Most businesses think they have a good sense of whether sales are up or down, but how are they gauging accuracy? With shifting budgets and different departments needing more or less from the company every month, having a precise account of every expense and how it relates to future sales is a must. That’s where the percentage of sales method comes in handy.

Sales and customer service should be a natural fit. Both teams work to create successful customer interactions and move the company forward. It stands to reason that they should easily support one another—unfortunately, that’s rarely the case. Because sales and customer service (CS) teams are focused on different metrics, they rarely interact with each other. Sales teams, for instance, key in on sales metrics like win rates, while CS keeps an eye on tickets closed and CSAT.

When you think of measuring your company’s success, what markers come to mind? Perhaps you consider revenue KPIs or customer enrollment. Maybe you dream of your run rate increasing as your cost of sales decreases. No matter what success looks like to you, it’s unlikely you measure it in sales volume. But perhaps it’s time to start. Sales volume is a largely overlooked measuring tool, but its benefits to your company can’t be ignored.

There’s no perfect approach to sales psychology. Sales tactics are ever-changing based on the market, your products, your company, and your customers. That said, most sales tactics fall into either a hard or soft sell category, and understanding the difference between those categories is crucial to your sales success.

Sales operations refers to any tool, plan, or training your company uses to enable its sales staff to deliver their best work. It may seem like a vague term, but having a clear sales operations plan can greatly increase the success of your sales team. Below, we’ll explore the details of sales operations and how this flexible methodology can deliver some serious benefits to your company.

Every company needs a sales plan. Without a plan, it’s easy to lose track of sales goals, lose momentum, and ultimately, lose money. Sales budgets can help—they make it easier to form concrete sales plans and greatly simplify sales management. In this article, we’ll cover what a sales budget is, why it’s important, and how to best create one for your business. We’ll also explore a few examples of sales budgets for different tracking periods.

Are your sales reps on track to meet sales goals? What led to a bad quarter, and how can you fix it? Do you have enough prospects in your sales funnel? Answering these questions without accurate data is impossible—this is where sales reports come in. They detail all sales activities and offer key insights, helping sales managers plan ahead and build sales strategies. But the way sales leaders create their reports matters.

In a perfect sales world, there would be enough time and resources to give a relaxed, in-person sales presentation to every single prospect. There’d be coffee and bagels, and you’d have the chance to lay out every detail of your company and products. Unfortunately, that’s rarely the case. Because time and resources are scarce—and you may be reaching out to hundreds of prospects in a short amount of time—a solid sell sheet is a must.

Social selling has impacted the market ever since we started trading products. A gentleman in 1600s Italy could visit a family member, adore their new statue, and ask where they got it. Market analysis indicates that consumers influenced by social media are four times more likely to spend more on purchases. That’s over standard advertising. With the market shifting, it’s essential that your company has a strong handle on the social market and how to use it to your advantage.

Sales psychology is in a constant battle to keep up with customer needs and habits. Over the past 10 years, sales trends have seen a growing increase in customers who are well-researched and don’t want to be coddled. Instead, customers are arriving in sales situations with a wide variety of product options and too much data. It’s overwhelming.