Your Sales Methodology: Retain It, Repair It, or Replace It
Your Sales Methodology: Retain It, Repair It, or Replace It
Just the phrase “sales methodology” scares many sales reps; sometimes for good reason. I’ve seen reps hobbled by bureaucratic burdens placed upon them by well-meaning executives. Other reps have lost weeks of selling time in training classes that contributed nothing to their productivity. It takes strong leadership for a sales organization to know that their adoption of a methodology will enable them to win more business.
What’s your first step? Assess your situation. Perhaps you don’t have a methodology in place. Maybe you did, but it may have fallen out of use, leaving your reps to figure things out for themselves. Whether you are selling commodity products over the telephone or professional services to Fortune 500 CEOs, your reps need a clearly defined path to achieve their mission. Every quarter that you wait before taking action will be another quarter’s revenues at risk. You need a methodology that will be the foundation for driving revenue now and supporting growth into the future.
Sales managers that have invested in sales methodology consulting and training and are not able to tie results directly to increased revenue need to know why. Do the processes that were installed still fit your business requirements? If not, that would be a reason to repair your approach. Have many of the people originally trained left your company? In that case, assuming the processes are still relevant to achieving your objectives, recommit to the methodology and invest in a new round of training and the strategic coaching that will support its ongoing use.
Unfortunately some companies realize that the training and consulting they invested in would not have gotten the job done under any circumstance. Perhaps a thorough requirements definition wasn’t done or the methodology provider wasn’t able to deliver what was needed. Maybe the methodology was better suited to a complex sale and yours is a relatively simple one. This total breakdown is the worst case scenario, and requires immediate action. An objective assessment will have identified the gaps between what you have and what you need. These should be the foundation of a requirements definition that will enable you to find the right company to get you back on track and then provide you with the processes, procedures, and tools that will put you out in front, where you need to be.
It is critically important for every salesperson to have a methodology to depend on that will guide and support them down the proven path to a sale. If your company doesn’t have one, acquire one. If the one you have is broken, repair it or replace it.
Just the phrase “sales methodology” scares many sales reps; sometimes for good reason. I’ve seen reps hobbled by bureaucratic burdens placed upon them by well-meaning executives. Other reps have lost weeks of selling time in training classes that contributed nothing to their productivity. It takes strong leadership for a sales organization to know that their adoption of a methodology will enable them to win more business.
What’s your first step? Assess your situation. Perhaps you don’t have a methodology in place. Maybe you did, but it may have fallen out of use, leaving your reps to figure things out for themselves. Whether you are selling commodity products over the telephone or professional services to Fortune 500 CEOs, your reps need a clearly defined path to achieve their mission. Every quarter that you wait before taking action will be another quarter’s revenues at risk. You need a methodology that will be the foundation for driving revenue now and supporting growth into the future.
Sales managers that have invested in sales methodology consulting and training and are not able to tie results directly to increased revenue need to know why. Do the processes that were installed still fit your business requirements? If not, that would be a reason to repair your approach. Have many of the people originally trained left your company? In that case, assuming the processes are still relevant to achieving your objectives, recommit to the methodology and invest in a new round of training and the strategic coaching that will support its ongoing use.
Unfortunately some companies realize that the training and consulting they invested in would not have gotten the job done under any circumstance. Perhaps a thorough requirements definition wasn’t done or the methodology provider wasn’t able to deliver what was needed. Maybe the methodology was better suited to a complex sale and yours is a relatively simple one. This total breakdown is the worst case scenario, and requires immediate action. An objective assessment will have identified the gaps between what you have and what you need. These should be the foundation of a requirements definition that will enable you to find the right company to get you back on track and then provide you with the processes, procedures, and tools that will put you out in front, where you need to be.
It is critically important for every salesperson to have a methodology to depend on that will guide and support them down the proven path to a sale. If your company doesn’t have one, acquire one. If the one you have is broken, repair it or replace it.
Your Sales Methodology Retain It Repair It or Replace It - To learn more about this author, visit Dave Stein's Website.
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For most successful companies, consistent revenue delivery is in part dependent on a well-founded and institutionalized selling methodology—a set of processes, procedures and tools that provide the sales organization with what they need to convert qualified prospects to customers. Today, For most successful companies, consistent revenue delivery is in part dependent on a well-founded and institutionalized selling methodology—a set of processes, procedures and tools that provide the sales organization with what they need to convert qualified prospects to customers. Today, with relentless competition, savvy buyers, and information about your offerings readily available on the Internet, successful selling is the result of staying close to a proven path rather than “winging-it,” which is still the de facto standard for far too many selling organizations.
Just the phrase “sales methodology” scares many sales reps; sometimes for good reason. I’ve seen reps hobbled by bureaucratic burdens placed upon them by well-meaning executives. Other reps have lost weeks of selling time in training classes that contributed nothing to their productivity. It takes strong leadership for a sales organization to know that their adoption of a methodology will enable them to win more business.
What’s your first step? Assess your situation. Perhaps you don’t have a methodology in place. Maybe you did, but it may have fallen out of use, leaving your reps to figure things out for themselves. Whether you are selling commodity products over the telephone or professional services to Fortune 500 CEOs, your reps need a clearly defined path to achieve their mission. Every quarter that you wait before taking action will be another quarter’s revenues at risk. You need a methodology that will be the foundation for driving revenue now and supporting growth into the future.
Sales managers that have invested in sales methodology consulting and training and are not able to tie results directly to increased revenue need to know why. Do the processes that were installed still fit your business requirements? If not, that would be a reason to repair your approach. Have many of the people originally trained left your company? In that case, assuming the processes are still relevant to achieving your objectives, recommit to the methodology and invest in a new round of training and the strategic coaching that will support its ongoing use.
Unfortunately some companies realize that the training and consulting they invested in would not have gotten the job done under any circumstance. Perhaps a thorough requirements definition wasn’t done or the methodology provider wasn’t able to deliver what was needed. Maybe the methodology was better suited to a complex sale and yours is a relatively simple one. This total breakdown is the worst case scenario, and requires immediate action. An objective assessment will have identified the gaps between what you have and what you need. These should be the foundation of a requirements definition that will enable you to find the right company to get you back on track and then provide you with the processes, procedures, and tools that will put you out in front, where you need to be.
It is critically important for every salesperson to have a methodology to depend on that will guide and support them down the proven path to a sale. If your company doesn’t have one, acquire one. If the one you have is broken, repair it or replace it.
Just the phrase “sales methodology” scares many sales reps; sometimes for good reason. I’ve seen reps hobbled by bureaucratic burdens placed upon them by well-meaning executives. Other reps have lost weeks of selling time in training classes that contributed nothing to their productivity. It takes strong leadership for a sales organization to know that their adoption of a methodology will enable them to win more business.
What’s your first step? Assess your situation. Perhaps you don’t have a methodology in place. Maybe you did, but it may have fallen out of use, leaving your reps to figure things out for themselves. Whether you are selling commodity products over the telephone or professional services to Fortune 500 CEOs, your reps need a clearly defined path to achieve their mission. Every quarter that you wait before taking action will be another quarter’s revenues at risk. You need a methodology that will be the foundation for driving revenue now and supporting growth into the future.
Sales managers that have invested in sales methodology consulting and training and are not able to tie results directly to increased revenue need to know why. Do the processes that were installed still fit your business requirements? If not, that would be a reason to repair your approach. Have many of the people originally trained left your company? In that case, assuming the processes are still relevant to achieving your objectives, recommit to the methodology and invest in a new round of training and the strategic coaching that will support its ongoing use.
Unfortunately some companies realize that the training and consulting they invested in would not have gotten the job done under any circumstance. Perhaps a thorough requirements definition wasn’t done or the methodology provider wasn’t able to deliver what was needed. Maybe the methodology was better suited to a complex sale and yours is a relatively simple one. This total breakdown is the worst case scenario, and requires immediate action. An objective assessment will have identified the gaps between what you have and what you need. These should be the foundation of a requirements definition that will enable you to find the right company to get you back on track and then provide you with the processes, procedures, and tools that will put you out in front, where you need to be.
It is critically important for every salesperson to have a methodology to depend on that will guide and support them down the proven path to a sale. If your company doesn’t have one, acquire one. If the one you have is broken, repair it or replace it.
Your Sales Methodology Retain It Repair It or Replace It - To learn more about this author, visit Dave Stein's Website.
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Dave KurlanDave Kurlan is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website |
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Leanne Hoagland-SmithAre your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/red-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website |
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Linda RichardsonLinda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching — Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nation’s Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website |
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Dr. John OdaJohn Oda Ph.D NLP is a business peak performance expert, an author, and speaker frequently called upon to provide corporate training, workshops and seminars for many companies in the United States. He is an expert in coaching sales and business professionals in overcoming the behaviors and obstacles that may impede their sales results and affect their bottom line. Since 1995, John has created a speaking bureau such topics, which include: time management, sales training, human diversity, leadership programs and etc. He provides companies with a strategic plan to increase their bottom line by over 25 percent yearly. - Visit Dr. John Oda's Website |
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George LudwigGeorge Ludwig is a recognized authority on sales strategy and peak performance psychology. An international speaker, trainer, and corporate consultant, he helps clients like Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, Northwestern Mutual, CIGNA, and numerous others improve sales force effectiveness and performance. Though it's George's strategies and processes that help corporations increase productivity and performance, it's his tremendous energy and dynamism that spark the transformation. Again and again, clients remark on his amazing ability to unleash human capacity and inspire men and women to break out of their comfort zones. The result is a whole new type of salesperson. His customized presentations teach achievers to make stunning advances in their lives. From helping salespeople realize cherished dreams to helping corporations exponentially accelerate revenue streams, George Ludwig leaves audiences and individuals empowered, emboldened, and clamoring for more. George is the best-selling author of Power Selling: Seven Strategies for Cracking the Sales Code and Wise Moves: 60 Quick Tips to Improve Your Position in Life & Business. - Visit George Ludwig's Website |
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Michel NerayMichel Neray has over 25 years of experience as an award-winning copywriter, an Internet pioneer, a tradeshow pitchman and a senior sales and marketing executive. An online pioneer, he was one of the first marketing professionals to embrace the Internet by building websites as early as 1993. In 1994, Michel co-authored a book entitled "The Great Crossover: Personal Confidence in the Age of the Microchip", which made it to Jack Canfield's Achiever's Recommended Reading List. Michel founded Portfolios.com in 1995, the world's first online source directory for creative professionals and one of the first websites based on community generated content. Since creating The Essential Message in 2003, Michel has helped thousands of independent professionals and entrepreneurs as well as growing corporations find a better way to differentiate, position and brand themselves. In 2005, his chapter "Everything Starts With A Conversation" was selected as the lead for the book, "Sales Gurus Speak Out" and re-published in 2008 for 'Awakening The Workplace Volume 3'. He is also a co-author of "In the Company of Leaders" (2008) with 40 top North American leadership experts. - Visit Michel Neray's Website |
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Anne BarrAnne Barr has over 26 years experience in sales and marketing, six years as a franchisee. She has assisted over 367 business owners and purchasers to achieve their goals in career change, transition and exit strategy. She holds the designation of Certified Franchise Executive from the International Franchise Association, Certified Business Intermediary from the International Business Brokers Association and Board Certified Broker from the Texas Association of Business Brokers. Anne is active in professional organizations, networking groups and volunteers for non-profit entities. As owner/operator of four successful businesses, Anne has proven people skills and enjoys helping clients find the right "fit" in business ownership. Visit www.FranchiseOpportunitySpecialist.com for more information about me and my company. - Visit Anne Barr's Website |
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 Dave Stein (Visit Dave's Website) Dave Stein is CEO of ES Research Group (www.ESResearch .com) which he founded in early 2005. ESR is the first company to independently advise organizations on how to assess and most effectively implement the right sales training program for their individual needs, whether hiring an outside provider or delivering internal training. ESR delivers reports to its members ranging from weekly sales training research briefs to In Depth comparisons of the leading sales training and consulting providers. Beginning in 1993, after a career in sales and sales mgmt, Dave focused his unique skills in competitive sales strategies on sales training and executive coaching in companies of all sizes leading them to close large deals against insurmountable odds. Dave is the author of the business best seller HOW WINNERS SELL(now used by many universities), a regular contributor to leading journals, and the featured monthly columnist for Sales & Marketing Mgmt, Magazine. Dave’s affiliations include: Exec. Adv. Board of the Fisher Inst. for Prof. Selling; prof. member - National Speakers Assoc; Society of Sales & Mktg Training, American Society for Training and Dev.; and Sales & Marketing Execs Int’l.
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