By Troy Harrison, sales navigator and author What does “onboarding” mean? If onboarding a salesperson consists of doing the HR paperwork, giving a facility tour, a few days of shadowing existing salespeople and then expecting the salesperson to “hit the ground running,” they are not alone. Entirely too many sales managers feel that way – and then they wonder why they don’t … [Read more...] about Why a Quality Sales Onboarding Program Isn’t Optional: A 90-Day Plan to Make the Most Out of New Hires
Sales & Marketing
Creating Clarity: The Importance of Defining the Ideal Customer
By Shelly Otenbaker, president, WayPoint Marketing Communications In today’s plastics processing landscape, activity is not the same as progress. Injection molders and their suppliers are investing more than ever in marketing – new websites, digital ads, tradeshows, CRM systems and automation tools. On paper, it looks like momentum. But in reality, many organizations … [Read more...] about Creating Clarity: The Importance of Defining the Ideal Customer
Processors Report Optimism for 2026 Despite Sales and Margin Pressures: 2026 MAPP State of the Industry Report
By Andrew Carlsgaard, benchmarking and analytics director, MAPP MAPP’s 26th annual State of the Plastics Industry Report, based on responses from 152 plastics processing leaders, depicts an industry that is stable and optimistic but also under increased profit pressure, with most companies operating in the middle of the performance spectrum rather than at extremes. Notably, … [Read more...] about Processors Report Optimism for 2026 Despite Sales and Margin Pressures: 2026 MAPP State of the Industry Report
Mastering the Marathon: Four Strategies for Managing Long Sales Cycles
By Troy Harrison, sales navigator, speaker and author Most people haven’t ever run a marathon. But many salespeople run them every day – the long sales cycle. Salespeople love the quick win – that satisfying moment when a prospect becomes a customer in a matter of days or weeks. Sometimes, it’s even the fabled “one call close.” But what about those industries, or even … [Read more...] about Mastering the Marathon: Four Strategies for Managing Long Sales Cycles
