For any sales organization, prospective buyers come in two flavors: those who have already bought from your company, and those who haven’t. It’s no secret that many companies expend tremendous resources – in time, money, and sales rep blood, sweat, and tears – focused on selling to new prospects. While new customer acquisition is essential [...]
Why it matters: Without an accurate sales pipeline, companies cannot reliably plan their operations and achieve their revenue targets. Top executives commonly miss having a well-established pipeline strategy that is critical in driving “the right” activities and volume to meet predefined goals. This foundation provides guidance for your salespeople, enables accurate sales forecasting, empowers your [...]
In a recent article we described how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing the future of sales. Simply put, AI uses the simulation of human-like intelligence, including patterns of thought and predictable action, via software, to predictively simplify, enhance, and automate many segments of the sales process. A key word in this description is "automate.” Which brings [...]
“How can you fix sales performance problems without having spent your career in my industry?” is one of the most common questions I am asked as an Outsourced or Fractional Sales Leader. This is an understandable question because many business leaders don’t realize the issues hindering revenue goals are more about the leadership and structure of their [...]
To answer this question let’s assume a few things about your business. Picture a hungry marketplace where customers want what your team is selling. Your sales team is being fed qualified leads. Let’s also assume operations are running smoothly and customers are happy. The sales team handles current accounts incredibly, but you need to expand [...]
A sales team can learn a lot from a championship sports team. An organization sets their sights on the prize and finds the right people to guide them there. The coach looks at the team and the competition to create a winning strategy. Players are assigned roles and performance expectations are set. Throughout the course [...]
Do you have a “sales action plan?” If not, or if you don’t fully understand the difference between a sales plan and a sales action plan, here are some essential insights for how to make an action plan to increase sales. Is There a Difference Between a Sales Plan and a Sales Action Plan? Although some [...]
Fractional leadership is the practice of using an external, well-versed expert (also known as a C-level executive) to fill leadership gaps in your business on an interim, part-time basis. The way it usually starts when you’re a business owner is that you recognize there's just not enough of you to go around. With each lost [...]
I’ve always believed that at the heart of it, business buyers are just consumers with different priorities and a bigger checkbook. Businesses now shop for suppliers very much like we do as consumers – digitally. That behavior is increasingly the norm. These pandemic months of sheltering in place have only accelerated changes in B2B buyer [...]
In this seventh month of social distancing, client communications seem ever more remote – less accessible and a bit aloof as well as physically distant. How in the world can your sales force stay on top of their game and meet their goals? Now is the time to reassess their online skills and teach them [...]
