Dave Kahle Wisdom

Practical Wisdom Blog by Dave Kahle

Podcasts and blog posts to help sales professionals and business executives sell better, lead better, and live better.

I’m glad you found your way here.

I’ve spent 30 years in the business trenches; it’s been full and fulfilling. In that time, I’ve been the number one salesperson in the country for two different companies in two different industries. I’ve written 13 books, spoken in 47 states and 11 countries, and personally and contractually worked with over 500 organizations. I’ve touched tens of thousands of people through my articles, podcasts, webinars and seminars.

On the personal side, my life has been full as well. Coleen and I have raised 5 children, helped with 19 foster children, and enjoy 14 grandchildren. I’ve been a father, a foster father, a stepfather, an adoptive father and a grandfather – and now you know why my hair is grey!

In all of this, my faith is very important to me, and provided me with my “Why” as well as a unique perspective.

As you might imagine, in all of this, I’ve learned a few things. I’ve made lots of mistakes and have had my share of success. And, while I’m still learning, I want to share with you some of the practical wisdom I’ve gained along the way.

You’ll find that some of my ideas will challenge you – as I tend to see things in non-conventional way. As you interact with what I share, you’ll find that some of your fondest beliefs and most comfortable paradigms may be in for revision.

Best Practice #13: Has an excellent relationship with customer service, purchasing, and support staff inside his/her organization

by Dave Kahle This is such an important practice that I have named it one of my top eleven time management strategies.  If you have the book, 11 Secrets of Time Management for Salespeople, you’ll see that it is secret...

Best Practice #12: Has a good system for keeping track of the things discussed with the customers

by Dave Kahle I am constantly amazed at the number of salespeople who never take notes during or after the visit with a customer, thinking, I suppose, that they will remember everything important.  Or worse, that nothing is important enough...

Best Practice #11: Regularly implements a system to prevent being inundated with useless information

by Dave Kahle On first glance, this looks like a bit unrelated to the day-to-day challenges of an effective salesperson.  What has this to do with your interactions with your customers? Consider the issue of “sales time.”  Sales time is...

Best Practice #10: Makes good use of the tools provided by the company

by Dave Kahle I just rode with two salespeople for one of my clients.  One of them went off with only the address of the company in his head.  He took nothing into the sales call and took no notes...

Best Practice #9: Is skilled at dealing with adversity and failure

by Dave Kahle Every now and then, I run across an idea which makes a significant impact on me.  One such was the idea (I wish I could remember who first said it) that the surest indicator of success was...

Best Practice #8: Knows how to overcome procrastination

by Dave Kahle “Mañana.”  It will wait until tomorrow.   There are times when it is so tempting to tell yourself that, and to actually believe it.  Clearly, sometimes it is true.  However, when we continually put off for tomorrow those...

Best Practice #7: Creates strategic plans for key accounts

On one hand, we continually cruise our territory to see what opportunities look the most promising. We’re constantly scanning the account base to identify that to which we should react. On the other hand, we also need to...

Best Practice #6: Plans Every Sales Call

by Dave Kahle It continues to amaze me that so many salespeople shuffle into most of their sales calls with very little, if any, prior planning.  I suppose that is why this is one of the practices of the best...

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