Categories: Sales Transformation | Sales Training Initiative
In more than 20 years of helping companies transform their sales and go-to-market organizations, we've worked with hundreds of different sales leaders. Most have been through more than their fair share of sales trainings, and they know the methodologies and best practices that win. You don't become the leader of a sales team without being great at what you do.
So, it's natural to ask: Can we just do it ourselves? Can we take on our sales challenges internally? As a sales leader, you probably have years of sales experience and a talented leadership team capable of launching and executing a project. Would a sales transformation partner be worth the investment?
The truth is, you can probably address your sales challenges internally on an as-needed basis. But when it comes to driving sustainable behavioral change that shapes the future of your organization, the task may go beyond what internal enablement teams can offer. If you do it right, it can be a lot of work. It's also a heavy load if you're trying to make sure you are meeting your revenue numbers at the same time. As a sales leader, you already have a lot on your plate, and your team is busy executing the day-to-day activities that drive revenue for your organization. A sales transformation is a huge undertaking, and if it's not treated as a priority, the return on your investment may fall short of what's promised.
If you're debating whether to take on a sales training initiative internally or work with a partner, here are a few factors to consider.
The Levels of Sales Transformation
There's a reason that we describe what we do at Force Management as transformation, rather than just training. Our goal is always to create sustainable results for the organizations we work with - and that means fundamentally changing the approach to the sales process so that it touches every department and process.
When we talk about transformation, we identify three different levels of success depending on the level of investment:
Individual transformation is typically seen after a one-off training or self-led learning. Success in individual transformation is measured by benchmarks like productivity or quota attainment. These metrics promote the goals of the sales organization, but success usually drops off after a few quarters and isn't sustainable as employees leave the company and new employees are onboarded.
Team transformation results from a Sales-only initiative or a one-time company event like a traditional Sales Kickoff which results in change from a larger group. Territories that are showing improvements have managers and salespeople working together to reinforce behaviors, coach on new skills and validate success. Select teams will meet and exceed benchmarks while others left behind, as the organization continues to operate in silos which hinder widespread success.
Organizational transformation happens when sales organizations successfully build the right capabilities within their sales teams, foster cross-functional alignment around the buyer and build a continual reinforcement process embraced by the entire company. With this outcome, you have changed behaviors across your entire sales organization and supporting departments, building a cross-functional customer engagement process that fundamentally changes the customer experience and improves net retention revenue as friction is reduced at key handoff points in the buyer journey.
Consider your biggest organizational objectives and the level of transformation that would propel you there. The value of achieving organizational transformation most likely outweighs the cost. Most internal enablement teams are not as equipped to take on this level of initiative as a partner who specializes in executing organizational transformation.
The Expert Perspective
As sales leaders, sometimes we are too close to the problem to see what really needs to improve. Outside experts have the benefit of impartiality and experience. They've seen the actions that delivered results for successful sales organizations and can help uncover the root causes of your sales challenges and provide an action plan for lasting change.
As sales transformation experts, we are driven by results. Our business reputation depends on your success. We often refer to ourselves as maniacal in how we measure success. When launching a sales initiative, setting a plan that drives clear, measurable ROI from your efforts is critical to your success as a sales leader and the success of your organization. An experienced partner can help you to align your success metrics and desired outcomes to the entire engagement and work with you to manically track your outcomes and ROI, as well as course correct to ensure results are delivered on a timeline that meets your greatest sales objectives. Working with an experienced partner takes the "wait and see" out of your sales training initiative - you can rest assured by a proven track record of success.
Keegan Riley launched an initiative with us when he was CRO at Sysdig. He shares how they manically tracked the results of implementing a buyer-focused sales message and process. See how Sysdig’s sales team doubled conversion rates and improved time-to-productivity.
The Power of Alignment
When we talk to our clients about their results, they often tell us that the most impactful outcome of their engagement is something that we don't sell. What takes our methodology beyond just a sales training and makes it truly transformative is the alignment that customers experience following the engagement. When your whole sales organization is aligned cross-functionally, the efficiency and value provided to customers enable a new level of revenue acceleration that can't be achieved with a smaller-scale internal initiative.
Here's what Veteran Sales Leader Craig Lewis had to say about the impact of alignment on their business following Project 44's partnership with FM: “Everybody got on the same page across the company and understood what we're here to do and why. Now, when we go to war for our most important campaigns, it isn't just the salesperson and the sales manager in that deal review. It's members of a cross-functional team. There’s a gravitational pull – everybody's motivated to be part of the success of that particular campaign, for the sales team, and most importantly: to deliver for that customer. It's a completely changed dynamic.”
Read more about how choosing to partner with Force Management helped Project44 achieve 115% YoY growth in ARR.
If you're considering a partner for your sales transformation initiative, let's start a conversation about how Force Management can make a difference in your results. Or, continue evaluating your options with the resources below.
