Difficult Conversations

sales trends

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Top Sales Trends and How to Thrive in an AI-Driven World

Sales is changing fast. AI is accelerating everything, buyers are harder to impress, and mediocre selling is getting exposed.

That’s the bad news.

The good news is also simple: the teams that win are going to be the ones who get clear, get current, and double down on human skills that actually move deals forward.

Here are the trends I’m seeing, and the practical moves to make right now if you want a strong year.

1. Get crystal clear on your goal (because nobody is coming to save you)

We’re living in the noisiest time in history. Tools. Tactics. Hot takes. EVERYONE SHOUTING (😉).

If you wait for clarity, you’ll be waiting forever.

Set your own clarity:

  • What is the actual outcome you want this year?
  • What do you want to be known for?
  • What do you want your next role to be?
  • What’s the one skill you’re unwilling to be mediocre at?

Then act like you mean it. Put it on your calendar. Build your plan around it. Stop drifting.

2. AI is not replacing you, but it is replacing “entry-level effort”

AI will absolutely wipe out a lot of low-level tasks. Anything that looks like copying, pasting, summarizing, basic research, first drafts, list building, and “good enough” outreach is getting automated fast.

So here’s the play:

  • Use AI to get efficient
  • Use humans to get effective

If you’re a rep, AI can help you research, organize, and prep.
If you’re a frontline manager, AI can help you spot trends, clean up pipeline signals, and prep for better coaching conversations.
If you’re a sales or revenue leader, AI can help you scale what’s working, identify risk earlier, and make better growth decisions without losing visibility into the human side of performance.
If you’re in enablement, AI can help you reinforce consistency in skills and training, but it should not define what “good” looks like. 

READ: The Ultimate AI Toolkit for Sales & Enablement Leaders

3.The human side of sales just became the differentiator

As marketing and automation go further “digital,” the moment a buyer finally talks to a human matters more than ever.

Which means sales has to feel less like a pitch and more like a helpful consultation.

If your selling is still built on:

  • Generic sequences
  • Shallow discovery
  • Long demos that say everything and solve nothing
  • Follow-up that’s basically “just checking in”

You’re going to feel the shift.

The bar is rising. Thank God.

4. Prospecting is getting harder and more important at the same time

AI has made outbound louder. Not better. Louder.

So prospecting wins this year when it’s:

  • More personal
  • More relevant
  • More direct
  • Less “spray and pray”

Practical upgrades:

  • Personalize to the problem, not the person. “Saw you went to Ohio State” is not value.
  • Lead with a point of view. “Here’s what we’re seeing in companies like yours.”
  • Have a real reason to reach out. A trigger. A change. A risk. A missed opportunity.
  • Keep it short. Make it easy to respond.

And yes, pick up the phone. Calls are weirdly becoming a differentiator again because fewer people are doing them at all, or well.

READ: Best AI Tools, Tips, And Prompts For Sales Prospecting

5. Discovery and conversation skills are the new conversion rate

Buyers do not want to be pitched at. They want to feel understood quickly.

Your edge is better discovery:

  • Ask sharper questions
  • Listen harder
  • Connect pain to impact
  • Create clarity, not confusion

A simple standard: if the buyer can’t clearly explain the problem and the stakes after talking to you, your discovery wasn’t discovery. It was a tour.

READ: 4 Steps to Asking Better Sales Discovery Call Questions

6. Demos are changing: shorter, tighter, more customized

The era of the 45-minute “power demo” is fading.

Teams are moving toward:

  • Micro-demos
  • Self-serve exploration
  • “Show me exactly what I asked for” experiences
  • Recordings that help buyers sell internally

If your demo is still a feature parade, you’re doing product theater, not selling.

Make demos:

  • Smaller
  • More specific
  • Tied to their use case and decision criteria
7. Call bridging is one of the fastest ways to prevent ghosting

Ghosting isn’t new. Buyers disappearing mid-deal is basically a sport now.

One of the simplest skills that helps is call bridging: setting up the next step while you still have them, with clarity and agreement, so follow-up isn’t chasing.

Quick example language:

  • “Before we hang up, what needs to be true for you to feel good about moving forward?”
  • “If we’re aligned, what’s the next best step on your side and mine?”
  • “Let’s lock the next conversation now so we don’t lose momentum.”

It’s not pushy. It’s professional.

READ: Call Bridging 101: Paving the Way for a Follow-up Sales Call

8. Pipeline and forecasting are finally getting help (but your CRM can’t be garbage)

More teams are leaning on AI for forecasting. That’s a win.

But AI can’t save you from messy inputs.

If your CRM stages are fuzzy and everyone has their own definition of “qualified,” you’ll still get bad forecasts. They’ll just arrive faster.

Team move to make:

  • Define clear stage gates
  • Decide what must be true to move forward
  • Build the habit of updating reality, not optimism
9. The skill plan matters as much as the tech plan

Most organizations spend way more on tools than training.

Tools are coming. Skills are what will separate teams.

If you’re a leader or enablement:

  • Budget time and money for skill development
  • Build an ongoing cadence so training isn’t a one-time event
  • Make practice normal, not rare
  • Don’t rely on video alone and call it “training”

People don’t change from watching. They change from doing.

READ: The Secret to Scaling Sales Team Revenue: Your Managers

Role-based game plan (so you actually use this)

If you’re a rep

Put these blocks on your calendar weekly:

  • Research + personalization time
  • Call time
  • Follow-up time
  • Skill practice time (one skill, not ten)

If you’re a manager

Protect your calendar or you’ll burn out:

  • Weekly group pipeline time (group, not endless 1:1 firefighting)
  • Weekly coaching block (deeper coaching, not drive-by feedback)
  • Monthly strategy and career development conversations
  • Quality checks (quality over quantity)

If you’re a sales or revenue leader 

Scale without losing control: 

  • Weekly visibility into pipeline health and risk, not just totals 
  • Clear definitions for stages, forecasting, and “what good looks like” 
  • Regular inspection of skills, not just numbers 
  • Investment in both systems and people, not one or the other

If you’re in enablement

Speed is the name of the game:

  • Build the muscle of a training cadence first
  • Then swap topics in as the world changes
  • Keep humans defining what “good” looks like
  • Use AI tools to spot patterns, not replace coaching

READ: 8 Sales Enablement Best Practices to Partner with Revenue Leaders

This year is going to reward the people who stay current, build real skill, and show up as humans.

Use AI to get faster. Use your people to get better.

And please, for the love of all things, don’t let a robot set the standard for your customer conversations.

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Top AI Tools for Sales & Enablement Leaders

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The Ultimate AI Toolkit for Sales & Enablement Leaders

AI is transforming how sales and enablement leaders work, but not every tool is worth your time. The real win comes from using AI to cut through busywork, speed up planning, and empower your team to perform at their best.

In this Sales Shot webinar, I sat down with Helen Fanucci, Rose Paik, Casey Calkins, and Dr. Richard Conde to cut through the noise and share the AI strategies that are actually working.

Here are the AI tools, prompts, and use cases worth stealing (and what you should skip).

Practical AI Use Cases That Are Saving Leaders Time

The biggest takeaway from our panel? AI is already drastically changing the game for sales and enablement leaders, and not in a distant future way. It’s helping them cut hours of work, make better decisions, and focus on the human parts of their job that matter most.

Helen shared a genius way to scale call reviews. Instead of sifting through hundreds of recordings, she uploads batches of transcripts into ChatGPT to surface competitor mentions, objection patterns, and whether reps are locking in next steps. It’s like a virtual coach doing the analysis for you, so you can spend time actually coaching.

Prompt to steal:
“Here are 20 discovery call transcripts. Create a table summarizing top objections, competitor mentions, and whether a next meeting was secured.”

Another smart move came from Rose, who built her own “clone” using Gemini. This persona enforces the company’s tone, writes in an active voice, and ensures content is clear and consistent across teams worldwide. The result is scalable sales training that actually sticks.

Prompt to steal:
“You are a sales enablement expert. Write onboarding instructions in an active voice, using customer-centric language at an 8th-grade reading level.”

AI can also help sales managers think faster and coach smarter. By feeding pipeline data into ChatGPT, Casey uses it to surface coaching priorities, the same insights an experienced leader would draw out, but in minutes instead of hours (grab Casey’s free AI toolkit for 6 AI prompts sales leaders need).

Prompt to steal:
“You are a frontline sales manager. Analyze this pipeline report and highlight three coaching priorities for my next one-on-one.”

Richard is taking a different angle by using AI to power better top-of-funnel strategies. He pairs Claude with Crystal Knows to understand buyer personality types, helping him craft outreach messages that feel personal, not spammy.

Prompt to steal:
“Here’s my target persona and their LinkedIn profile. Write a personalized outreach message that matches their communication style.”

These aren’t hypotheticals. They’re working right now. The leaders using AI this way aren’t just saving time; they’re leading smarter.

READ: Best AI Tools, Tips, And Prompts For Sales Prospecting

Smart Sales Coaching and Training with AI

AI isn’t here to replace coaching (or training), but our panel proved it can make coaching a whole lot more impactful. By letting AI handle the heavy lifting behind the scenes, leaders are freeing up more time to actually coach and connect with their teams.

One of the standout examples came from Helen, who built a custom Love Your Team bot to help leaders role-play tough performance conversations. Managers can pick a scenario (easy, medium, or hard), practice with the bot, and get scored on how they did. It’s a safe way to prepare for conversations most leaders dread.

Prompt to steal:
“You are an underperforming rep. Role-play a tough performance conversation with me and grade my responses.”

Rose is embedding AI directly into enablement the right way: skills first, AI second. Her team uses NotebookLM to create an interactive, searchable knowledge base from training content. Reps can ask it questions, generate FAQs, and even turn the material into podcasts in multiple languages, making learning easier to access and retain.

Prompt to steal:
“Based on this training content, create an FAQ for reps that focuses on what they need to do, not just what they need to know.”

GRW also came up as a powerful tool for role-play coaching, giving reps a safe environment to practice calls and get real-time feedback based on proven sales frameworks (like the Factor 8 COACHN Model).

Casey encourages leaders to train their GPT to think like them. By feeding it prompts that teach their leadership style and decision-making frameworks, managers create a digital “thinking partner” they can lean on for coaching plans and tough conversations.

Prompt to steal:
“Here is how I coach and communicate with my team. Learn my style and use it to draft coaching plans for these three reps.”

AI works best when it reinforces fundamentals instead of replacing them. Richard uses it for pattern recognition in sales scenarios, helping reps see what makes deals successful before they automate a thing.

Prompt to steal:
“Analyze these sales scenarios and identify patterns in what led to successful outcomes.”

The bottom line? AI makes coaching and training more scalable and personal, but it only works if you use it to strengthen (not sidestep) the human connection.

virtual sales trends
Table Stakes for Using AI Safely and Effectively

AI is only as good as the guardrails you set around it. The panel made it clear that using AI safely and effectively isn’t optional, it’s table stakes.

Privacy and data control came up first. Casey stressed that leaders must lock down privacy settings before letting teams run wild with new tools. Without clear guardrails, you risk exposing sensitive information. 

Prompt writing was another critical theme. Richard shared that the best outputs come from clear inputs: provide context, be specific, and always state your desired outcome. “Bad prompts get bad results,” he said. That’s why he often uses Claude to refine his prompts before sending them to other AI tools.

Helen showed how simple prompts can turn messy CRM data into clean, actionable summaries. Instead of spending hours in spreadsheets, she asks ChatGPT to create a table showing seller progress against objectives, giving her an instant snapshot of where to focus.

Rose brought it back to basics: start with the customer, not the tool. AI is there to help you serve buyers better, not to replace thoughtful strategy. When teams lead with AI instead of empathy, they risk losing the human connection that closes deals.

The message from all four leaders? The tools will not save you unless you teach them who you are, control what they see, and use them to make your work and your relationships stronger.

VIDEO: 8+ Critical Things Sales And Enablement Leaders Need To Know About AI

Time-Saving Hacks and Quick Wins

One of the best parts of this session was hearing the little hacks leaders use to save time without cutting corners. These weren’t big, shiny tech demos; they were practical shortcuts anyone can use.

NotebookLM was a fan favorite for Rose, who uses it like an interactive playbook. Instead of digging through static training docs, her reps can ask it “how do I” questions and instantly get answers. It can even generate FAQs or spin training material into podcast episodes in multiple languages, making learning accessible and easy to consume.

Casey shared how she teaches leaders to train ChatGPT to think like them. By feeding it prompts that define their leadership style, tone, and decision-making process, they turn it into a virtual assistant that knows how they would respond. This saves managers countless hours on repetitive tasks like drafting coaching plans or preparing for one-on-ones.

Richard uses Claude to sharpen his prompts before sending them to other tools. He calls it a “prompt coach” because it helps him ask better questions, which leads to better outputs everywhere else.

Helen keeps her workflow lean by asking AI to summarize CRM and call data into quick performance snapshots. Instead of pulling endless reports, she gets an at-a-glance view of what’s working and what’s not so she can spend her time coaching, not crunching numbers.

Fathom was another fan-favorite for turning meeting recordings into clear, actionable summaries, so leaders and reps can skip manual note-taking and focus on next steps.

For me, Oliv is the standout AI tool for saving time. I raved about it during the webinar, sharing how it delivers all my pre-call research straight to my inbox. No digging, no scrambling, just everything I need ready to go before the call. Oliv’s AI agents handle the admin grind behind meetings, from updating CRM fields to building follow-ups and proposals. For leaders, it automates forecasting and pipeline reviews, keeping everything accurate without the manual chase. 

These hacks may seem small, but together they save hours each week and keep leaders focused on what really moves the needle.

What AI Tools Are Worth It (And What to Skip)

When it comes to AI, there’s no shortage of shiny new tools, but only a handful are truly moving the needle for leaders. The panel didn’t hold back on sharing their favorites and the ones they’d leave behind.

For writing and content creation, Claude was a unanimous favorite. Both Richard and Rose rely on it for everything from drafting social content to formatting training materials. Richard even uses Claude to help craft better prompts, giving him cleaner outputs faster.

On the enablement side, Rose swears by her custom Gemini persona, the “Rose Clone,” to enforce tone and consistency in every piece of training content. She pairs it with NotebookLM to turn training materials into interactive, searchable resources that reps actually use.

For leaders coaching teams, Casey’s toolkit is full of must-haves. She loves using ChatGPT to analyze pipeline data, surface coaching priorities, and act as a sounding board for tough management decisions.

The session also spotlighted presentation tools worth bookmarking. Richard uses Napkin and Beautiful to quickly create clean, high-impact visuals, and pairs them with Canva for easy team collaboration. These tools make it faster to produce presentations that actually engage audiences without spending hours designing slides.

Not all tools got glowing reviews. Helen warned against relying on AI to write prospecting emails or LinkedIn outreach. Tools that blast generic messages do more harm than good. Her advice? Skip the automation here and pick up the phone. “Calling is back,” she reminded us. (We don’t think it ever went away 😉).

The panel also flagged a common mistake: blindly trusting AI outputs. Whether it’s using ChatGPT to summarize CRM data or leaning on any tool to draft content, accuracy isn’t guaranteed. Every AI output still needs a human eye before it goes out the door.

The takeaway? Tools like Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, NotebookLM, and even quick-hit design tools like Napkin and Beautiful are worth the investment because they solve real problems. Tools that replace personal outreach or encourage copy-paste shortcuts? Skip them.

What’s Next for AI in Sales Enablement

The session wrapped up with a clear message: AI is here to stay, but how you use it determines whether it helps or hurts.

Helen reminded everyone not to let AI erode trust with customers or teams. Human connection still wins, and AI should support (not replace) that.

Richard sees the next wave already forming. AI agents acting like digital employees are coming fast, and they’ll change how leaders think about efficiency and staffing.

Casey urged leaders to focus on amplification. Use AI to make what you do best even better instead of trying to automate it all away.

And Rose left us with the simplest but most important reminder: no AI tool fixes bad fundamentals. Skills come first. Layer AI on top to scale and reinforce, not as a shortcut.

The future of sales and enablement isn’t human vs. machine. It’s human with machine, and leaders who embrace that balance are already pulling ahead. 

When I asked the panel if AI would replace sellers, the chat blew up with a resounding “NO.” That moment sparked an important reminder from Casey about how we should approach AI:

“AI will only replace humans if we let it. Use it to make yourself better,
not to take yourself out of the equation.”
The Best AI Sales & Enablement Tools

Here are the top AI tools from our panel and how they’re being used to save leaders time, improve coaching, and scale enablement:

  • Beautiful – Creates polished, high-impact presentations without needing a designer.
  • Canva – Makes it easy to design presentations and enablement content quickly with team collaboration.
  • ChatGPT – Analyzes call transcripts, summarizes CRM data, role-plays tough conversations, and acts as a manager’s thinking partner.
  • Claude – Used to draft content, refine prompts, and create cleaner outputs for training and social selling.
  • ConnectAndSell – Speeds up live calling efforts and list enrichment for sellers.
  • Crystal Knows – Helps tailor outreach messaging based on buyer personality profiles.
  • Fathom – Automatically summarizes calls and meetings into actionable notes.
  • Fireflies – Transcribes and summarizes meetings, saving time on manual note-taking.
  • Gamma – Builds presentation slides in minutes with AI-generated layouts and content.
  • Gemini – Powers custom personas like Rose’s “clone” for consistent content creation and translates training content across languages.
  • Gong – Analyzes call recordings to surface buyer sentiment, track deal risks, and give managers data-driven coaching insights.
  • GRW – Acts as a sales role-play simulator that provides real-time feedback based on proven coaching frameworks.
  • Kronologic – An AI-powered scheduling assistant that automatically books meetings by recognizing when a lead is ready and sending a calendar invite from the rep’s email.
  • Magi – Gives leaders access to multiple AI models like Claude and GPT in one interface, streamlining experimentation and prompt testing.
  • MidJourney – Generates high-quality visuals and creative assets for content and enablement.
  • Napkin – Quickly generates clean slide visuals and presentation graphics.
  • NotebookLM – Turns training materials into interactive playbooks, searchable FAQs, and even multilingual podcasts.
  • Oliv – Delivers pre-call cheat sheets with bios, company background, and personalized icebreakers to reps.
  • Perplexity – Acts as an AI-powered research assistant for quick, accurate information retrieval during content creation or planning.
  • RightBound – Uses natural language queries to create targeted prospect lists quickly, saving time on manual filtering.
Bonus: AI Tools Recommended by Attendees

Our audience came ready to share their own favorite tools. Here are a few worth exploring:

  • Adobe Firefly – Leveraged for generative design and creative content projects (shared by Jim).
  • Autobound – An AI-powered email writing tool that combines Claude and Gemini to craft smarter outbound messages (shared by Jason).
  • Calendly – Now includes AI-powered note-taking, recording, and meeting summaries to streamline follow-ups (shared by Viveka).
  • Copilot (Microsoft) – Used by several attendees to act as a virtual assistant, helping with meeting prep, drafting content, and automating repetitive tasks to boost productivity (shared by Jessica, Sandra, Angela, and Shawn).
  • Custom Personas for ChatGPT – A resource with 300 pre-built persona templates to customize ChatGPT for specific roles or scenarios (shared by Demont).
  • Otter – Helps transcribe meetings and create searchable notes; also praised for its robust subprocessors (shared by Demont).
  • n8n – Used for building automation workflows that connect multiple tools and processes seamlessly (shared by Jason).
  • ScreenApp – Captures and analyzes face-to-face meetings, providing outputs similar to Fathom for call insights (shared by Guy).
  • Vengreso FlyEngage – Designed to boost LinkedIn engagement through personalized messaging and workflows (shared by Viveka).
  • ZoomInfo – Used to create buying groups and surface intent signals to target prospects more effectively (shared by Glenn and Demont).

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sales manager types

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4 Sales Manager Types Explained: Strengths, Skill Gaps, and Growth Tips

Most sales managers never got formal training. They were great reps, promoted for crushing quota, and then… handed a team.

Sound familiar?

Managing people requires a whole new set of skills. And when you’re juggling forecasts, pipeline reviews, and never-ending fire drills all before lunch, it’s easy to default to what you think good management looks like.

That’s why I created the Sales Manager Quiz. It’ll help you identify your natural leadership style and see what’s working and where you can level up.

In this deep dive, we’re breaking down the four manager types (Powerhouse, Cheerleader, Quarterback, and BFF) and…

  • What each type nails
  • Where they struggle
  • And exactly how to level up

This isn’t a personality quiz just for fun (though it is fun). It’s a growth tool to help you lead more effectively, feel more in control, and build the kind of team that actually hits their number.

sales manager quiz
The Powerhouse Manager

You’re the engine of the team. Powerhouses get stuff done, no excuses, no delays, no loose ends. Your standards are sky-high, your work ethic is unmatched, and your team probably describes you as intense, but fair. You’re the person people trust when they need results fast.

But here’s the tradeoff: That pressure you thrive under? It can overwhelm your team. When everything is urgent and nothing falls through the cracks, reps can struggle to keep up or feel like they’re always letting you down. You may find yourself stepping in to fix things, juggling too much, or skipping coaching because it feels slower than just doing it yourself. Sound familiar?

If you’re a Powerhouse, your next level of leadership isn’t about doing more, it’s about doing less and leading smarter.

Traits:
High achiever, results driver, flawless executer, pressure lover, chronic improver, priority juggler

Strengths:

  • Creates a high-performance culture
  • Work gets done on time (and done right)
  • Team focuses on the right things
  • Solves problems quickly
  • Leads by example
  • Pushes team to deliver results

Areas for Growth:

  • Risks burnout — both for self and team
  • Micromanages instead of developing independence
  • Prioritizes task reviews over real coaching
  • May miss signs of team fatigue or lack of collaboration

How to Level Up:

  • Block time for dedicated skill coaching
  • Use a standard coaching form: 3 wins + 1 area to improve
  • Set one clear priority at a time
  • Assign ownership to reps (even if you’d do it faster)
  • Add team-led training sessions to build collaboration

Resources:

  • Download: The Eisenhower Matrix – Use this worksheet to prioritize what actually moves the needle and stop wasting time on low-impact tasks that drain your day.
  • Course to Take: Own Your Day – The go-to course for managing priorities, time, and team expectations without burning out.
The Cheerleader Manager

You’re the hype squad, heart, and hope of your team. Cheerleaders are natural motivators who lead with positivity, praise, and a deep belief in their people. Your reps feel seen, supported, and genuinely like coming to work. You’re the one reminding them they’ve got this, because they usually do.

But high morale doesn’t always equal high performance. If you’re not careful, you might avoid giving hard feedback, hesitate to push underperformers, or focus so much on celebrating strengths that you miss the growing skill gaps.

Being a Cheerleader means balancing the pep with a plan. Confidence is the fuel, but your reps still need a clear destination and a map to get there.

Traits:
Confidence builder, esteem booster, strength finder, encourager, positivity spreader, inspirer of self-directed improvement

Strengths:

  • Builds confident, high-performing teams
  • Creates a safe, engaging team culture
  • Reinforces wins to accelerate growth
  • Boosts rep loyalty and retention

Areas for Growth:

  • Hesitant to give tough feedback
  • May avoid holding reps accountable
  • Over-focuses on strengths, under-focuses on gaps
  • Team may not be improving skills or results
  • Lacks systems to track progress
  • Risks getting blindsided on forecasts

How to Level Up:

  • Set clear, measurable skill and results goals
  • Use a balanced meeting framework (coaching + accountability)
  • Start peer mentoring to scale support
  • Schedule recurring team trainings to improve skills (not just confidence)

Resources:

  • Download: The COACHN Model – Use this framework to run more effective 1:1s, coaching sessions, and performance conversations that actually drive action.
  • Course to Take: Having Difficult Conversations – helps managers deliver honest feedback with empathy and clarity.
The Quarterback Manager

You’ve been in the trenches. You’ve carried the bag. You know exactly what it takes to win a deal, because you’ve done it a hundred times. As a Quarterback, your team relies on you for play-by-play guidance, deal-saving advice, and that one perfect story that closes the deal. You’re sharp, strategic, and always ready to jump in and move things forward.

But here’s the catch: if you’re always calling the plays, your reps never learn to run them. That creates a team of highs and lows, some stars, some stragglers, and a lot of dependence. You may find yourself rescuing deals instead of coaching skills, or relying more on stories than questions.

To level up, it’s time to trade the helmet for the headset. Coach the rep, not the deal.

Traits:
 Leader of deals, experienced pro, knows how to win, storyteller, answer man, saver of deals

Strengths:

  • Deep sales expertise and sharp instincts
  • Knows how to map the path to success
  • Offers tactical, deal-specific advice
  • Leads confidently from experience
  • Earns quick trust from the team

Areas for Growth:

  • Inconsistent team performance (highs and lows)
  • Focuses too much on deals, not enough on rep development
  • Struggles to let reps fail and learn
  • Doesn’t block enough time for skill coaching
  • Leans on telling stories instead of asking questions
  • May unintentionally build a team of “mini-me” clones

How to Level Up:

  • Run win-loss sessions (game tape style) to break down deals
  • Take a manager coaching course to shift focus to skill-building
  • Share personal failures to normalize mistakes
  • Establish a regular cadence of 1:1s, team meetings, and reviews
  • Appoint peer experts to foster independence and collaboration

Resources:

  • Download: Tasks to Start vs. Stop Doing – Use this guide to shift out of “super rep” mode by focusing on high-impact leadership tasks and leaving the old rep responsibilities behind.
  • Course to Take: The COACHN℠ Model – helps you coach reps more consistently and shift from fixer to developer.
The BFF Manager

You’re the safe space. The one your reps vent to. You know their pets’ names, their partner’s promotion status, and who’s on the verge of burnout (because they told you, not their therapist). As a BFF manager, your superpower is trust. Your team feels supported, understood, and motivated—and in today’s world, that’s no small thing.

But emotional intelligence isn’t a substitute for leadership. When you’re too close to your team, it gets harder to hold the line. Performance conversations get postponed. Boundaries blur. And the reps you care most about? They may end up stuck, because no one’s pushing them to grow.

Being a great manager isn’t about being liked. It’s about being respected and effective. You already have the heart. Now it’s time to build the structure.

Traits:
Empathetic, emotionally attuned, deeply connected, personal motivator, team nurturer

Strengths:

  • Builds strong morale through personal connection
  • Creates psychological safety and trust
  • Reads emotional cues and team dynamics well
  • Motivates with recognition and empathy
  • Fosters collaboration and peer support

Areas for Growth:

  • Too patient with underperformance
  • Avoids hard conversations to preserve relationships
  • Lacks clear performance metrics and expectations
  • Risks playing favorites
  • Inconsistent accountability
  • Needs a more structured roadmap for team development

How to Level Up:

  • Implement a standard meeting framework with clear expectations
  • Get comfortable setting (and sticking to) deadlines
  • Schedule recurring performance reviews with every team member
  • Set (and keep) professional boundaries (save the lunch dates for Fridays)

Resources:

  • Download: Coaching Frequency Guide – Use this to categorize your reps by skill vs. will, so you know who needs your time, who’s coasting, and where to focus your coaching energy.
  • Course to Take: Driving Performance With Goals – gives you tools to set clear expectations and build accountability without sacrificing team trust.

Knowing your type is step one. The real magic happens when you use that insight to grow.

The best sales managers aren’t stuck in one style, they flex. They coach intentionally, delegate purposefully, and lead with both heart and structure. Whether you’re a Powerhouse learning to let go, a Cheerleader learning to lean in, a Quarterback trading the playbook for coaching time, or a BFF building boundaries, there’s always a next level. 

Better managers build better teams. Let’s get to work! Take the quiz here.

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What Type of Sales Manager Are You? (& How to Make It Your Superpower) [Webinar Recording]

What Type of Sales Manager Are You? (& How to Make It Your Superpower)

[Video Recording]

Take a Deep Dive into your Sales Manager Type

In this Sales Shot, Lauren Bailey is bringing our sales manager quiz to life with special guest Brad Truran, Sr. Sales Advisor at Factor 8. Together, LB and Brad will walk through the different manager types, the strengths and potential blind spots of each, and the tactical advice they wish someone had shared earlier.

Whether you’re brand new to the role, a few years in and still wondering if you’re doing it right, leading a team of managers, or thinking about stepping into leadership for the first time, this session will give you real talk, practical tools, and tactical tips to help you lead more effectively based on your style.

You’ll learn:

  • The strengths and potential blind spots of each manager type
  • Real-world advice for surviving (and succeeding) as a sales manager 
  • Tips and tools to help every type thrive
  • How to ask for the training and support you need
  • How to use your style to build trust, coach better, and hit team goals

Perfect for:

  • Sales Managers looking for helpful tips and techniques to grow
  • Reps or team leaders ready to step into leadership
  • Leaders who want to better support their managers

Find out your manager type before watching the webinar! Take the quiz here.

Watch the session for practical, honest advice (and maybe even a laugh or two) with LB and Brad. Don’t miss this one!

Watch the video replay!


Take a Deep Dive into your Sales Manager Type

In this Sales Shot, Lauren Bailey is bringing our sales manager quiz to life with special guest Brad Truran, Sr. Sales Advisor at Factor 8. Together, LB and Brad will walk through the different manager types, the strengths and potential blind spots of each, and the tactical advice they wish someone had shared earlier.

Whether you’re brand new to the role, a few years in and still wondering if you’re doing it right, leading a team of managers, or thinking about stepping into leadership for the first time, this session will give you real talk, practical tools, and tactical tips to help you lead more effectively based on your style.

You’ll learn:

  • The strengths and potential blind spots of each manager type
  • Real-world advice for surviving (and succeeding) as a sales manager 
  • Tips and tools to help every type thrive
  • How to ask for the training and support you need
  • How to use your style to build trust, coach better, and hit team goals

Perfect for:

  • Sales Managers looking for helpful tips and techniques to grow
  • Reps or team leaders ready to step into leadership
  • Leaders who want to better support their managers

Find out your manager type before watching the webinar! Take the quiz here.

Watch the session for practical, honest advice (and maybe even a laugh or two) with LB and Brad. Don’t miss this one!

Watch the video replay!


Your Sales Manager Survival Kit [Cheat Sheets]

Your Sales Manager Survival Kit

[Free Resources & Cheat Sheets]

Get the Tools That Match Your Sales Management Style

Every sales manager leads a little differently, and that’s a good thing. Whether you’re a high-energy Cheerleader, a detail-driven Powerhouse, a relationship-first BFF, or a seasoned Quarterback, we’ve got tools tailored to help you lead smarter, coach more confidently, and make your job easier.

If you haven’t already, take our 3-minute quiz to discover your sales manager type, then fill out the form to get your custom toolkit. We’ll send you cheat sheets, templates, and quick-hit guides aligned to your leadership style. No fluff. Just practical tools that save time, reduce stress, and help your team perform better.

Download your cheat sheets!


Get the Tools That Match Your Sales Management Style

Every sales manager leads a little differently, and that’s a good thing. Whether you’re a high-energy Cheerleader, a detail-driven Powerhouse, a relationship-first BFF, or a seasoned Quarterback, we’ve got tools tailored to help you lead smarter, coach more confidently, and make your job easier.

If you haven’t already, take our 3-minute quiz to discover your sales manager type, then fill out the form to get your custom toolkit. We’ll send you cheat sheets, templates, and quick-hit guides aligned to your leadership style. No fluff. Just practical tools that save time, reduce stress, and help your team perform better.

Download your cheat sheets!


sales lay off

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5 Things to Do Immediately After Being Laid off in Sales

Layoffs, Recessions, and RIFs (Ooooooh, my)

It’s a crap situation folks, no way around that. But if you’re in a revenue role and you smell it coming, or just got your notice, here are our top 5 tips to help you recover from a sales layoff:

  1. Attitude is everything. I don’t mean to not FEEL angry, sad, betrayed, and revenge-fueled! I just mean don’t show it. You’re in a fishbowl right now and everyone you rant to may actually be a prospective employer or referrer. And let’s face it, they’re all wondering if it was the company or it was you. We’ve heard that companies use uncertain economies to trim the fat, and telling the story of your betrayal may tip things in the direction of you being the problem. 
  2. Try a re-frame. Perhaps you were cut because you were the most expensive! It’s the most efficient way to cut costs, right? You may have not been as aligned with the new leadership or go-to-market strategy. It’s probably time to refresh your skills, sharpen the saw, and expand your horizons! What I’m talking about here is your internal self-talk AND your “packaging.” Are you a dejected, rejected, dime-a-dozen AE on the hunt? Or are you a senior-level, uber-expensive, in-demand revenue professional!? I thought so. 🙂 
  3. Get clear on what you want. For decades I’ve made a hobby of helping great people find great companies, and every time I get an email requesting help, I reply asking them to detail their dream job. I don’t mean title and income (you DID think that didn’t you!?). I mean what industry, working with what kinds of customers? What will you be learning? What kind of product or service would make you proud? How will your boss treat you, how do sell, and how will you be led and fed? Go nuts on the wish list and ask questions about past peeves like work hours, development opportunities, bosses and mentors, facilities, friends at work, tools, and more! When we know exactly what we want, we can describe that for people and INSTANTLY get better referrals than a generic, “anything in SaaS.”
    Try this: When I ask if you know someone who leads a new or growing sales team in the banking industry, runs an insurance house, or manages a team that sells into government, did your brain find someone? Could you feel it scanning deeper than, “Know anyone hiring?” When you help people picture someone they know, you’re more than halfway to a referral.

    I’m also a believer that putting it out there in the universe is necessary step #1 in bringing what we want to us!

  4. Brag a little. No, strike that. Brag a LOT. Your resume needs to be packed with results!
    Numbers Are The Love Language Of All Sales Leaders!

    Get yours in order! What percent did you increase market share? Was there a spike in metrics under your leadership? How many quarters did you exceed quota? How about your team? Did you win any records? Awards? Listen, if the very best thing you did was reach quota consistently realize that is a WIN! If you’re still there, start running reports to shore up your data.

    What else did you do? Customer satisfaction? Product development? Process documentation? Testimonial acquisition? New customer types? Lead with numbers and close with some voice of the customer. They’ll be lining up to talk to you!

  5. Call in the favors (by offering to help!) If you fear it’s coming but haven’t left yet, NOW is the time to work your network. Funny how our colleagues, customers, and friends lose our numbers when we leave (and listen, some actually do only know your work email). But a call from an employed friend calling to catch up and see how I am and how they can help me gets 10x the callbacks than my newly laid off buddy who wants to give me the Telenovela version of their unfair termination. So do as many favors as you can before you’re gone, so it’s easy to call up for the payback when you need it. Start your re-frame marketing campaign about where you’re headed and your desire to leave to move up or move on! Then find out how you can help THEM and do it. Reciprocity is real (and everyone will like you better.)

In short, approach this well-deserved break like the freaking diamond you are. There’s an international shortage of professional sellers – especially virtual sellers. Find an industry and company that’s thriving and package yourself as a FIND! I’m confident that YOU are something you can sell.

Good luck out there! If we can help you brush up on your selling skills at Factor 8 with free virtual sales BDR, AE, or Account Management training, please email us at info@factor8.com and mention this blog.

If you’re a woman in revenue leadership, please apply to join the #GirlsClub Sales Leadership Certification Program as a Protégé (new or aspiring manager) or Mentor (5+ years of leadership experience). Our amazing sponsors will help foot the bill.

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5 Signs It’s Time to Fire a Sales Rep

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5 Signs It’s Time to Fire a Sales Rep

Is it time to fire a sales rep? We’ve all made bad hires. And we’ve all made wrong assumptions about team members. So second-guessing ourselves on whether or not to cut bait on an underperforming rep is only natural – especially in today’s war for talent.

It’s only in hindsight we realize we should have done it long ago. When the team mood shoots up, other performance rises, or we hear a few nightmare stories we kick ourselves for not acting on sooner.

But on the reverse, we don’t lose that number when we lose the headcount. Is SOMEbody better than NObody?

I’ve got to go with no. Sure, calls are getting made and a few wins in the pipe, but what could a top-performing rep do with those leads or accounts? How many messes are being made below the surface with the leads, the existing customers, and especially the team. When I hear relief from the team members “left behind” is when I feel the worst about not cutting bait. After all, culture is created by the behavior we accept, not the goals we set or even the high performers.

Here are 5 signs that you’re prolonging the inevitable and need to fire a sales rep:

1. There’s more than a performance issue

When someone isn’t going to make it, there’s typically evidence in more than one place. Call volume is an issue, but they’ve also been late a few times. Close percent isn’t great, and neither is their attitude. Check for behavioral and cultural issues in addition to sales performance. They may not be a clear-cut write-up, but they’re your evidence to double down performance managing the quantifiable issues.

2. There’s a lack of ownership

A friend of mine recently cut bait and replaced someone on their team. When I asked how onboarding the new hire was going I heard, “Well, they’re an adult, so that helps.” This was a (possibly less than eloquent albeit true) summary of what many of us have felt before. If you could be replaced by a $15 /hour babysitter, it’s a sign. If it takes more than one conversation to get something fixed all the way to completion, you’re dealing with a lack of ownership. Could be on a deal, could be about getting to work on time. Maybe it will hit you when you hear your third, fourth, or fifth excuse. The key is to recognize it early, call it out, and get them on your list.

3. One stat rises and another falls

Talk time is up, but dials are down. Quotes are up, but penetration is down. They just can’t seem to get it all going in the right direction at the same time. It’s a great clue they’re either over-employed or don’t care the right amount to give this their full effort. Try to aggregate your performance management here so they can’t sneak by with a “different” offense. Your write-up (or whatever you use) should indicate ALL measures within goal, not one specifically. Don’t waste months chasing different tails!

4. Cover-ups

The very first time you find something in the gray area, something hidden, a half-truth or half-baked answer, you have your sign. Why? Because if you see one (or a half) now, I guarantee you’re going to find 5-10x more when they leave. Look for a customer complaint, a team member’s eye roll, a deal called back by finance, an unexplainable call time or a customer CRM note. If it raises a yellow flag, do yourself the favor of turning that flag red and saving time. 

5. Hiding

Having trouble getting a meeting nailed down? See 1:1 meetings being rescheduled or long delays in getting back to you? You’ve got a hider! Hiders know something is wrong and they’re avoiding the conflict for as long as possible. Folks who are working hard and giving you their best are responsive. Employees carrying some guilt and shame don’t speak up, don’t make eye contact, and avoid 1:1 time with you. If your time together has been pushed more than once, there’s your sign (anyone else hearing Jeff Foxworthy every time I say that??). Please note that hiding may also mean going quiet. When Gallup studies engaged, disengaged, and actively disengaged employees, the ones that cost you the most (actively disengaged) are actually NOT the voice of discontent or detractors in meetings. They’re the quiet ones who have decided speaking up isn’t worth their effort. Look for voices you haven’t heard in a while and check in privately here.

sales
So you’ve come this far and you have 1 solid or perhaps 2-3 “maybe” signs that it’s time to fire a sales rep. What do you do? Address them immediately. When it lingers, it festers and the rest of your team suffers. If you have a performance management system, use it strictly. Talk with HR about making the timeline as short as possible. The key is very clear actions and deadlines to whatever expectations you have.

In addition, see what you can do to coach them up or out sooner. Plenty of employees welcome the opportunity to admit they don’t love the job, but they don’t want to let you down. Together you can decide what might be a better fit and how you can help them get there. Just last month an employee I helped coach out (and helped land the next gig) came into town and stayed with my family. We continue to like and respect each other because we addressed the growing lack of fit, clear expectations on what we needed going forward, and mutually decided on a timeframe to part ways. That’s a win-win.

It probably doesn’t feel that easy right now, but I’m willing to bet it’s because you’re second-guessing yourself on taking action. Re-read my signs above, and if your yellow flag goes even halfway up on more than one, schedule a conversation. Ask how they’re liking their job, how they think they’re performing, and if they see themselves here long term. Share your feedback with specific examples and clear go-forward expectations. It doesn’t have to be contentious, instead, expect it to be a great air-clearing meeting of the minds where you both feel better afterward.

Do your sales reps need more training?

We’ve got your back! Contact us today to learn about our customizable virtual sales training programs
available for reps (and managers).



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