Sales or Sales Excellence?
Companies are always seeking sales revenue
growth. In down markets companies are looking for
sales production any way they can get it. It's all about
revenue, right? Of course. But can you really improve
the sales organization while you scramble to survive?
Actually, these are great times to reset on
organizational infrastructure processes and practices
that drive revenue today but also position the firm for
sales growth in coming years.
Smart companies are driving restructured sales
teams to hit revised quotas while keeping a keen eye
on institutionalizing best-practices to achieve
sales excellence. New technologies snap
onto common CRM systems and help firms reinforce
correct sales activities, targeting, strategies,
messaging, collateral, call execution, pricing, cycle
management, forecasting, ops and management
visibility. This comes first through thoughtful
assessment of current practices, sales & marketing
alignment, cultural norms, goals and
resources. Recognize that effective implementation
of true organizational sales excellence is a long-term
project with short and long-term effects.
Bold sales leaders must carry the torch for sales
excellence across the organization. It's one thing to hit
the numbers. The real trick is to hit them while moving
the team forward.
What are you doing to drive sales excellence
today and tomorrow?
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Automating the Playbook |
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A Winning Sales Play
We've finally found the tool to easily create sales
playbooks to standardize, evolve and train various
sales processes. Playboox, a San Francisco
firm and MXL partner, guides the clear
development of
sales process(es) and keeps the essential sales
playbook dynamically in front of the salesperson. Both
rep and managers benefit from clear insight into deal
progress, planning, and performance.
"Playboox enables us to capture what our best
salespeople do and lock it down for the rest of the
team to mimic or learn from." - VP Sales
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Inside Sales Machine |
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Build, Develop, XLerate
Today's Inside Sales team is highly
productive and lower in cost. Many firms are moving to
this model today where products and services can be
sold from "mission control" and outside/direct reps
are increasing expensive to maintain and control.
The challenge is in building and driving the Inside
Sales Machine. MXL Partners offers an
Inside Sales XLeration service that
builds and manages the team inside or outside your
organization.
Whether you have a team that needs a boost or a
team you need to build, let's talk about it.
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Sales Effectiveness Tip |
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When They Don't Call Back
You leave a message, send an email, then wait for
something, any thing that let's you know they
know you're there. They've gone dark on you. It's
happened to all of us. Especially these days. What's a
salesperson to do?
There are 3 Reasons why people don't return
your calls: 1) You're not compelling, 2)
They're too busy, or 3) They're not
interested. In light of this, there are 3
Keys to successfully getting prospects or
customers to return calls:
- Develop a Compelling 20-40 Second
Phone Message. There's a logical flow to a crisp
message/pitch that hooks one to listen, respect and
respond. Note: your email should have the same
structure.
- Follow-up Appropriately. Don't give up too
soon, but don't overdo it. Place up to 4 calls over 2
weeks before moving on, or call back next quarter, as
appropriate.
- Remember Not Everyone Buys. Some
people/companies are just not good prospects right
now. Don't blow your chance to do business with them
in the future. Be gracious, professional, and "live to
sell another day."

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Quota Setting |
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An Art and a Science
Setting quotas is both an art and science, with a heavy
leaning toward science. Established organizations
have a history of territory performance to guide
year-to-year adjustments. For Start-ups, as well as
companies in Transitional growth and Scaling stages
with new products, the quota setting challenge is real
and laden with heavy implications.
Determining appropriate variables such as territory
opportunity, sales value, lead flow, closing ratios, etc.,
is one issue in itself; applying them appropriately
given today's market conditions is quite another.
There's a movement back to basics as adjustments
abound. Don't shy away from mixing the art with the
science.
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Quotation |
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The Vision Thing
"Where there is no vision, the people perish."
- Proverbs 29:18
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