It was on the corner of 82nd Street and 37th Avenue in Queens where 12 year-old Mark Berezow learned to approach strangers and provide them with some compelling reasons to vote for his friend's dad.  He believes that experience had a great impact on his ability to sell, manage salespeople and for the past 20 years, help companies grow their sales.

Mark was my guest on this week's episode of Meet the Sales Experts.

Mark shared some great insights about sales management, specifically how the the sales management mindset differs from the sales mindset.  He said, "A Salesperson is all about being successful.  A sales manager must make the team successful.  The team is made up of individuals. A group doesn't achieve, individuals achieve. The good sales manager manages the behavior of individuals so that they reach their personal goals."

Mark also said, "Existing business will not grow as much as it did before because the business is just not there. People just aren't buying as much.  So companies are forced to make up the difference by seeking out new business" even though their salespeople may not have done that before.

And you just have to hear Mark tell the story about how he cold called to get his first sales job.

You can listen to the entire Mark Berezow interview here.  Contact Mark.

(c) Copyright 2009 Dave Kurlan

"When your market isn't growing, it is not business as usual and holding your breath and hoping is not the right strategy."  This according to Casey Coffman, my guest on the most recent episode of Meet the Sales Experts.  He went on to say that if you sell the same thing, to the same people, the same way that you did 16 months ago, he would be shocked if your sales aren't down.

Casey talked about the importance of confidence, courage and conviction, especially in this economy and he shed some light on CEO's who are still stuck in hunker down mode - paralyzed - not doing anything to reverse flat or declining revenues. He said, "Employees leave when they don't see a way they are going to win.  If we do this we will win, versus, simply staying busy."

Coffman suggested that companies use this period to trim fat, hire, and retool a best in class sales force so that they can take advantage of being able to make changes that in good times they wouldn't be able to make, where in these times you must.  He suggested new approaches, new systems, new strategies, new tactics.  He suggested thinking six months out, and putting pressure on your process instead of your people.

Great advice from a great expert.  Listen to the show here.  Contact Casey here.

(c) Copyright 2009 Dave Kurlan