SalesFuel Today

Do you have good sales habits? The right habits make effective sellers. Successful reps have established routines and behaviors that push them above and beyond their goals.

How can you improve your sales hiring outcomes? Hiring sales reps, especially the right ones, has never been easy.  After all, the cost of a bad sales hire for B2B companies is now at $177,171 according to our research. Staying aware of the latest trends and following best practices in sales hiring can make a difference.

Have you mastered the trial close in sales? Trial closing is a strategy that sellers can use to gauge the level of buyer interest.

Back in the day, 500 years ago, job seekers used letters of introduction, or resumes, to obtain new positions. Even then, job seekers emphasized the skills and experience they would bring to a new position. Employers had no way of knowing whether they were telling the truth, unless a trusted individual confirmed the candidate’s claims.

Have you made it a priority to attend networking events? If not, you may be missing plentiful opportunities for leads, new insights and valuable connections.

If there is a secret weapon in the world of B2B sales, it’s knowing the best sales questions to ask. And it’s not about seeking an overwhelming amount of data. It’s more like being a curious and attentive friend who genuinely wants to understand problems and needs.

What percentage of sales managers use sales skills assessments? Our Voice of the Sales Manager survey reports that it is 45%. At the same time, sales managers are faced with a 30% turnover rate. But in some verticals, such as personal services, it’s closer to 35%. Managers can reduce their costly turnover rate by using sales skills assessments and sales aptitude tools.

Does getting sales referrals feel like a tedious task? It shouldn’t! If you’re having difficulty obtaining referrals, it may be time to rethink your approach.

B2B sales champions are the internal advocates who help your solution survive scrutiny, navigate politics, and ultimately win consensus. The finest of these insiders have your back and will plead your case even when you’re not in the room. Given today’s complex, multilevel transactions, there is much to be gained by cultivating these rewarding relationships.

SalesFuel announces new research revealing the average cost of a bad B2B sales hire now totals $177,171, significantly higher than the figure most commonly cited by business leaders for the past decade. The findings were announced during a webinar hosted by Paul Nolan, Editor-​in-​Chief of Sales & Marketing Management, featuring C. Lee Smith, Founder and CEO of SalesFuel, and Kathy Crosett, Senior Vice President of Research at SalesFuel.

A bad B2B sales hire doesn't just underperform — they drain resources, distort forecasts, and damage your brand. New SalesFuel research puts the average cost at $177,171. Download this free special report to understand every stage of the cost and get a proven framework for hiring smarter based on feedback from your peers.

Are you missing key signals that your sales hiring process needs an upgrade? If your turnover rate exceeds the 30% average we uncovered in our Voice of a Sales Manager survey, you likely have a problem.

Are you tapping into the power of the sales email call to action? If not, you’re likely missing a big opportunity to capitalize on all of those emails you send. You might find that they lead to nowhere, or worse, they don’t even get a response.

Cold pitches still work, but they perform best when they sound like informed relevance rather than a random interruption. Sellers agree the strongest pitches are personalized, reflect accurate data, and timed to the target’s eminent threat or opportunity.

Upcoming Webinar on 6/​​3 Details the Biggest Challenge for Sales Managers (link below to register) SalesFuel's recent Voice of the Sales Manager™ survey, representing the opinions of sales managers across a well-​​balanced mix of businesses, presents key insights into the current State of Sales Management in 2026. "AI adoption in sales continues to face resistance due to customer data concerns, limited training and fear of losing the human element. With only 37% of sales managers saying they fully understand AI's value to their team's success, many sales reps continue to use AI