What Your Salespeople Aren't Telling You Webinar

BY Audrey Strong
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Watch this Webinar

A dynamic panel discussion unveiling fresh insights from SalesFuel’s 2025 Voice of the Sales Rep survey.

This comprehensive study captures the perspectives of 830 salespeople from U.S. companies with five or more sales professionals, shedding light on the motivations, challenges, and perceptions that shape today’s sales teams.

In this 50-​minute webinar, Editor-​In-​Chief Paul Nolan of Sales and Marketing Management leads a thought-​provoking conversation with SalesFuel CEO and bestselling author C. Lee Smith, and Kathy Crosett, Senior Vice President of Research for SalesFuel.


Why Watch?

Together, they explored key findings and pressing topics including:

  • How sales reps truly feel about their bosses and other internal departments — in most areas, it’s better than you might expect
  • The realities of AI adoption and avoidance — it’s far more nuanced than just prompts
  • The ongoing challenges salespeople face in maintaining motivation and what’s getting in their way
  • Strategies for building environments where salespeople thrive and choose to stay
  • Lessons from the best sales managers reps have ever had — and how you can become one

Who Should Watch?

  • Sales managers and executive leaders seeking practical insights to better understand their frontline teams’ unspoken concerns, bolster engagement and retention, and refine leadership approaches
  • Sales managers and executive leaders eager to meet the growing demands of skeptical B2B buyers
  • Sales trainers and enablement professionals who want a clearer window into the needs and attitudes of street-​level salespeople

Preview of some of the questions answered by C. Lee Smith and Kathy Crosett during this webinar:

What distinguishes top sales performers from lower performers?

According to the Voice of the Sales Rep survey panel, top salespeople stand out by their ability to accurately identify a buyer's most pressing need, which correlates strongly with exceeding sales quotas. C. Lee Smith emphasized that high performers focus on asking smart questions and listening intently, setting them apart in sales effectiveness.

What are the biggest challenges and weaknesses for most sales reps?

Handling objections, connecting with the true budget decision maker, and obtaining referrals/​testimonials are the top self-​identified weaknesses among sales reps. C. Lee Smith highlighted that these challenges can significantly impact sales results and are important focus areas for sales enablement and training programs.

How does stress impact high-​performing salespeople in the sales industry?

High-​performing salespeople are 39% more likely to report job-​related stress compared to lower performers, often due to higher expectations and pressures from leadership. Kathy Crosett noted that these top reps frequently carry the weight of meeting company goals, contributing to increased turnover risk and job hopping.

How are sales reps adopting AI in their daily workflows?

High-​performing sales reps leverage AI for automating routine tasks, presales intelligence, and enhancing client research, while lower performers mostly use it for conversation intelligence and follow-​ups. According to C. Lee Smith, advanced use of sales AI tools is a differentiator for sales productivity and competitive advantage.

What qualities do sales reps most value in sales managers to drive sales team motivation?

Sales reps value empathetic, responsive, and motivational managers who lead by example and provide clear instructions rather than micromanaging. C. Lee Smith remarked that these attributes build trust, foster team connection, and ultimately boost sales success and retention according to feedback from hundreds of reps.

 

Connect with C. Lee Smith and Kathy Crosett

About C. Lee Smith

C. Lee Smith is the CEO and Founder of SalesFuel — a sales and marketing research firm based in Columbus, Ohio. Recognized as one of the world's Leading Sales Consultants for sales credibility and trust building by Selling Power magazine.

Lee is the author of the Amazon bestsellers: "SalesCred: How Buyers Qualify Sellers" and "The Leader's Playbook: CEOs Transforming Vision Into Action." He is the creator of the AI-​enhanced SalesCred mobile app for iOS and Android devices. Lee is a popular keynote speaker and the co-​host of the Manage Smarter show on iHeart Radio and C‑Suite Radio.

About Kathy Crosett

Kathy Crosett, Senior Vice President of Research, leads quantitative and qualitative research and analysis for SalesFuel. She also heads up a team of content writers who produce the SalesFuel Today blog. Previously, Kathy was an analyst in health care marketing research. She holds an MBA from University of Vermont.

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