Categories: Sales Productivity
One of the most commonly asked questions our sales experts are receiving is, “ What are other companies doing right now?”
We pulled together what we’ve been hearing from our customers into some key action steps for our blog readers. Our teams are talking to sales leaders across the country, every day. Below are the major themes we are hearing right now.
Re-aligning sales processes to achieve outcomes:
Sales leaders who are able to drive outcomes today refused to scream at the scoreboard when pipelines started to fluctuate. Instead, they got busy re-evaluating how they qualify, progress and close opportunities to find the gaps that were leading to lost pipeline and low-margin results.
Tighter budgets and market uncertainty have changed buying habits. This change is obvious, but elite sales leaders are overcoming these issues by filling in sales-process gaps. They’re re-aligning their solution and differentiation with new buyer challenges and they’re equipping their reps to execute based on these changes.
How they’re doing it:
Sales leaders are re-establishing alignment with their buyer to get their sales process back on track. At the same time, they’re making sure their teams are putting in the necessary work to use every crucial step and process for what it was intended to do — drive high-value deals to a successful close. Here’s how:
- Establish new or shifted sales activities: by working with sales teams to understand what has changed in the buyers buying process (new requirements, budgets, leadership) and how to better define buyer outcomes needed to move a deal forward
- Update sales qualification criteria: by ensuring managers are coaching their reps on how to use criteria to attach to business problems early on in their sales conversations
- Dig deeper in sales plans: by working with managers and teams to provide additional internal support so sellers have the right resources, coaching and tactics in place to close high-value opportunities
- Reinforce negotiation processes and planning: by creating new processes (or using coaching to reinforce current ones) that enable reps to set the stage for value-based negotiations early on in their sales conversations.
Digging deeper to build pipeline
There's no better way to dig deeper than to ensure your reps are having conversations that are meaningful to the buyer. Now is not the time to ask about your proposal you sent three months ago. Sales leaders have found success by encouraging reps to dig deeper in their territories and have purposeful conversations with buyers.
How they’re doing it:
The more right conversations sales reps can have right now, the more they’ll be able to align, attach and speak to prospect problems in a way that moves deals forward. Here is how you can support your sales teams in this endeavor:
- Reframing their messaging: by establish cross-functional alignment internally on how this economic environment is impacting their buyers and adjusting their sales message accordingly so reps can leverage it in new, complex conversations
- Empowering their salespeople for today’s conversations: by providing them with resources and materials that enable them to move past the elephant in the virtual room and communicate with empathy and purpose right now
- Making manager coaching as valuable as possible: by enabling managers with resources and tools to improve their ability to coach reps in pre-call planning to ensure reps gain valuable insights on every call
- Leading by example: by reaching out to customer contacts of their own and hearing buyer concerns and pain points first hand so they can share insights and coach as needed
Build a competitive edge to thrive in 2020 and Beyond
How sales organizations prepare for the turnaround will directly affect their ability to compete in the new normal. This doesn’t mean you have to reinvent the wheel. Depending on your circumstance and adjusted revenue goals, there are always ways to get busy.
Consider what you can implement now to enable your sales pipeline to pick up the pace as the next few months draw out. We’ve put together a guide with all of our top resources to improve the alignment and productivity of sales teams. These resources may help your managers establish a renewed focus on sales fundamentals that drive results, regardless of circumstance.
If your necessary changes to sales performance can’t risk waiting another day then don't. Use the options at your disposal. Consider how a virtual sales initiative can allow you to make necessary changes and achieve your desired results.
