Why so many sales forecasts are fiction dressed up as data

A sales forecast is only as good as the sales leadership, operational discipline and culture that sits behind it. The good news is that it’s possible to shift these things, replacing optimism with a more scientific approach. That’s a load off the shoulders of most business owners.

Crush sales slumps: Accelerate growth in a flat market

A graph showing increasing sales in a flat market

So many people are reporting to us that sales are slow at the moment. It feels like we are in a flat market. Not necessarily bad sales figures, just endless delays in getting to a Yes. “I sent over a quote last month and I’ve heard nothing” “The decision is stuck with an internal committee”…

Will AI replace sales people?

That’s the sort of lazy headline AI would write isn’t it! Clickbait that’s intended to provoke. Take out “sales people” and you could insert any other profession to attract a different group of scrollers: You get the picture. Returning to the headline: Why does it need to be binary? Video didn’t kill the radio star,…

Five top tips for growing sales in 2024

“It’s got to be better than last year, hasn’t it?” That’s what we said at the end of 2020. And 2021. And again a year ago! One day the business environment will really bounce back. But as we look ahead to 2024 it feels like one of those occasions when you hope for the best…

How to be an effective sales manager

Being a sales manager requires effort. It means joining the dots between your business strategy, sales plan and sales activity. It means knowing which sales goals to aim for, and which sales people to recruit. It means keeping a number of plates spinning at the same time. You’re the owner, the founder, the mender-in-chief. The…