Statistics show that nearly half of all sales reps fail to follow through with a prospect.
Over 75% of sales occurs after the fourth contact.
If your sales reps are giving up after two or three contacts, statistics show that they are giving up much too soon. Because the majority of sales results from more […]
6 Critical Skills of Top Performers
I have interviewed 1000s of sales people over the past 20 years. Hiring good guys for Cloud Computing, Big Data and the other areas is even more difficult. I’ve condensed the critical factors for in to six vital skills:
1) Fully understand the products / services – I cannot believe […]
Bare metal SDN provider Big Switch Networks has named Shaun Page, a former Juniper (JNPR) executive, as its new Worldwide Sales vice president, a slot the company called “pivotal.”
Page, a 13-year former Juniper veteran, has big portions on his plate—he’s tasked with strengthening the company’s SDN sales in key North American markets, building out […]
As newly hired Red Hat (RHT) channel chief D. Robert Martin settles down into his new role at the billion dollar open source software company, channel partners are waiting to hear more about what he has in store for Red Hat’s channel partner program.
Red Hat April 1 announced it had hired Martin as its […]
Will Knight, a former 15-year Microsoft (MSFT) veteran, is Rackspace Hosting’s (RAX) new channel sales head, charged with building strategic partner relationships and sprinkling the program with incentives to improve profitability and sales.
Knight’s role is to show Rackspace’s partners how to make more money by simplifying the program and clarifying how to best engage […]
Longtime Microsoft (MSFT) executive Antoine Leblond, a 25-year company veteran and head of Windows Services, said he will exit after March 31, to “go out and see what the non-Microsoft world has to offer,” as he told colleagues in an email.
Leblond spent 20 years in Microsoft’s Office unit, mostly working with ex-Windows boss and […]
Symantec’s (SYMC) board of directors abruptly ousted President and Chief Executive Steve Bennett, whose tenure at the security company’s helm lasted a short but eventful 20 months, replacing him on an interim basis with board member Michael Brown, a former Quantum (QTM) boss.
Bennett, who took previous chief Enrique Salem’s job in July 2012, vowed […]
I have spoken to many VCs. Most of them are in sync on one fact: the odds may be against you if you are hiring your first VP of Sales for a SaaS start-up. VPs of Sales are fired more often than professional sports coaches. Hiring the right VP could be the difference between […]
Aruba Networks (ARUN) has named former Avaya channel exec Karl Soderlund to its Worldwide Channels position. The announcement was made at Aruba Atmosphere, the company’s annual partner conference this week in Las Vegas.
As vice president of Worldwide Channels, Soderlund will be responsible for all things channel-related, including recruitment, developing global alliances and managing Aruba’s […]
Salesforce.com (CRM) on Thursday said it has appointed Ret. U.S. Gen. and former Secretary of State Colin Powell to its board of directors, effective March 13.
Powell joins a board comprised of leaders including Salesforce chairman and CEO Marc Benioff and John Roos, former U.S. Ambassador to Japan.
Benioff, who is well-known in the tech […]
