Dr. Richard Ruff has spent the last thirty years designing and managing sales training and sales manager coaching projects for Fortune 1000 companies. These projects have varied in scope from targeted sales training efforts for launching new products to large-scale sales training performance engagements with organizations like Apple, UPS, Smith & Nephew, and Microsoft.
Richard spent the first part of his sales training career with Neil Rackham during the start-up years for Huthwaite, Inc. (SPIN SelIing®) In 2000, Richard and Dr. Janet Spirer founded Sales Momentum®. Sales Momentum was founded to design a new generation of sales training simulation programs that focused on helping Fortune 1000 companies achieve high impact business results.
During his career Richard has authored numerous articles related to sales effectiveness and co-authored Managing Major Sales, a book about sales management, Parlez-Vous Business which helps sales people integrate the language of business into the sales process, and Getting Partnering Right – a research based work on the best practices for forming strategic selling alliances. Richard has also published a series of e-books about sales mastery in major accounts. He co-authored the Sales Training Connection, a blog for those with an interest in discussing innovative sales training ideas.
In 2017, Richard and John Hoskins founded Level Five Selling for creating a new generation of sales training programs.
Dr. Ruff received his Ph.D. in Organizational Psychology from the University of Tennessee and a B.S. from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
He has taught at the U.S. Navy Post Graduate School in Monterey as an adjunct faculty and in the continuing education programs at the Carlson School of Business at the University of Minnesota and in the Fisher Business School at Ohio State University.
Dr. Ruff received his Ph.D. in Organizational Psychology from the University of Tennessee and a B.S. from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Research interests focus on innovative strategies for improving B2B sales.
Books
Managing Major Sales - Neil Rackham and Richard Ruff
Getting Partnering Right - Neil Rackham, Lawrence Friedman, and Richard Ruff
Parlez-Vous Business - Richard Ruff and Janet Spirer
The Level Five Sales Leader - John Hoskins and Richard Ruff
EBooks
Mastering Major Account Selling - Richard Ruff and Janet Spirer
Don't Let Your Next Product Launch Fail - Richard Ruff and Janet Spirer
Getting Sales Strategy Right in Major Accounts - Richard Ruff and Janet Spirer
Sales Blogs
217 sales blogs
Taught at the U.S. Navy Post Graduate School in Monterey as an adjunct faculty and in the continuing education programs at the Carlson School of Business at the University of Minnesota and in the Fisher Business School at Ohio State University.
Worked with Fortune 1000 companies for 30 years focusing on improving their sales performance through sales skills development and sales management coaching.
Co-Founder, Level Five Selling, June 2017 - November, 2020
In 2016, John Hoskins wrote a ground breaking book called Level Five Selling. Shortly thereafter, John and I had a chance meeting at a local Starbucks. From that encounter came the idea to translate that book into a new company and a new sales performance initiative that clients could use to implement the idea of creating a Level Five sales team.
Level Five Selling was based on this foundational idea: across markets, the days of the price peddler and the product teller is over. Customers want a trusted advisor that can help them create value not a salesperson that just sells products.
The key design consideration was sales training had to be available anytime, anyplace. So the traditional classroom program was discarded and replaced with a series of micro-learning avatar-based video modules that can be played on any mobile device. In addition the role of the Sales Manager as a coach was highlighted as the pivotal element for success. In 2020, we published The Level Five Sales Leader.
Co-Founder and Co- Managing Partner, Sales Momentum, September 2000 - September 2020
As a Managing Partner, I worked directly with clients to design and implement sales training experiences to address the business needs of each Sales Momentum client.
Sales Momentum works with Fortune 1000 companies, providing sales training programs to improve sales productivity.
Today being good is not good enough. Sales forces must not only be able to sell a competitive advantage, they must be a competitive advantage. As a Managing Partner, I worked directly with clients to design and implement sales training experiences to address the business needs of each Sales Momentum client. Sales Momentum worked with Fortune 1000 companies, providing sales training programs to improve sales productivity. We learned what it takes to make a difference. To achieve this goal Sales Momentum offered a new generation of customized sales training and sales coaching programs built for today's marketplace ... combining expertise in sales effectiveness with state-of-the-art sales training methodology that can make a business impact.
VP, Business Development, Huthwaite, Inc. (SPIN® Selling), June 1982 - August 2000
I began working with Neil Rackham in the early years while Huthwaite was being formed in the U.S. I had the opportunity to work with thousands of salespeople worldwide working in such leading companies as Apple, Microsoft, UPS and Xerox.
During my last ten years at Huthwaite, I held a leadership role in all aspects of Huthwaite’s sales effectiveness business – including business development and mentoring our own salespeople. During that time, I also was a thought leader at Huthwaite, creating new programs and co-authoring two books with Neil Rackham: Managing Major Sales and Getting Partnering Right.
Selling a Bundled Solution Solution: Sales Simulation
One division of a Fortune 1000 company was selling several devices to minimize hospital acquired infections. One device was an industry standard, the others were not. The company needed to implement a go-to-market strategy where it would leverage its devices as a bundled solution – rather than competing individually.
The VP of Sales elected to put his entire medical device sales team through a sales simulation that addressed this challenge. The results were so successful he launched a second sales simulation to another sales division whose challenge was to maintain market share in light of a competitive threat.
Creating Value when Talking with Customers Solution: Sales Call Execution + Sales Simulation
As hospitals sought to reduce costs, the sales force of this market leading hospital supply distributor had to shift from solely having clinical discussions to also having business conversations with its customers. Without this new skill set, the VP of Sales judged they would not be able to maintain and grow market share. To help meet this goal, the company decided to implement an innovative 1 + 1 training solution.
They rolled out a sales call execution program on Day 1 and a sales simulation on Day 2 to reinforce the learning from Day 1 and to integrate product knowledge.
The focus of the sales simulation was: the hospital was approaching the final year of a multi-year contract and the new CFO was tasked by the hospital board to evaluate its purchasing process. The CFO made it clear that all options were on the table, including reevaluating the hospital’s GPO contract and its distribution partnerships.
In the simulation the sales team developed and executed a strategy for navigating this challenging scenario. The program was viewed as such a success by the company that following training for the existing sales force, the two day program was introduced as a central part of the company’s new hire sales training effort.
Introducing Sales Training for the First Time to the Sales Force Solution: Sales Coaching, Sales Call Essentials + Sales Simulation
A manufacturing company wanted to train its sales force in basic call execution skills. Most of the sales people never had formal sales training and successful sales people were promoted to sales managers – with no training in sales coaching. The company decided to introduce the sales call execution concepts first to the sales managers at the end of the Sales Coaching program. During the following days, sales people were introduced to call execution skills on the first day and then practiced them on the second day in the sales simulation. The sales managers had an opportunity to practice what they learned about coaching by playing a coach during the program for their sales people.
Developing a Common Language Solution: Sales Call Essentials + Sales Strategy
A leading cardiac device company had four sales forces plus a major accounts sales team. While some docs and hospitals were called on by sales reps from more than one sales force, there was no coordination by the sales people. In response, the Senior VP of Sales decided to launch the sales training program to develop the capability to leverage this potential competitive advantage.
We worked with the sales leadership team to develop a sales training program that would introduce a common sales language across the various sales teams and be customized to address the unique challenges faced by each team. The program was so successful that additional programs were commissioned to exploit the new capability.
Dealing with a Competitive Threat and Working with New Buyers Solution: Sales Simulation
The company was launching a new device, which was an upgrade. The challenge was to migrate all hospitals to the new device – but when not possible, retain the current device. To be successful, sales management believed that in addition to clinicians, sales people would need to talk with administrators they didn’t usually call on – such as Risk Management.
The sales simulation opened with a competitor introducing a device to the hospital’s new product committee. Facing such a situation, the sales person’s traditional approach of working strictly with users to make the conversion won’t succeed. During the simulation they planned and executed an entirely new business strategy involving others at the hospital.
The sales simulation was viewed as effective in helping sales people to think and act strategically about calling on administrators. Because of the results, the VP of Sales launched a second simulation to the capital equipment group where they had to decide how to position themselves to win an IDN-wide competitive opportunity.
Leaving Money on the Table Solution: Sales Strategy + Sales Simulation
Another company found itself having strong presence in its core device business, but not in the accompanying supplies, so the sales simulation opened with the sales team seeking to grow its hospital business with supplies. Simultaneously, the sales force was being asked to sell a new medical equipment product with a longer sales cycle – requiring a business analysis to illustrate the benefit of purchase vs. rent. So, in the simulation, they had to identify opportunities for supplies and position the new medical product. Based on the results, the next year, the company implemented a second sales simulation to address a new challenge.
Ensuring Sales Force Has Basic Selling Skills That Are Consistent Across Business Units Solution: Sales Call Execution + Sales Simulation
A large international healthcare company was faced with the situation where its four business units identified the need to create a “one company” sales process that would be implemented world-wide. The company employed approximately 3,000 sales people world-wide and the four business units used different go-to-market strategies with some employing a direct sales force while others used distributors.
The company wanted to work with an outside training partner that possessed training materials with a proven track record and with the business model that would allow them to acquire a license-to-use versus employing the traditional per head pricing model. The company wanted to save substantial dollars by leveraging its extensive internal curriculum design capability
We crafted a business arrangement that provided the company a unique sales training program plus the business arrangement that saved them approximately 1 million dollars. A “1 + 1 solution” was designed where each business unit introduced the same sales process but the company customized exercises and a sales simulation specifically to each business unit.
The client is implementing the program with its entire sales force. Plus it has commissioned the design of a new hire program which compliments the program designed for the existing sales force
Creating Sales Strategy Solution: Sales Strategy
Previously this mid-size medical consumables company had not offered any formal sales training program for its sales team. Market changes dictated that the sales team needed to enhance their sales capability. The critical challenge was to create a sales solution that was a success and that would be accepted by the sales team.
The medical equipment division of this major medical supplies company launched a sales strategy program for its entire sales force. It then launched reinforcement sessions in subsequent in-field management reviews and at national meetings.
Identifying Business Opportunities, Negotiation, Selling as a Team – Steps 1 and 2 Solution: Sales Simulation
Building on its current sales training efforts, a major logistics company initiated a sales simulation across all business units to apply the existing sales models and skills to a new emerging set of business challenges.
After the entire worldwide strategic accounts sales force attended the program, a second advanced sales simulation was launched. The premise for the second sales simulation was: The company had made the short list and now was asked to present its best and final offer. Prior to presenting the final offer, the company had to craft a compelling solution, as well as, negotiate the terms and conditions with the prospect. This simulation was also offered worldwide.
Identifying Business Opportunities Outside Your Business Unit, Selling as a Team Solution: Sales Simulation
A top 10 management consulting firm found many of its consultants – from entry level to principals – were “leaving money on the table” when working with clients. The firm employed world-class experts in their fields and conducted projects across a wide diversity of areas.
The primary challenge, which involved large scale projects, was potential opportunities for other business units were being ignored by consultants primarily because of lack of comfort of having initial need identification and qualification discussions about topics outside of their expertise. According to the senior partners their teams were experts in their respective disciplines but lacked fundamental business development skills.
A sales simulation was created so to address three goals: selling as a team (including bringing other consultants into their accounts), identifying opportunities outside of ones own expertise and, more effectively developing business in your own business group.
Consultants (Technical Experts) Taking on a Sales Role, Identifying Business Opportunities – Step 1 Solution: Sales Call Essentials + Sales Simulation
With a sales team consisting of technical experts, many of whom actually deliver the product offering, this Top 10 leadership consulting organization was faced with the task of transitioning its consultants from pure consultants to business developers. Many of the consultants did not have the requisite selling skills, as well as, they held a number of number of misconceptions about what business development actually entailed.
The organization conducted a “1 + 1 solution” for its entire consulting group. One year later, it conducted the program again for consultants joining the organization after the initial launch.
Technical Experts Taking on a Sales Role, Identifying Business Opportunities – Step 2 Solution: Sales Simulation
The consulting organization subsequently launched a 2 day sales simulation to all of its consultants to apply the sales skills introduced in the prior program. The sales simulation opened with an account opportunity where the client was facing the challenge of integrating an acquisition. The consulting company had previously worked with the company being acquired. Now, the consulting company’s internal champion was sharing that an opportunity might exist to re-engage.