Lee Novak

Dear Lee, I have a tenured sales person who has a history of overachieving his sales quota for the past three years. In fact, he has been one of the top performers in the company and is excellent at closing business in competitive accounts. However, his service after the sale and his follow through is the worst on my team. Clients have complained frequently about feeling as if, he only cares about them when he is selling them something and then he disappears, doesn't return phone calls, etc. I have attempted to coach him on this deficit but quite frankly, he doesn't take criticism very well and I have seen no improvement. How can I counsel him to improve without damaging his level of high performance? Frustrated in MN Dear Frustrated, As a Manager you have to always manage with the following three pillars. First is the CLIENT, second is your TEAM and third is th... (more)

My Quota is Gigantic!

Dear Lee, Last year I was a record setting sales rep at my company selling high tech solutions. Today I received my annual quota for the new year and was shocked to see that my account list shrunk by 10% and my quota is the highest in the company.  I am  very frustrated with this. I attempted to negotiate a reduced quota with my manager but he dismissed my request, saying that he has full confididence that I will figure it out. My quota is gigantic but my spirit is weak. Any suggestions? Down in the South -   Dear Down in the South, I am sure that you are familiar with the bib... (more)

Eight Timeless Pearls of Sales Wisdom

Recently, a former sales mentor of mine named John Tuohy passed away. Mr. Tuohy was an award winning field sales representative who seemed to have an endless array of tactics and sales strategies that he used to sell his products. I was fortunate to have him take a liking to me as a “green pea sales rep” and although he and I worked on two different sales teams, Mr. Tuohy was always willing to share his thoughts with me - not only about sales but also about life when we would attend our monthly sales meetings in Dallas, Texas. I lost touch with Mr. Tuohy a few years after he reti... (more)

Twenty Five Motivational Quotes and Thoughts for Today's Sales Leaders

The following represents twenty five of my favorite motivational, thought provoking and inspirational quotes which I have accumulated through the the years. I hope that you will find them useful, enjoyable and entertaining as you prepare to slay the competitive dragons! OVERCOMING OBSTACLES AND SETBACKS 1) Fall Down Seven Times Get up Eight. 2) If you are going through hell (lost a deal, behind plan, etc.) keep going. 3) Believe that you are going to turn this setback into a comeback! It is inevitable that some defeat will enter even the most victorious life. The human spirit is never... (more)

The Ten Attributes of a Magnetic Sales Professional

Google “what it takes to be a successful salesperson” and one will get 121,000 different perspectives on what it takes to be one. However, in today’s competitive landscape what companies are truly looking for is, the rare individuals who can overachieve the sales and revenue goals, retain and increase the share of wallet of the existing client base and have the ability to drive new business in the unsold prospect arena. Sales Organizations want Magnetic Sales Professionals not simply, successful sales associates. They want individuals who will create a positive legacy and at the ... (more)