Lance Cooper delves into the importance of implementing challenging tests in the recruitment process to hire the best salespeople. Lance begins by posing intriguing questions about the admissions process for fields like medical school, pilot's licenses, and nuclear site visits. He explores the idea of making the candidate experience a priority over conducting a thorough review of mental state, cognitive capabilities, personality, and character.
Drawing parallels with professional sports like the NFL, where stringent selection criteria are crucial for survival, Lance highlights how many companies fail to value the sales position adequately. He shares examples of organizations that offer attractive benefits and salaries, yet still experience high turnover within the first few months.
Last time, we delved into the power of stories and how they can lead to long-term sales success. Today, we're going to dive deeper into the world of storytelling and word pictures, discovering the most powerful types of stories and where to use them in the sales process.
In today's episode, we'll focus on training salespeople to introduce themselves and their companies using the power of storytelling. We'll also explore what constitutes a story and how it can effectively convey truths or influence actions.
In this episode, we embark on a journey into the world of storytelling and its profound impact on long-term sales success. Inspired by the beloved children's tale, "The Velveteen Rabbit," we explore how genuine connection, authenticity, and resilience are fundamental keys to real, lasting success in sales and sales leadership.
Discover the remarkable ways in which personal narratives shape one's identity, mental health, and overall satisfaction. We delve into the art of communicating personal stories in sales, illustrating how authenticity and passion can build trust and empathy with customers, ultimately fostering meaningful connections and sustainable relationships.
In this episode, we dive into the often underestimated yet powerful impact of assessments in selecting exceptional sales representatives. Drawing from our extensive experience with thousands of companies, we shed light on how validated assessments, when combined with other recruitment tools, become an invaluable aid for identifying top-tier sales talent.
We delve into the evolving definition of success and how it differs across generations. Drawing insights from Bruce Feller's groundbreaking book, "The Search: Finding Meaningful Work in a Post-Career World," we uncover the findings of extensive interviews conducted with both Generation Z and Generation Xrs. These interviews reveal a trend of young individuals leaving traditional jobs in search of more purposeful work-life integration. The pursuit of meaningful work has become their primary objective, with less emphasis on wealth and status. So, what does this mean for sales leaders, recruiters, and company owners?
In this episode, we dive into the fascinating dynamics of leadership and how assertiveness and compassion play crucial roles in achieving success. Inspired by a discussion sparked by a Jordan Peterson podcast, we explore a study involving chimpanzees and draw parallels to the challenges faced by a CEO in coaching her sales manager.
In this episode, we dive into the profound impact of having a customer-oriented approach in sales and how it can make a significant difference in long-term success for companies. The discussion is sparked by a thought-provoking comment from a listener: "Redefined adequate to be attentive." We explore the idea of providing exceptional service and why being just adequate or attentive may not be enough.Join us in this thought-provoking episode as we explore why settling for mediocrity or being just good enough can impede progress and hinder success. Learn how focusing on the fundamental aspects of sales and fostering genuine customer relationships can propel you and your team towards greatness, leading to increased profitability, customer loyalty, and an outstanding reputation in your industry. Don't settle for good when greatness is within your reach!
In this episode, I will describe my experience at a coffee shop in Tennessee and contrast it with a negative experience I had at a corporate store. I want to emphasize the importance of customer orientation and attitude in sales and customer service. Furthermore, the podcast delves into the impact of non-verbal cues and appearance on the perceived believability of public speakers. It reminded me of the significance of projecting sincerity and authenticity through body language and overall presentation. It made me realize that by focusing on serving others and adopting an attitude of service, we can build meaningful connections and run successful businesses.
The episode discusses the challenges faced by entrepreneurs and recruiters when hiring salespeople and highlights seven common recruiting missteps that decrease the chances of hiring top performers. These missteps include overemphasizing past experience, relying solely on non-structured interviews, inadequate job descriptions, insufficient focus on cultural fit, rushed hiring processes, neglecting passive candidates, and lack of a validated assessment.
The episode emphasizes the importance of hiring the best people who can sell what a company sells in the right way, rather than just hiring based on charisma or personal liking. It warns against the pitfalls of a "grow at all costs" mentality that leads to recruiting numbers over quality and valuing profit over customer relationships.
This episode discusses the hard sell approach used in various industries and why sales managers should adopt a more customer-centric approach. The hard sell approach involves using high-pressure tactics to convince potential buyers to make a purchase, often relying on emotional manipulation, false scarcity, and other unethical tactics to close deals.
In this episode, we take a look at current statistics saying that AI will take over a huge portion of jobs in America. We look at what sales jobs ChatGPT says it can perform better than humans. We ask it to tell us what salespeople can do to keep AI from taking over their jobs and more!
This podcast discusses how optimism fuels higher sales excellence. The CTS Sales Profile defines optimism as a measure of the salesperson's tendency to see what happens to them in a positive context. High scorers on the CTS Sales Profile prefer sales teams with "can do" cultures where negativity is absent. They believe that bad things can result in positive outcomes and that they control their destiny.
This episode explores how a salesperson's belief in others can impact their relationship with their sales manager, prospecting, rapport-building, handling objections, and their ability to close deals. We discuss research studies and insights from sales experts to provide practical knowledge to use when recruiting salespeople.
In this episode, we talk about self-promotion, which measures a salesperson's tendency to exaggerate strengths and downplay weaknesses in order to leave a favorable impression. The discussion highlights the strengths and weaknesses of each high and low self-promotion and how it affects the sales process.
In this episode, we discuss the importance of the trait of compassion in successful salespeople. The CTS Sales Profile, a sales assessment tool, measures nine traits, including compassion. High scorers on the compassion scale have a natural inclination to help others and are drawn to markets that are more personal and relationship-centered. They take the time to understand their clients' needs and desires, and they use this information to tailor their sales presentation, building stronger relationships with their clients. In contrast, low scorers on the compassion scale are better able to prioritize their time and can stay "on task" without being distracted by personal problems. There are pros and cons to high and low compassion in a sales role, and we will help you determine what is best for your company.
In this episode, we discuss the trait of being analytical in sales and its impact on sales performance. Being analytical refers to the natural inclination of salespeople to focus on technical specifications and features of a product, rather than its benefits. While this can be valuable in some sales situations, it can lead to "analysis paralysis" in short sales cycles, where salespeople spend too much time analyzing details and fail to move themselves and customers forward to the close.
In this episode, we explore the trait of Independent Spirit in salespeople and its impact on their sales performance. We start by discussing the observable effects of Independent Spirit. We then look at the pros and cons, including the ability to work without direct supervision, the impact on closing the sale, achieving one's own goals, and compassion tendencies towards customers.
In this episode in our series, we explore the importance of assertiveness in sales performance. We discuss how this trait impacts various stages of the sales process, such as prospecting, building rapport, asking tough questions, presenting solutions, addressing concerns, and making the final ask. By embodying assertiveness, sales professionals can establish themselves as confident and trustworthy individuals who are capable of meeting the needs of their clients.
In this episode of the podcast, we explore the impact of recognition drive on sales performance and recruiting. Recognition drive refers to the motivation of salespeople to join organizations and attend functions that provide new sales opportunities. High recognition drive is associated with social outgoingness and a desire for public recognition, while low recognition drive is associated with one-on-one relationships and private recognition. This episode is part of our series that explores the best personality traits to assess when hiring superior salespeople.
In this episode, we explore the first of nine key personality traits to assess when hiring superior salespeople for high and low activity sales positions with short and long sales cycles. We start with deadline motivation, a salesperson's drive to achieve quick results, and explore how it can make or break a sales deal. We discuss how some salespeople prefer a steady pace, while others have an unquenchable desire to achieve immediate or near-term goals. We delve into how to identify a person's level of deadline motivation and how managers can use this information to tailor training and coaching to each salesperson's strengths and weaknesses. Finally, we examine how high deadline motivation is not the only factor in sales success, but an essential component in a high-pressure, fast-paced sales environment. Tune in to learn how to improve your deadline motivation and which types of sales roles are best suited to different levels of deadline motivation.
Finding the right sales talent is no easy task. There are several challenges that companies face when trying to hire top salespeople, and it is important to understand these 5 important challenges in order to be better equipped to overcome them.
In this episode, we talk about 12 fundamental skills the best salespeople use when serving their clients. These skills are as relevant today as they were centuries ago.
The sales team or company you lead is getting hit by new and existing internal and external forces moving against its capacity for consistent production or increased sales results. Let's look at how we can proactively plan to push back against what would hold our sales teams back in 2023.
Join us as we discuss the attitudes of people, no matter the circumstances, that can turn a store around, deliver a warm environment that engages a customer, and lift people's spirits when they need it the most.
In today's recruiting crisis, business owners and sales managers are in a crunch to quickly hire people to fill vacant roles. While we understand this, it is important to remember how to conduct professional interviews that increase predictability. In this episode, we discuss 14 skills you can use while interviewing to be more successful at recruiting great talent.
Every day is a day of transformation, getting better, service, and opportunities for growth, achievement, and ambition fueled by the desire to make a difference in the lives of others. Thanks for listening this year. We appreciate you and what you do for those you lead.
In this episode, we take a look at the 5 process areas in a best practice recruitment system - one that is scientifically-based and customized to a sales position within a company and a market.
In this episode, we discuss how psychometrics and validated assessments, like our CTS Sales Profile, will help you determine if the intelligence level of a candidate will be a good fit for your sales team during your recruiting process. Intelligence is one of the greatest predictors of job success, but can people be too smart for a sales position in your company?
In this podcast, we present a phase one of outstanding coaching for new sales leaders who find themselves faced with what to do with their first sales people. It contains a list of five coaching actions with tools and skills to master as a sales manager.
In this podcast, we look at what Dr. Sull and his colleagues at MIT call the Toxic 5 Factors. These created the lowest reviews of work cultures in Glassdoor reviews. We also look at how we can combat these with positive and affirming practices that will promote a healthy and productive sales culture.
In this episode, we take a look at how to coach a conscientious sales rep who isn't motivated by the two most common motivations found in sales people.
In this week's episode, we look at three myths that provide sales leaders an important frame of reference for leading outstanding sales cultures.
In this episode, we look at how to reduce the stress of our sales team members and raise their mental strength for higher production and job satisfaction.
In this episode, we look at the power of streamlining and simplifying the day-to-day systems and processes for your sales people. These steps are proven to raise production levels while lowering stress within your culture.
In this episode, we take a look at four different personality types and their unique way at approaching satisfactory performance levels for themselves.
We are excited about our episode with Jan Spence, who is the president of Jan Spence and Associates! She has tremendous insight and solutions for what sales managers are experiencing today.
Her book Cheer on Your Team! 52 Tips to Increase Employee Retention, Engagement and Loyalty impacted me personally. It helped me realize some changes I will make in business, and it encouraged me for what I could get better at doing at home and other places as well.
Today, it is harder than ever to recruit great salespeople. Especially, if you are waiting for talented people to come to you. There are more jobs available than there are people to fill the positions. In this episode, we take a look at how to recruit and retain people for your company.
In this episode, we discuss what most sales leaders and their sales reps are missing today. The majority of people do not have specific goals with specific dates for things they would like to accomplish to make their life better out into the future.
In this episode, we discuss how to keep a rep-focused approach with your sales people that will inspire and give hope for their daily sales activities.
In this episode, Jim Collins' book "Good to Great" is discussed. We talk about how the best sales leaders in the world look inwardly to take responsibility when things go wrong and give credit to others around them when they succeed. They are set standards and build legacies that are greater than themselves.
In this episode, we take a look at how you can move your selling culture from a product-focused, pitch-oriented mentality to one of consultative selling. We talk about techniques you can use to retain customers for a lifetime and increase referrals.
Listening is the #1 interpersonal communication skill. In this episode, we discuss how, whether there is one person or 1,000, great communication remains a one-on-one experience.
In this episode, we look at how our candidates will manage our impressions during the interview and effective ways of handling this challenge for the best hiring results.
In this podcast, we discuss the nonnegotiable traits that must be present in candidates we are recruiting. We also discuss Terry Crew's personal story about hard work and the meaning that it has brought to his life.
In this episode, we discuss passion, hope, and commitment and what it means for salespeople to see these exhibited by their leaders.
Here we discuss how to guide your team members into setting goals for themselves that will have an emotional tie to their future. We share how to use our Survival Lifestyle Sheet as a tool with your reps, so that they can build a better life over the years with goals that are about meaningful specifics.
When recruiting for your company, it is important to remember the standards you have set in place no matter how desperately you need to fill a position. This episode discusses the importance of standards for ourselves and our team along with how to establish them for a successful legacy for the future.
Listening is the #1 interpersonal communication skill. This podcast provides habits and questions for salespeople to use with their customers, and these listening practices will improve your customer loyalty and sales.
As you listen to this, I want you to think of both veterans and new reps being onboarded, and, one important question to ask yourself is, “What is an average and reasonable time frame to expect for some to onboard and begin producing and paying for themselves or at least to reach a minimum sales level worthy of keeping a seat on the team?”
In this episode, we take a look at using cognitive and personality assessments during your recruitment process to increase your predictability when hiring salespeople for your company.
The 3 Most Important Selection Areas When Recruiting Great Salespeople. by Lance Cooper