Business leaders are faced with increasing demands to grow in a sales environment that is becoming more complex every day. As the pace and degree of change increases, so does the need to adapt and rethink current sales models, processes, structure, and talent. The needs will vary dramatically for each sales organization but below you will find our areas of expertise, along with the accompanying questions to consider for each category.
Sales Strategy
How to create and execute a strategic approach for delivering your product, service, or idea to the marketplace, while ensuring short and long-term growth operations are achievable and sustainable.
Do you have a defined communication strategy for what you’re delivering to the market and does your sales team have a framework for their approach to all the various components of the sales cycle (i.e. appointment setting, questioning, objection handling, presenting etc.)?
How are you using data-driven insights to assist with the formulation and execution of your go-to-market and growth strategies?
What type of sales model or philosophy have you implemented and is it designed strategically to play into the strengths of your current team while aligning with your company’s key value proposition?
Sales Operations
How to develop or improve the internal processes, data, and applications in efforts to support the sales team while creating an infrastructure to better allow for scale.
Do you have an in-house sales ops unit currently in place and how do their tasks differ from the sales manager(s)?
To what degree are the functions within your current sales-operations centralized, or dispersed by customer segment, business unit, or region?
How do you currently evaluate technology and determine that the right platforms are in place for your specific organization?
Sales Enablement
How to take steps internally to free up time, including task reassignments and service model adjustments, allowing salespeople to hone in on and improve their selling functions.
How much time are your salespeople spending on non-customer-facing tasks each week (i.e. proposal/quote preparation, sold case paperwork/implementation, service tasks)?
Have you evaluated what internal barriers might be preventing your salespeople from selling?
How much of your sales resources are in support roles versus front-line sellers and sales managers?
Sales Training & Performance
How to effectively construct training programs (on-boarding and on-going) to set your sales team up for success and how to properly implement and use performance tracking metrics to ensure you’re getting the most out of them.
Do you feel your current on-boarding training is sufficient enough to give new reps the best opportunity to succeed right out of the gates?
Have you implemented defined training, coaching, and mentorship programs to boost their knowledge and skills, while providing appropriate accountability?
What performance metrics do you currently have in place and what is your process for tracking and ensuring those metrics are being met or exceeded?
Sales Compensation
How to structure the proper balance of salary, commission, and bonuses to ensure proper alignment with financial goals, while effectively motivating the team (including non-selling roles).
When did you last evaluate the potential effects of updating the balance between salary, commission, and bonus, including incentives for non-sales roles?
Have you adjusted your compensation plan to target and promote sales of specific areas, aimed at promoting corporate initiatives? (i.e. incentives for sales of a new product)
Does your compensation plan have the proper incentives to boost your sales team’s motivation and performance throughout the year?
Hiring Best Practices
How to revamp your hiring process, including targeted interview questions and personality assessments, to find the top sales candidates.
Have you created a profile for what your ideal sales candidate looks like and a roadmap for how you will develop them throughout tenure?
What channel are you using to find salespeople and are you confident it’s the right one for your specific position?
Is your current process, including interview questions and personality assessments, designed specifically for salespeople and separating the top candidates from the pack?
Territory Management & Technology
How to navigate the complexities behind ERP, CRM, lead generation, and targeted prospecting while streamlining workflow for both managers and sales reps.
When was the last time you evaluated options for ERP/CRM to ensure they align with your specific financial and territory management goals?
Where are you getting your sales leads and are your reps taking a strategic approach to their prospecting efforts to ensure they are making the most out of each lead?
Have you used mapping tools or other technology to design, manage, and optimize your sales territories?
Sales-Marketing Alignment
How to create marketing campaigns and tweak current material specifically designed to better assist the sales team in their efforts.
What marketing materials and processes are your salespeople utilizing and are they designed strategically to align with what they are communicating?
Have you fully leveraged all the proper social media platforms and produced targeted content aimed at driving more sales?
Have you created marketing campaigns for specific messages you’re trying to put out into the market and do you have tools to test the effectiveness of the respective campaigns?
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