In an ideal world, the words “sales quota” bring excitement and motivation to sales reps. But then again. However, when I’ve talked to early-career sales professionals, they’ve been worried about over-ambitious, intimidating, and exhausting sales quotas set by managers. From my experience covering sales, I’ve seen the best managers save their reps...

Partnerships generate $3.9 billion per year in the U.S. and supercharge the revenue of companies like Microsoft, Atlassian, and Shopify. Teaming up with another professional or company can multiply your capacity, expertise, and growth. With so much at stake, approaching a potential partner can be intimidating. Whenever I make a business pitch, there...

While Apple Mail and Gmail dominate the email landscape, Microsoft Outlook remains a strong contender with a 6.32% market share. If Microsoft Outlook is your primary email client, then you’ll want to find a customer relationship management (CRM) software vendor that offers a CRM for Outlook. In my experience, a solid CRM Outlook integration is essential...

Wondering why a marketer is writing about business development? It’s because I’ve learned that business development is more than just a fancy term for sales. Business development is actually a company-wide strategy that brings every department on the same page — including marketing and sales. So grab a comfy chair, get a cup of coffee (or something...

Welcome to Trends, a weekly newsletter with the zestiest business trends and actionable insights for entrepreneurs. This story was originally published in 2021 and updated with new data. Trendster Michael Martocci went to school to study finance. Instead, he ended up with a side project that would eventually make him millions. “My buddy and I wanted...

Welcome to Trends, a weekly newsletter with the zestiest business trends and actionable insights for entrepreneurs. What comes to mind when you hear “gourmet’? Probably not convenience food. But that’s exactly what today’s consumers desire — premium morsels served in ultra-convenient formats. Grab-and-go meal sales have risen 72% post-pandemic...