Any thoughts?

7. Sales & marketing: Better together
Putting sales & mkt under one umbrella just makes sense. It eliminates silos, enables faster decision-making, ensures both teams are aligned in responding to opps. A unified approach drives better collaboration, clearer comms, and ultimately, better results.

6. Moving beyond the hunter/farmer model
I’ve grown skeptical of the traditional hunter vs. farmer framework. Sales is rarely that binary. While people naturally gravitate toward certain strengths, the best sales pros are adaptable. They cultivate relationships while driving new opps.

5. No one-size-fits-all seller
Sales is diverse. Ideally, you’d have specialists for every niche, but smaller teams often need to wear many hats. Success comes from knowing your team’s strengths and aligning them to the right opportunities.

4. Micro-manage outcomes, not activities
Yes, I’m a believer in micro-management—but hear me out. It’s about focusing on results, not hovering over tasks. Trust your team to execute; your role is to guide and hold them accountable for the outcomes.

3. CRM: A tool for conversation, not criticism
A well-utilized CRM is a powerhouse, but it’s not easy to master. It should spark dialogue: share insights, best practices, and strategies—not just highlight gaps or what’s missing. Use it to build, not blame.

2. The player-coach model doesn’t work
I’ve tried it. Repeatedly. Having sales managers carry a quota alongside their team dilutes focus and impact. Sales managers should be dedicated to enabling their team’s success, not splitting their attention

1. Never stop coaching
The most impactful thing you can do as a sales leader is invest in coaching. It’s not just about skill-building—it’s about creating a culture of growth, accountability, and success. Coaching isn’t a “nice-to-have”; it’s the backbone of a thriving sales org.

Love it. And very true

6/ The key? Keep the customer focused on your unique value while addressing their red ocean concerns.

How do you navigate red-ocean comparisons while staying in your blue ocean lane?

(Great book btw: Blue Ocean Strategy by Mauborgne & Kim!)

5/ But don’t lose sight of your goals:
C) Stay firm. Don’t get dragged into competing on the same terms as others—avoid the race to the bottom

4/
A) Highlight your blue ocean value:

Innovative approach

Unique solutions to their problems

B) Build trust:

Show them switching isn’t risky

Demonstrate reliability alongside innovation

3/ Here's the challenge: showcase your uniqueness while also building confidence in your ability to deliver.

2/ In the blue ocean, you thrive by standing apart—no pricing wars or endless comparisons. But customers, being risk-averse, often pull you into red ocean territory, where you're compared to incumbents.

With several signs of a bit of a subdued outlook for demand in 2025, it is even more important to find this sweet spot.

Brick and mortar sales down—online sales up.

Forbes…