Traditional sales techniques are increasingly ineffective. The modern salesperson needs to master customer insight and have the personality and business acumen to bring a deal to close. These blog posts focus on the areas that can help your sales team develop valuable business relationships and be competitive in any market. Check out our readers' favorite sales must-reads:

1. 12 Skills You Need to Keep Your Job in Sales

Sales is more than a job, it's a calling. Master these 12 competencies to skyrocket your career development and crush your quota, or get ready for the chopping block. Read on for more tips from Kyle Porter, CEO of SalesLoft. Read the post >>

2. Cold Emailing: How to Get Meetings with Anyone

Tackle the biggest cold emailing mistakes and challenges, and learn the approach that will connect you with decision makers. Download Bryan Kreuzberger's, Founder of Breakthrough Email, template for cold emails. Read the post >>

3. Selling on the Phone: How to Make a Cold Call

True hunters will aggressively pursue every avenue to reach their target. If cold emailing seems like a less effective tactic, pick up the phone. Check out this tip sheet, and learn how to make the perfect call everytime. Read the post >>

4. The Top 8 Questions to Ask Prospects to Sell More Effectively

Lead with the customer in mind, ask questions, and never stop listening. Try these eight questions on your next prospecting call to uncover your customer's needs, create urgency, and influence decisions. Read the post >>

5. Selling on the Phone: How to Conduct a Sales Discovery Call

Learn discovery call tactics that will build rapport, generate trust, and help your prospects make informed decisions. Download this step-by-step guide to help you enable a dialogue and meet your prospect's business needs. Read the post >>

6. Sales Follow-Up: How to Send the Perfect Email

The selling process is long and arduous, and it's critical to keep your prospect engaged by providing real value without overwhelming your prospect with emails and calls. If selling is storytelling, then your emails are the chapters, and "Every short story must have a single mood and every sentence must build towards it." Learn how to craft your perfect (sales) story. Read the post >>

7. It's Not Just About Being Nice (and 4 Other Sales Tips)

"All things being equal, people will do business with, and refer business to, those people they know, like, and trust." Sales expert and author of The Go-Giver, Bob Burg, defines the five principles all sales reps should keep in mind.  

8. 6 Tips for a Strong Close to Your Sales Quarter

Win or lose, red or black? Should you find yourself in a last-minute sprint at the end of the quarter, try these tips to pull off a quick win or position opportunities for the next quarter. Finish up strong!

9. 7 Stellar Sales Success Infographics

The following infographics cover everything -- the evolution of sales, the tools you need to gain a competitive edge with social selling, and best practices for creating the marketing and sales alliances to close deals fast.  

10. 3 Keys to Motivating Your Sales Team

Did you know that when significant financial rewards are at stake, performance on complex tasks is poor? Daniel Pink, author of To Sell is Human: the Surprising Truth About Moving Others, explains which human instincts sales managers should tap into in order to motivate sales reps. Read on to learn about the powerful motivators beyond spiffs and contests.