Biographical Information
Articles for Benson Smith
Are You a Winning Coach?
20 Dec 2004
Coaching employees does not mean constantly critiquing them.
E-Crime and Punishment
19 Apr 2004
Failing to allow companies to use this great technology to grow their businesses would be the real crime, and in the end would hamper all our selling efforts.
What's Your Plan for 2004?
29 Dec 2003
That's because good plans don't come from looking at the most information, but from looking at the right information.
Incompetencies
06 Oct 2003
If competencies really worked, we should see numerous examples of increased productivity and profitability as any given sales force becomes more and more competent.
Beware of Data Mania
07 Jul 2003
To understand how good your sales organization is--or in some cases, how bad it is--you must first know what data are crucial to make that evaluation.
No Magic Talent
02 Jun 2003
People accomplish their day-to-day tasks through a configuration of talents.
Global Tensions and Your Sales Force
05 May 2003
Will growing differences between America and Europe have an impact on your reps' ability to sell?
War Talk
07 Apr 2003
How to handle discussing touchy political topics in a business setting.
What Top Salespeople Do Differently
03 Mar 2003
Superstars adopt a selling style that takes full advantage of their greatest talents.
Morale Stinks!
03 Feb 2003
But before you can improve it, you must first understand the key elements that foster--or ruin--morale.
You're Wasting Your Time
03 Jan 2003
It's simply good business sense to make your largest investment in those areas where you stand to gain your biggest return.
Scrap Your Performance Appraisal System
02 Dec 2002
Want to improve your sales organization fast? Consider ripping up your annual performance appraisal system. Hold work planning and review sessions with their employees rather than annual performance reviews.
The Truth About Turnover
01 Jul 2002
Many sales executives boast about their managerial excellence, citing low turnover as proof. Sure, a high employee-retention rate can be evidence of a manager's ability to foster a great and productive workplace. But those turnover numbers also might suggest the opposite-a culture of entitlement, one that fails to challenge employees, or one that simply does not demand excellence.
Hiring Talent
01 Jun 2002
How to recruit more top performers
Building A World-Class Salesforce
30 Apr 2002
Many leading organizations have launched efforts to achieve "world-class sales." But what exactly does it mean to have a world-class sales organization?
Creating a Successful Sales Culture
04 Apr 2002
Your front-line managers can drive sales -- or drive away your best salespeople
Building A World-Class Salesforce
07 Mar 2002
Measuring three key factors is just the starting point.