Viewing Posts for: David J. DiStefano

September 12th, 2012

SellingPower Video: Change Management Basics for Sales Leaders

Selling_power_dave

If change were a gesture, what would it look like? Chaotic hand waving, totally crazy and out of control, according to Richardson President and CEO David DiStefano.

To try to visualize what change would look like as a hand gesture is an interesting concept. What is not surprising, however, is that the motion would not likely be a fluid, good natured, positive, or simple one. In this video interview with Selling Power TV, Mr. DiStefano talks about change in the workplace and offers Richardson’s model to help their clients successfully navigate the change process.

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April 18th, 2012

When Stepping in Does More Harm Than Good as a Sales Manager

stairs

Written by David DiStefano, President and CEO of Richardson

As a sales leader, what’s your first impulse when you see a member of your sales team in trouble?

If you answered, “Take over and do it for them,” pause and think for a moment. As Lain Ehmann (Selling Power) and Colleen Honan (OneSource) recently agreed:

The hardest part of sales management may be knowing when to step in and when to take a back seat as your reps learn the ropes, particularly in front of the customer. As tough as it is, it’s often critical for the development of individual reps — and your team as a whole — to let them pave their own way.

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March 20th, 2012

Train Sales Reps to Coach Themselves

Self_coach

By David DiStefano, President and CEO of Richardson

Effective sales coaching has been shown to significantly improve sales performance, but there are limitations to even the world’s greatest coaching practices.  You can’t be with every rep all the time, so what happens when something goes either unexpectedly wrong or remarkably right when you’re not there?  Is that coaching moment lost forever?

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February 22nd, 2012

Questions: The Fabric of an Effective Coaching Conversation

Hand drawing a game strategy

By David DiStefano, President and CEO of Richardson

If you watched Super Bowl XLVI earlier this month, you might think that professional coaches, who manage winning teams, deploy a robust coaching strategy balanced between scowling and screaming. But look closer — professional sports coaches scowl and scream to motivate or “remind” their players of the need to execute the game strategy, in both real time (during the game) and beforehand in preparation for the game. While the game is being played, individual coaching does take place all around the head coach (on the field, in the booth, and on the sideline). It is no different in business, except maybe the screaming part. Business leaders know effective sales coaching happens with conversations, not commands — and the fabric of an effective coaching conversation is woven with questions.

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February 13th, 2012

6 Ways to Create a Winning Sales Proposal

By David DiStefano, President and CEO of Richardson

Your sales proposal may be your only foot in the door to a potential client. Here are 6 tips to make sure your sales proposal engages, educates and convinces from start to finish.

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January 31st, 2012

5 proven steps to successful change management with verifiable outcomes

By David DiStefano, President and CEO or Richardson

Last week, I shared how sales organizations can stop driving with their rearview mirror and turn on their headlights with predictive analytics. At Richardson, we call them verifiable outcomes.

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January 23rd, 2012

Verifiable Outcomes

By David DiStefano, CEO of Richardson

For as long as business has been conducted, most sales organizations have attempted to measure their progress and success – yet, they have done so by reviewing results on a retroactive basis. Pipeline conversion, target achievement, and forecast accuracy are common measures. The issue is that these are outcomes that have already occurred. Imagine driving a car by looking through your rear-view mirror. Not a great way to get where you want to go.

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