Some unusual thoughts for some unusual times:

Less is more - you will get an increase in sales with fewer salespeople if you choose the right ones to go - and stay - and give them more attention.  The right ones may not be your "best salespeople".

More is less - you will close more sales if your salespeople book fewer appointments but concentrate on more quality appointments.  Quality is not how well your salespeople are received, it's the fit and need of the opportunity.

More is more - you will have more revenue if your salespeople book  appointments with opportunities with more potential. Potential is not the number of 0's in the opportunity, it's the long-term potential of the account.

Lower is higher - you will have a lower percentage of lost opportunities if your salespeople call higher in the company. Higher is not the tallest person they can get to.

Fewer is greater - you will find yourselves in fewer price-sensitive battles if you force a greater number of your salespeople to learn how to really sell value.  Selling value is not teaching them to recite your value proposition!

Bigger is smaller - you will close a bigger percentage of opportunities if your salespeople give proposals to a smaller percentage of prospects.  Proposals don't win sales, good questions do.

Would you like to contribute some sizable competencies of your own?

(c) Copyright 2008 Dave Kurlan