Six Critical Activities for Sales Success

Analyze Your Ideal Customer Profile

Most business leaders think they know their customer while the truth is usually something else. The majority of businesses are targeting a rough idea of their ideal customer, without getting into the details that really help them to spend their time and energy wisely. The best performers know exactly who their customers are, both on the business and personal levels.

Map Your Sales Cycle

Closing deals means you need to know where every prospect stands and what needs to happen to move a sale forward. That's why every business needs a defined Sales Cycle. While many businesses have a rough concept of a sales cycle, a lot of companies are copying sales cycles they've seen elsewhere. The best performers have tailored the sales cycle, and what it means to be at each stage, to match their business and their customers.

Develop Reps' Planning Processes

Sales are won and lost in planning stages. Leaders need to be engaging in org-wide territory planning. Reps need to be planning their individual territories, preparing for scheduling outreach, and planning intensely for meetings. Many organizations lack robust processes to keep these activities on track, but the best performers prioritize them.

Apply an Advanced Sales Methodology

If reps don't have a structured approach to engaging prospects, then they're just making friends. But complex sales are about so much more than relationships. Reps now need to establish themselves as trusted advisors on whom prospects can rely for guidance. The best performers universally apply a right-fit modern sales methodology to fit their business, offering, and customer, equipping their to take control and drive deals to close.

Identify Meeting Types & Map Meeting Structures

People tend to think sales is about relationships and quick-wittedness, but it's really about process and systems. Your reps don't have to be the smartest people int he room. They simply need to have the best meeting structures, processes, and supporting resources to keep customers moving forward, on-track, and engaged. The best performers know which types of meetings they hold, what needs to happen in each type fo meeting, and what structure should be maintained to keep customers moving closer to agreement.

Identify & Implement High-Impact Sales Tools

Most organizations run straight to new tools for the sales team, spending thousands of dollars a year to give their reps what they need to succeed. Unfortunately, putting tools and technology on top of a weak process foundation rarely produces results. That's why the best organizations take the time to get the structure right before moving to technology and tools for their reps. Only then should tools, whether in the form of simple templates or automation, be reviewed. However, once a team is ready, the right tools make them unstoppable.

Six Critical Activities for Sales Success

Analyze Your Ideal Customer Profile

Most business leaders think they know their customer while the truth is usually something else. The majority of businesses are targeting a rough idea of their ideal customer, without getting into the details that really help them to spend their time and energy wisely. The best performers know exactly who their customers are, both on the business and personal levels.

Map Your Sales Cycle

Closing deals means you need to know where every prospect stands and what needs to happen to move a sale forward. That's why every business needs a defined Sales Cycle. While many businesses have a rough concept of a sales cycle, a lot of companies are copying sales cycles they've seen elsewhere. The best performers have tailored the sales cycle, and what it means to be at each stage, to match their business and their customers.

Develop Reps' Planning Processes

Sales are won and lost in planning stages. Leaders need to be engaging in org-wide territory planning. Reps need to be planning their individual territories, preparing for scheduling outreach, and planning intensely for meetings. Many organizations lack robust processes to keep these activities on track, but the best performers prioritize them.

Apply an Advanced Sales Methodology

If reps don't have a structured approach to engaging prospects, then they're just making friends. But complex sales are about so much more than relationships. Reps now need to establish themselves as trusted advisors on whom prospects can rely for guidance. The best performers universally apply a right-fit modern sales methodology to fit their business, offering, and customer, equipping their to take control and drive deals to close.

Identify Meeting Types & Map Meeting Structures

People tend to think sales is about relationships and quick-wittedness, but it's really about process and systems. Your reps don't have to be the smartest people int he room. They simply need to have the best meeting structures, processes, and supporting resources to keep customers moving forward, on-track, and engaged. The best performers know which types of meetings they hold, what needs to happen in each type fo meeting, and what structure should be maintained to keep customers moving closer to agreement.

Identify & Implement High-Impact Sales Tools

Most organizations run straight to new tools for the sales team, spending thousands of dollars a year to give their reps what they need to succeed. Unfortunately, putting tools and technology on top of a weak process foundation rarely produces results. That's why the best organizations take the time to get the structure right before moving to technology and tools for their reps. Only then should tools, whether in the form of simple templates or automation, be reviewed. However, once a team is ready, the right tools make them unstoppable.