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Sales Managers
The Manager Owns the Metric
This is the fourth and final article in the Selling Intangibles series. I hope you’ve enjoyed the previous articles—and more importantly, that you’ve put some of these ideas to work with your team or in your own selling performance. Let us know.
I’m going to make a bold statement about sales managers and intangibles.
The achievement of a calculated intangible metric is more reflective of sales management than it is of the salespeople.
Sales managers need a strategy for increasing performance …
When the Objection Isn’t the Customer’s
This is our third article on Selling Intangibles. If you missed the first two, I encourage you to go back and read them.
Objections to intangibles are common—and they can be anticipated, avoided, and handled.
Customer objections to intangibles often show up when you ask the sales associate what kept the customer from buying protection, making an appointment, or using financing for the purchase.
Here are some common examples of objections salespeople share for each intangible tool:
Financing:…
Whose Objection Is It, Really?
This is the second article in the series on Selling Intangibles.
As sales managers, we need to know what the sales associates’ objections are to selling intangibles.
In many cases, the objections the salesperson has to the intangible may be greater than the customer’s objection—or it may be that the salesperson simply agrees with the customer.
We know that salespeople need to believe in the intangible as a valuable tool to the sale. But when they don’t have success using that tool, they often…
Selling Intangibles Starts Earlier Than You Think
This is the first in a series on Selling Intangibles. The specific intangibles I’ll be referring to are appointments (defined as a scheduled meeting—in the showroom, onsite, or using technology), accident protection, and financing.
Intangibles are different. They require an introduction to the concept before the request to take action.
As sales managers, we often say, “Bring it up early and often.” That’s accurate—but what do we really mean by that? Do we demonstrate and practice that process,…
Your 2026 Sales Plan, Simplified
This is the final installment in the goal-setting series, and it brings together a simple, math-based process designed to help you manage both your sales and your income throughout the year.
Nothing here is complicated—but it does require intention.
Let’s summarize what you’ve built.
1. Create a Written Sales Goal for the Year
You’ve already done the hard thinking. Now it’s about clarity and commitment.
- Create a written sales goal for the year
- Calculate it using your commission percentag…
January Sales Skills Series: Goal Setting for Sales Professionals
If you’ve ever set a sales goal with the best intentions…and then watched it quietly fade by March, you’re not alone.
That’s exactly why we kicked off the January Sales Skills Series with Goal Setting for Sales Professionals — a session designed to take goal setting out of the “hope and hustle” category and put it squarely into clear, measurable, workable math.
This session isn’t about dreaming bigger. It’s about building goals you can actually work.
Before you hit play, here’s what you’ll le…
What It Really Takes to Hit Your Sales Goal
This is the third installment in the goal setting theme. In the first two installments, we calculated the minimum written number (basement) and then added to that for the actual goal number.
These numbers might seem high at first glance—especially if they are beyond your current level of performance.
Goals are achieved by actions taken, rather than reactions to a specific number.
The activity level required to achieve your goal needs to be in alignment with the goal. For instance, the activit…
Turning needs into numbers
This is the second note on setting realistic and reasonable goals, starting with covering your basic needs each month. Now that you have your basement expenses (missed last week? Find more info HERE) established, let’s look at what you need to write in sales to accommodate that number.
For this example, I’m going to assume you are paid on written sales.
If your “nut”—what you need to bring home—is $5,000 (your net income), add 25% to that number to calculate your gross income before taxes. Tha…
Before you can hit a target, you need a target worth hitting
Happy New Year! Let’s make this year the best one yet.
This is the first note in a short series on goal setting. You might have already set your goals for the new year—in which case, congratulations. Or you might have started them but not completed them yet, which is great, too. Or maybe you can’t really finish your goals and targets until you get your individual contribution-to-the-team numbers…also good.
Wherever you are, you are here—which is the best place to be.
Before you can hit a targ…
Sales Managers: How to train your team to sell intangibles
Selling the Intangibles: Why This Is Where Sales Are Being Won (or Lost) Right Now
If you’re a sales manager, you don’t need another reminder that sales are harder right now.
Traffic is lighter.
Customers are more cautious.
Price pressure shows up earlier and more often.
And what I’m seeing everywhere is this: Salespeople can still sell the product — but they’re hesitating on the conversations that actually protect margin.
So let's talk about it!
I recently hosted a live session for sales ma…
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