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Byline: Cord Cooper
9 You're a sales exec with a straight-ahead goal: Hike revenue in 2005 whether the economy flattens or spirals up.
The one thing you might lack? A game plan. If so, start by mastering a few key sales rules, experts advise.
** Apply the 80/20 approach. Especially true of salespeople: If you're spending more time correcting mistakes, calming irate customers and traveling to save failed sales efforts, chances are you're spending more time with subpar performers than with your stars.
You're also making a big mistake, says sales coach William Brooks, author of "The New Science of Selling and Persuasion."
Spend a limited time with underperformers. Focus on encouraging and strategizing with top players.
** Don't lead from behind a desk. "Any information a sales manager receives without going into the field is secondhand. Firsthand knowledge can't be gleaned from sales reports, database results, product inventory reports or call sheets," Brooks said. "You need to be at the point of attack to determine the effectiveness of your team's effort."