Blogs from Art Waskey

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How to Improve Strategic Projections

Like so many areas of business, the art of strategic planning has been greatly altered by the introduction of new technology. Software applications and Artificial Intelligence (AI) have greatly improved our ability to project and make a strategic plan. Three questions...

How To Sharpen Your Forecasting Skills

Traditional forecasting When I retired from a very successful distribution company in 2018, we were creating our strategic plan using the most current and sophisticated methods available. Sales forecasting is achieved by analyzing previous sales cycles and following...

Intuition vs. Data: Which One Hires Better?

Using intuition As a consultant, I am often asked to interview potential new executive employees for my clients. In my sales management career, I hired many outside sales representatives. When interviewing, I relied heavily on intuition and my success rate was above...

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Featured

A Balanced Sales Approach

Feeling Appreciated It is easy to slip into the Best Supporting Rep role. Filling an urgent client request or fixing a problem begets customer gratitude, and, we all want to feel appreciated.  When...

The three most common uses of AI

One of AI's greatest advantages is its ability to significantly reduce the time required for routine processes. By automating tasks such as order processing, data entry, workforce scheduling, and...

5 Tried and True Tips to Get A Contract Signed

We all know the value of a good contract, one that holds a customer to a solid, long-term business commitment. Getting a contract signed is therefore an important part of sales rep’s job. Five Tips...
Provide Expertise

Provide Expertise

Trusted Advisors We are all aware of how challenging the rapid pace of sales is in today’s digitized market. Also, changing customer expectations...

Your Technology IQ

Your Technology IQ

Digitization Digitization is the name of the game in today’s fast-paced world of sales. Technology options can seem overwhelming but to be...

The Satisfied Customer

The Satisfied Customer

The best measure of performance is a satisfied customer. Today’s digital business practices enable swifter transactions. However, they can be a...

A Happy Customer Base

A Happy Customer Base

Happy employees create happy customers. Don’t let employee complaints reach your customers’ ears. Optimize employee performance by providing your...

Goals and Motivation

Goals and Motivation

Motivation and Restraint John Grisham is one of my favorite writers. I only read his books on vacations because once started, I can’t stop. As a...

Strategic Communication

Strategic Communication

Implementation Forming and implementing an effective strategic plan is challenging. It takes building a good leadership team and developing a...

Promote Functional Leadership

Promote Functional Leadership

Leadership doesn’t just happen. To be functional it has to be promoted. Recently, in a Distributor Strategy Group webcast, Eric Chernik, CEO, of...

Know Your Stakeholders

Know Your Stakeholders

A Needle in a Haystack Today, finding the right product can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. In your B2B business, how do you help...

Sell with Trust and Value

Sell with Trust and Value

Pitching your Products Today’s market is flooded with an array of goods and services. As a B2B seller, this makes pitching your products more...

Value your Employees

Value your Employees

Workers in the US labor market are on the move. A shortage of talent combined with greatly expanded job options has led to rapid employee turnover....

Perceived Value

Perceived Value

Personalize the Sale I have an older car which I use for fun when family comes to visit. As it gets only occasional use, the battery often needs...

Working on Retention

Working on Retention

Job-Hopping on the Rise Today's labor market is marked by a shortage of talent and many new job options. These factors enable younger employees to...

Maximizing Price Increase Attainment

Maximizing Price Increase Attainment

Pricing strategy One of the top distribution subjects in the last two years has been pricing strategy. In 2021 and through the first half of 2022,...

Adding Value with ERP

Adding Value with ERP

The ERP solution I consult with a supplier who offers a single, basic product. Nevertheless, while reviewing his strategic projects, I suggested he...

From Best Practices to Next Practices

From Best Practices to Next Practices

Changes and Challenges As 2022 comes to a close, it’s time to formulate a plan for 2023. I find that webcasts are a great way to acquire relevant...

The Digital Generation of Buyers

The Digital Generation of Buyers

Digital natives The pandemic impacted the role of the outside sales rep (See adjusting-to-changes-in-sales-process-relationships) but what about the...

The 5-Generation Legacy Rule

The 5-Generation Legacy Rule

In Baltimore City, Maryland, my father owned two 20-foot refrigerated displays in a store that sold meat. His five children learned how to develop a...

Customer Outcomes

Customer Outcomes

B2B buyers are doing a lot of purchasing online these days — about $1.6 trillion annually according to projections by Digital Commerce 360. Are...

Workforce Ecosystems

Workforce Ecosystems

My son-in-law works in the motion picture industry. The film projects he works on were staffed with people from multiple companies as well as...