Latest news with #salesstrategy
Forbes
07-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
20 Outdated Sales Practices To Retire And What To Do Instead
In today's fast-moving business landscape, sticking to old sales tactics can hold companies back from meaningful growth. Outdated practices like generic cold outreach and activity-based success metrics often fail to resonate with modern buyers. To stay competitive, businesses must embrace personalization, data-driven insights and authentic relationship building. Below, 20 members of Forbes Business Development Council share outdated business development practices they still see too often and what leading companies should be doing instead. 1. Relying Too Heavily On Sales Tools An outdated practice is companies buying tool after tool in the hope that it's going to solve their problems. Tech used properly can be an enabler, but it's not a solution in itself. Tools allow us to hide behind understanding the real problem. Companies need to be brave and strip back. They must get crystal clear on the biggest company problems and align all their efforts on solving them. This is unlikely to be solved by a messy patchwork of shiny technology. - Alice Wyatt, Codat 2. Measuring Success By Volume, Not Value Many companies still measure sales success by activity volume: calls made and meetings booked. In an AI-driven world, however, that's outdated. The shift should be toward value-based engagement—using AI to understand customer context, anticipate needs and drive meaningful outcomes. Today, success is not about how many transactions you drive, but how many transformations you enable. - Jigar Kothari, Aisera 3. Using One-Size-Fits-All Discounts Relying on one-size-fits-all discounts is outdated. Instead, companies should adopt targeted offers—personalized incentives based on user intent and behavior. This increases conversion and ROI while protecting margins. We've seen a 2 to 3x lift with this approach versus blanket promotions. - Shikha Agarwal, Yelp 4. Cold Outreach Without Personalization The outdated sales practice of generic cold outreach, such as cold calling without context or sending mass, unpersonalized emails, alienates prospects and delivers poor returns. Instead, businesses should adopt a modern approach to building genuine relationships and trust. - Hashim Syed, Google 5. Overcomplicating Commission Structures One outdated practice is using complicated commission structures. When sales reps can't easily see how their actions lead to results, motivation drops. Clear, straightforward compensation tied to real outcomes builds trust and keeps teams focused on what actually drives growth. - Scott Hozebin, StrideMD Forbes Business Development Council is an invitation-only community for sales and biz dev executives. Do I qualify? 6. Treating Sales As Purely Transactional Treating relationships like transactions is an outdated practice. Too many still chase deals before trust is built. Buyers today expect partners, not vendors. The shift is toward relationship compounding—showing up with insights and value before there's an opportunity. Deals come faster when you stop acting like every conversation needs to lead to one. The winning companies are playing the long game. - Nathan Rice, Energy CX 7. Letting Gut Instinct Override Data Too many leaders still let gut instinct drive big decisions, sidelining what the data is saying. Even worse, they consider top performers to be fragile instead of capable. Protecting them from stretch opportunities in the name of caution often stunts growth and sends talent out the door. - Umang Modi, TIAG, Inc. 8. Wasting Time In Ineffective Meetings Relying on endless internal meetings to drive progress needs to be addressed. The truth is, unnecessary meetings kill momentum. Instead, you should use KPIs, behavioral nudges and light gamification to keep teams focused and fired up. You should replace the weekly talkfest with quick, purpose-built check-ins that actually move the needle. - Angelica Kopec, She Knows Business 9. Chasing Movement Over Meaningful Impact I still see companies and MKT teams pushing volume just to show movement, without asking if it makes a real impact and without telling a compelling history. In PE-backed or growth-stage companies, you can't lose sight of the bottom of the P&L. In complex markets, real growth comes through strong partners. You should work with finance, track results and stay focused. Do not throw in the towel. - Oscar Chavez-Arrieta, SonicWall 10. Failing To Modernize Event Strategies In-person events haven't been the same since the pandemic, so I encourage leaders to take a closer look at their events strategy for business development in 2025 and beyond. Today's industry events and trade shows need to positively impact customer growth, deliver a premium brand experience, prove ROI and more. - Hayden Stafford, Seismic 11. Following The 'Customer Is Always Right' Mentality Companies need to change their 'customer is always right' mentality. They are increasingly tired of buying what they think is right. What they actually need is guidance on what will truly benefit their business. Highlighting pain points and problem areas—even making the customer uncomfortable—can be an effective strategy. When they're clear on the risks of inaction, they'll be more likely to act and invest in the right solution. - Dima Raketa, Reputation House 12. Treating All Leads The Same Way One practice that still lingers is treating every lead the same, regardless of buying stage, role or intent. Companies should invest in real-time intent data, persona-driven playbooks and dynamic enablement tools. You should be tailoring your motion to how the buyer wants to buy rather than how your team wants to sell. This isn't just modern sales, it's the new baseline. - Aaron Biggs, Summit 13. Separating Sales And Marketing Functions Treating sales and marketing as separate entities leads to inefficiencies and inconsistencies, with handoffs that often lack proper context or nurturing. Instead, you should embrace revenue operations (RevOps). You can unify sales, marketing and customer success under one strategy. This streamlines processes, optimizes tech and ensures a cohesive customer journey, boosting shared KPIs and fostering collaboration. - William DeCourcy, AmeriLife 14. Leading With Product Features Instead Of Listening Many sales teams still start by promoting their product's features and functionality. However, this will not lead to sales success. Business development professionals must listen and thoroughly understand the challenges their prospects face, both professionally and personally. This approach helps foster understanding, gain consensus and create solutions that address business problems. - Julie Thomas, ValueSelling Associates 15. Scaling Too Early Without Deep Learning Many teams rush to scale too early. The best insights often come when you do things that don't scale—like talking to customers one-on-one or writing custom proposals. These small efforts build real trust and clarity. You must learn deeply first, then scale what actually works. - Vipin Thomas, SparrowGenie 16. Neglecting Partner-Driven Growth Strategies Relying solely on a direct route-to-market strategy is outdated. A modern GTM approach blends direct sales with a strong ecosystem of partners and strategic alliances. When grounded in partner experience and backed by enablement, partners can scale growth and act as a true extension of your brand. - Susana Cabrera, Parsec Automation 17. Holding On To Legacy Funnel Reviews It's hard to pinpoint one area, as there are tons of improvement opportunities in organizations still holding onto a legacy practice. One major one would be a weekly-bi-weekly-monthly team funnel review or reporting where the whole group is tied for a good few hours, going rep by rep. With the tools at our disposal, this approach simply does not work anymore, even if your objective is team building. - Mustansir Paliwala, Zomara Group 18. Pushing Quotas Over Customer Fit One outdated practice is a quota-driven, product-pitching mindset, whether or not it fits the customer's needs. Effective salespeople create value by solving real customer problems. This requires listening, understanding priorities and delivering tailored solutions. It is also essential to be disciplined and walk away when there isn't a strong fit, preserving trust and focus. - Jani Hirvonen, Google 19. Using Generic Demos Across All Industries Using the same presentation or demo materials across industries or using a generic industry use case (for example, transaction management in banking) is ineffective. You must do the homework, tailor the use case and be nimble enough to demo that use case that resonates with the customer's pain points. If that resonates in the moment, you've won yourself a buyer (and of course, the arduous onboarding). - Aman Rangrass, 20. Ignoring The Power Of Social Selling Many sales teams don't emphasize the importance of social selling to warm up leads, thus keeping conversion rates of "cold" calls much lower. This stems from not thinking through persona personalization at scale. - Darryn Lee, Cedar
Entrepreneur
24-06-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
The Power of Going Direct
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. You're reading Entrepreneur United Kingdom, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. "What's working for me today that may not have worked a year ago is a direct approach of going straight to a decision maker and showing how I can help," Harrold explains. While most founders labour over building online rapport, Harrold is reviving an "old school" playbook - reaching out personally, with clarity and credibility. "We're so conditioned to relationship building over time and showcasing our value on social media, that we can neglect the old school approach of reaching out directly. If you do this well, it isn't off putting or 'salesy.' People are busier than they were a year ago and they simply want results." The shift is not just in strategy, but execution. "Nowadays, I identify precisely who I want to work with, connect with them and show them in a brief message how I can help them become the authority in their field and include proof of recent press coverage I've achieved for a respected Thought Leader." This pragmatism also extends to how she runs her business. One notable pivot: bringing sales calls back in-house. "What I've stopped doing that's made our company better is outsourcing sales calls. Unless you have the right team to do this, it's a costly expenditure and you could alienate your core audience if the fit isn't exactly right." In an era where many start-ups are trained to chase scale at all costs, Harrold favours finesse. "An aggressive sales approach will not work for most people today, especially mature business owners and entrepreneurs who do not want a sales pitch. I've taken this back in-house and have a much softer follow up and reach out service, based on principles of courtesy and good customer service, instead of hitting numbers and targets." Perhaps most telling is how swiftly her latest venture took off - not after a year of stealth building, but after a single keynote. "18 months ago I gave a talk to 250 entrepreneurs on how I had become the best known in my field, attracted major publishing contracts and become seen as a Thought Leader in the coaching area, as a result of TV and radio appearances and media exposure. That 30-minute talk led to a brand new 6-figure business in weeks. People followed me off stage and asked for my help to do the same for them." For Harrold, public speaking isn't a vanity project - it's a strategic asset. "The most underrated edge a founder has right now is the ability to deliver an inspiring presentation," she insists. "Steve Jobs famously said, 'The most powerful person in the world is the storyteller.' Getting onto a stage or on a screen and sharing your message to inspire an audience is a must-have skill that will instantly make you stand out." In an attention economy, information is cheap. Inspiration is not. "Simply delivering information will not cut it today. People's attention span is half of what it was 20 years ago and information has never been more freely available. Inspiration is what people want from you. And, you must be able to get people to pay attention to you - before they ever pay you!" Looking ahead, Harrold is rooting for a kinder, more cooperative start-up scene - one built less on competition, and more on collaboration. "We all have our talents and unique abilities that allow us to naturally stand out, and working together with other experts is the natural way ahead." But her ambitions reach further still - into classrooms. "I'd love to see entrepreneurs working more closely with schools to encourage confidence and a can-do spirit, as there's nothing to beat starting your start-up journey while you're starting out."
Associated Press
15-06-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
VEPO Solutions Appoints Kayla Schultz as Vice President of Sales
VEPO Solutions appoints Kayla Schultz as Vice President of Sales to lead national growth, bringing 10+ years of utility tech sales experience and a customer-focused approach to expand VEPO's software and smart metering services across the U.S. New York, NY, United States, June 15, 2025 -- VEPO Solutions, a leading provider of utility software solutions and smart metering installation services, proudly announces the appointment of Kayla Schultz as Vice President of Sales. With a strong background in sales and a customer-first approach, Kayla will lead VEPO's national sales strategy as the company continues its rapid growth across the utility sector. Kayla brings over 10 years of experience in sales strategy, client engagement, and team development within the utility technology and infrastructure industries. 'We are excited to welcome Kayla to VEPO's leadership team,' said Alan Seiler, Managing Partner of VEPO Solutions. 'Her deep understanding of utility operations, combined with a proven ability to lead high-impact sales teams, makes her an excellent fit. Kayla's leadership will play a key role as we continue expanding our innovative software platform and installation services to support utilities nationwide.' In her new role, Kayla will oversee VEPO's sales initiatives across all markets, focusing on growing utility partnerships, strengthening customer retention, and advancing adoption of VEPO's solutions. These include VEPO's cloud-based work order and asset management software, as well as turnkey smart metering installation services. She will also collaborate closely with internal teams to ensure VEPO's sales strategies align with the company's mission to deliver operational efficiency, compliance support, and measurable value to utilities and municipalities. 'I'm honored to join VEPO Solutions at such an exciting time in its evolution,' said Schultz. 'VEPO is not only modernizing how utilities manage infrastructure and service delivery—it's doing so with a clear focus on customer outcomes and long-term success. I'm excited to lead our sales efforts and support the outstanding work our team is doing across the country.' For more information, please visit Contact Info: Name: Media Relations Email: Send Email Organization: VEPO Solutions Website: Release ID: 89162344 Should any problems, inaccuracies, or doubts arise from the content contained within this press release, we kindly request that you inform us immediately by contacting [email protected] (it is important to note that this email is the authorized channel for such matters, sending multiple emails to multiple addresses does not necessarily help expedite your request). Our dedicated team will promptly address your concerns within 8 hours, taking necessary steps to rectify identified issues or assist with the removal process. Providing accurate and dependable information is at the core of our commitment to our readers.
Forbes
02-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
5 ChatGPT Prompts To Make LinkedIn Your Number One Lead Machine
5 ChatGPT prompts to make LinkedIn your number one lead machine LinkedIn works as a lead generator when you use it as a sales tool, not a social app. Most people scroll without purpose, consuming content that doesn't move their business forward. But that's a waste. Your ideal clients are right there, ready to connect with someone who understands their world and offers solutions to their problems. Because they have problems; you know they do. LinkedIn has everything you need to build a steady flow of quality leads, but only if you approach it with strategy and intention. When I figured out LinkedIn it became infinitely more enjoyable and ten times more profitable as a lead machine. The platform now brings clients to my business daily, with many citing LinkedIn as their primary touchpoint. Treat LinkedIn as a deliberate business asset and optimize every element for conversion, not just engagement. ChatGPT makes this process faster and more effective when you know exactly what to ask. Your LinkedIn headline appears in eight places across the platform. It should tell people who you help and how and make it abundantly clear who should hire you. Test different versions monthly and track which gets more views and messages. Get specific about results instead of using a generic job title. Your headline must work as a pitch that instantly communicates your value. Try this ChatGPT prompt: "Write 5 LinkedIn headline options that start with 'I help [target audience] to [specific outcome]' followed by my key credentials. Keep each under 220 characters including spaces. My audience is [describe ideal client]. My approach involves [describe method]. Results I've achieved include [list 2-3 specific results with numbers]." Test each headline for 2-3 weeks, noting profile views and connection requests. Data tells the truth about what resonates with your audience. Your LinkedIn about section needs to work like a sales page for potential clients. Focus on outcomes, your unique approach, and verifiable results. Start with the exact problem your ideal clients face. End with a clear next step they should take. ChatGPT helps you cut anything that doesn't build trust or generate interest in your services. Use this prompt: "Create a LinkedIn about section (formerly the summary) that works like a sales page. Open with the problem my ideal client faces [describe challenge]. Explain my unique approach. Break text into short paragraphs and end with a clear call to action. Keep it conversational and avoid corporate language." When someone reads to the end, they should feel like you understand their world better than most. Build instant connection with your ideal clients. Your LinkedIn post hooks must stop the scroll. No one reads brilliant content with boring openers. Those first two lines determine if anyone sees what follows. Test different hook types: bold claims, unexpected insights, real results. Watch what makes you stop scrolling and learn from those patterns. Generate stronger hooks with this prompt: "Create 10 different hooks for a LinkedIn post about [topic]. Each hook should be a single sentence, 5-8 words long, that creates curiosity without using questions. It must not be a question. Make each hook significantly different. Some stating surprising facts, others making bold claims, others highlighting specific results." Write multiple options for every post and select the strongest one. Grabbing attention in those first seconds is critical. The magic of LinkedIn happens in private messages. Each connection represents potential business, but outreach fails through generic templates or immediate pitching. Your DM strategy must follow a plan. ChatGPT helps you create first messages, follow-ups, and reengagement notes that feel personal and build relationships over time. Try this prompt: "Create a 3-message LinkedIn DM sequence for connecting with potential clients. Message 1: Initial connection. Friendly, mentions why I'm reaching out, asks a simple question they could easily answer without thinking, on any topic. Keep it real. Message 2: Value-add follow-up. Shares a relevant resource, asks another question in a natural, genuine way. Message 3: Soft offer. Suggests how I might help based on their responses. Keep each message 2 sentences maximum." Your systematic approach will outperform random efforts every time. Create structure around your LinkedIn so the machine runs without you watching it. Your comments must add value because they work as mini-auditions for your expertise. They can be seen by everyone who follows the original poster, including potential clients who might never see your content otherwise. Use them to showcase your thinking and start meaningful conversations that build your reputation. Create better comments with this prompt: "Help me write a LinkedIn comment that adds real value to this post: [paste original post]. Share my experience with this topic, give one actionable tip, and end with a thoughtful question. Keep it to 3-4 sentences total and ensure it sounds authentic. Keep it real." The quality of your engagement matters more than quantity. Focus on building real connections with thoughtful contributions to discussions in your field. Don't underestimate the importance of LinkedIn commenting. LinkedIn can transform your business when you optimize every element for lead generation rather than social scrolling. Your headline must pitch your value clearly. Your summary needs to work like a sales page. Your hooks must make people stop and read. Your DM strategy must follow a proven plan. Your comments must showcase your expertise in ways that build trust and spark conversations. The point remains real human connection, but ChatGPT helps you show up sharper and more often than anyone else in your space. Your dream clients are on LinkedIn right now, looking for someone just like you. Make it impossible for them to miss you. Access my best prompts for building your personal brand, especially on LinkedIn.
The Independent
30-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Dr Martens boss to unveil new strategy to return to growth
The new boss of Dr Martens is to reveal his strategy to get the bootmaker back on track amid a slump in sales. The Camden-based footwear specialist will reveal its latest annual results on Thursday June 5, and is expected to post a drop in revenues and profits. However, investors are likely to focus on a strategy update from the company which is also due that day. Shares in the firm have tumbled by more than 80% since it floated on London's stock market in early 2021. The company has been blighted by sliding sales in recent years as it has fought waning consumer demand and supply chain disruptions. Ije Nwokorie, a former brand chief of the business, took over the top role in January in a bid to help revive its fortunes. This week the company also sought to strengthen its leadership team by appointing Carla Murphy from Adidas as its new chief brand officer and former Nike director Paul Zadof as its Americas president. The appointments come as Dr Martens seeks to bring more shoppers back to the brand and target new growth opportunities. Investec analyst Kate Calvert said: 'Having taken over as CEO in January and knowing the company well (previously chief brand officer and a non-executive director), we expect more of an evolutionary strategy. 'We are looking to hear what the team's growth priorities are from a range, market and channel perspective, and understand the differences in strategic approach to recent history. 'We also expect an update on the delivery of two crucial system projects – its customer data platform plus a supply and demand planning system.' Investec has forecast that the fashion firm will report revenues of roughly £803.5 million for the year to March 31. It would represent another significant drop from £877.1 million the previous year. In its previous update in January, Dr Martens pointed towards a partial recovery over the key festive period amid progress to turn around its US operation. On Thursday, the company is likely to show further progress with its direct-to-consumer business, efforts to increase cost savings and strengthening its balance sheet. Susannah Streeter, head of money and markets at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: 'Dr Martens is expected to deliver more evidence that it is pulling itself up by its bootstraps and the turnaround is lacing together. 'It's been reducing inventories and debt, preserving cash and stabilising the business overall. 'So there is more optimism around that Dr Martens can kick off a more sustained recovery.' Shareholders will also be looking for guidance on how its important US business might be impacted by recent tariff rule changes and how the firm might mitigate any impact.
