Blogs from Art Waskey

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Key benefits of AI calendar planning

Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing time management, and AI planners are leading this transformation. Moreover, these intelligent systems go beyond traditional scheduling methods by learning your patterns, predicting your needs, and optimizing your time for...

AI Call Reporting and Sales Management

Managing your Reps — Setting Expectations and Providing Reviews  This is the first in a series of articles I am writing on AI’s impact on managing the next generation of outside sales reps (OSR). I will be focusing on managing by using effective monthly one-on-one...

What Buyers Expect Today

Do you know who your buyers are and what they expect? According to LinkedIn’s 2025 B2B Buyers Report , Millennials now make up 73% of all B2B buyers and 44% of final purchasing decision-makers. Mark Broham reports in Digital Commerce 360: “The B2B commerce landscape...

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Grow With Digitalization

A punch-card solution I have seen how digitalization has transformed society through my long and fulfilling career. I still have my first calling card that bears the title, “Sales Engineer, North...

A Strong Cultural Foundation

Cultural Fragility Each business has a unique culture and it can be fragile. Changes within and outside your organization can threaten the culture of your company. Firstly, a merger or acquisition...

Validate the Decision Makers

A critical phase of a successful sales cycle is validating the decision maker(s). Digitalization has made communication — the centerpiece of any sales negotiation — much faster and broader. Also,...
Mentor your Business Forward

Mentor your Business Forward

A mentor’s objective is to identify your needs and expectations and offer creative solutions that move your business forward.  In today’s...

Always Service First

Always Service First

Focus on improvement There is no question that in the last three years a lot has changed for sales professionals. Yet one important thing has not....

The Wolf at Your Door

The Wolf at Your Door

Artificial Intelligence Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the wolf at the distributor’s door. It enables alternative channels to directly compete with...

Lean on your Strengths

Lean on your Strengths

My past experience includes growing a distributor business from $10M to $65M.  My current focus now is on advising small and mid-sized...

Outside Sales Is Switching Positions

Outside Sales Is Switching Positions

I was fortunate to be part of the glory days of an outside distributor sales team. We built strong customer relationships. Using our technical...

The New Just In Time Strategy

The New Just In Time Strategy

The pandemic accelerated the digital transformation of business. We all remember how long it took for some to accept automated attendants, email,...

Selling in a seller-free marketplace

Selling in a seller-free marketplace

Seller-free sales The transformation to the digital marketplace for sales channels happened gradually — and then suddenly. The global pandemic...

The Makings of an Effective Leader

The Makings of an Effective Leader

When I consult with the next generation of business owners and key executives, I am frequently asked what makes an effective leader. This is an...

Boosting Inside Sales

Boosting Inside Sales

Tapping inside potential Digitalization, combined with a worldwide pandemic, has caused significant disruption in distribution sales, especially...

Hold Them Accountable

Hold Them Accountable

A commitment to resolution The owner of a distribution business complained that his staff was not following through on commitment deadlines. I had...

The Balanced Sales Team

The Balanced Sales Team

The changing sales landscape In my 50 years of distribution sales and sales management, I have worked with all types of sales reps. By nature, I am...

Accountability: Steps to Success

Accountability: Steps to Success

Problems and Solutions We all need to take steps to accountability. Throughout my career in executive leadership, I have had relationships with...

Becoming a Go-Giver

Becoming a Go-Giver

One of the benefits of retiring from the corporate executive world is that I now have more time to read, write, teach, and give keynote speeches. I...

How Enterprise Selling Works

How Enterprise Selling Works

Enterprise Selling occurs when you demonstrate where customer needs meet your company’s innovative capabilities. According to Mark Dancer, “B2B...

Creating New Opportunities

Creating New Opportunities

A distributor asked for advice on creating new opportunities for his company. It was experiencing sales erosion to alternative channels. While sales...

Adjusting to change

Adjusting to change

Information technology is at the root of so many alterations in the way we do business, both internally and externally. We all need to learn, and...

Engage in Your Mission

Engage in Your Mission

A focused mission yields results. The most effective leaders of the 20th century all had a razor sharp focus on a cause. Fully engaging in a mission...