--- title: Maybe Your Sales VP Is The Problem description: Sales VPs who still manage their sales people using the skills they learned as a sales person like cold calling, and follow-up schedules will likely fail. image: https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hubfs/shutterstock_272153462.jpg --- [Skip to main content](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/maybe-your-sales-vp-is-the-problem#maincontent) [ «  View All Posts ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog) # Maybe Your Sales VP Is The Problem May 1st, 2018 1 min read By [David Meerman Scott](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/author/david-meerman-scott) ![shutterstock_272153462](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/shutterstock_272153462.jpg?width=1000&height=628&name=shutterstock_272153462.jpg) We are now going through the biggest communications revolution in human history. Nearly every single person on the planet has a smartphone in their pocket and your potential customers are instantly engaged 24/7 to the companies they want to do business with.  The problem is that sales VPs and sales managers typically learned how to sell before the revolution and many insist on managing their teams based on the old rules that worked for them.  Now buyers are in charge. They do independent research to learn about companies and products and services. They don’t wait for somebody to call them but instead they want to engage when they are ready. Most companies promote people into sales leadership roles because they were a good salesperson. But frequently, those people who have been moved into management roles learned how to sell before the availability of smart phones in everybody’s pocket. They learned their craft when sales people were in charge of a buying relationship and the salesperson could dictate the terms by which products are bought and sold. That old world is never coming back.   Sales VPs who still manage their sales people using the skills they learned as a sales person like cold calling, and fixed follow-up schedules will likely fail. What about your Sales VP? Does he or she understand the new world? [![New Call-to-action](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/413105/c2c20f3e-2d89-4805-b593-05fee09b3390.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/413105/c2c20f3e-2d89-4805-b593-05fee09b3390) [ David Meerman Scott ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/author/david-meerman-scott) David Meerman Scott is a business growth strategist, advisor to clever entrepreneurs who are building emerging companies, and the international bestselling author of a dozen books published in 30 languages. David’s high-energy keynote presentations, masterclasses, and virtual events educate, energize, and inspire. Connect: [mailto:david@freshspot.com](mailto:david@freshspot.com) Topics: [ Worst Practices ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/topic/worst-practices) [ Sales Strategies ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/topic/sales-strategies) [ New Rules of Sales & Service ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/topic/new-rules-of-sales-service) Don't forget to share this post: ## Related Articles [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Pirated%20books.jpg?width=1500&height=1000&name=Pirated%20books.jpg) ### Move Fast and Steal Things: Meta Pirated 53 of My Books and Stories to Train Their AI March 26th, 2025|1 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/move-fast-and-steal-things-meta-pirated-53-of-my-books-and-stories-to-train-their-ai) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Toyota%20website.jpg?width=1253&height=822&name=Toyota%20website.jpg) ### Automaker Website Frustrations Push Buyers Elsewhere December 10th, 2024|1 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/automaker-website-frustrations-push-buyers-elsewhere) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Do%20not%20play%20Yamaha.jpg?width=1500&height=1125&name=Do%20not%20play%20Yamaha.jpg) ### Please Do Not Play Without Permission November 12th, 2024|1 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/please-do-not-play-without-permission) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Teen%20and%20Young%20Adult%20AI.jpg?width=1338&height=886&name=Teen%20and%20Young%20Adult%20AI.jpg) ### Generative AI Not Understood By Young People… Educators Are To Blame July 9th, 2024|1 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/generative-ai-not-understood-by-young-people-educators-are-to-blame) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Crush%20Apple%20video.jpg?width=1500&height=845&name=Crush%20Apple%20video.jpg) ### Apple’s Soul Crushing, Creator Destroying Metaphor for what AI is Doing to Society May 8th, 2024|1 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/apples-soul-crushing-creator-destroying-metaphor-for-what-ai-is-doing-to-society) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/shutterstock_126631127.jpg?width=1500&height=999&name=shutterstock_126631127.jpg) ### Customer Testimonials Are Not Effective Storytelling March 26th, 2024|1 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/customer-testimonials-are-not-effective-storytelling) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/we%20annoy%20our%20clients.jpg?width=1000&height=670&name=we%20annoy%20our%20clients.jpg) ### We Annoy Our Customers March 5th, 2024|1 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/we-annoy-our-customers) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/shutterstock_272153462%20copy.jpg?width=1000&height=628&name=shutterstock_272153462%20copy.jpg) ### Legal Caution vs. PR Clarity: University Presidents' Legal Advisors Muddled Congressional Testimonies December 19th, 2023|1 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/legal-caution-vs.-pr-clarity-university-presidents-legal-advisors-muddled-congressional-testimonies-on-antisemitism) [![Man holding a tablet computer with tip options](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/shutterstock_2328873613.jpg?width=1500&height=1000&name=shutterstock_2328873613.jpg) ### Just Because You Can Doesn’t Mean You Should October 19th, 2023|1 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/just-because-you-can-doesnt-mean-you-should) [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/max%20logo%20win.jpg?width=925&height=621&name=max%20logo%20win.jpg) ### Max Mayhem: Warner Bros. 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