There are two articles that I post each and every December.  This is the first - the top articles of the year - and later this month I will post my annual Nutcracker edition which I have been doing since 2011.

There are several criteria for choosing the top articles of the year, including, but not limited to:

• Views (Article)
• Popularity (likes on LinkedIn and Twitter)
• Engagement (comments to the article, via email, and on LinkedIn)
• Personal (my favorites) 
• Value (insights for the community)

Some of the criteria is subjective and some is measurable.  I believe value is most important, although it might not be reflected in views or likes, and then engagement.  I think views are less significant because people could read the article but not like it.  Popularity is a good barometer but not everyone sees what is posted on LinkedIn and Twitter and the time of day influences that.  So with all that said, here are the top 5 Sales Articles and the Top 5 Sales Leadership articles of the year.

Top 5 Sales Articles (in no particular order)

1. 2 Questions That Will End Every Request for a Better Price
2. Salespeople Will Close 50% More Business By Changing This One Thing They Do!
3. Crappy Salespeople and Lack of Urgency Alignment  - The Bob Chronicles Part 4
4. 31 Conditions That Predict Your Sales Opportunity is in Trouble  
5. Data - Top Salespeople are 631% More Effective at This Than Weak Salespeople (Bob Chronicles - Part 3) 
   
   

Top 5 Sales Leadership Articles (in no particular order)

1. How to Use Buckets to Improve Sales Performance and Coaching
2. How Pitchers Fielding Practice is Exactly the Same as Salespeople Role-Playing 
3. Startups Almost Always Get The Sales Thing Wrong 
4. Why I Believe We Should Blow up the Business Development Rep (BDR) Role in Sales  
5. MUST READ: Are Assessments as Evil as the Persona Movie Suggests? 

The Most Viewed and Commented article was "Salespeople will close 50% More..."

My personal selection was a tie between my favorite for pure fun - Pitchers Fielding Practice - and for insights - the article on Evil Assessments.

There you have it - the top ten articles from 2021.  Which one is your favorite?

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