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MXL SalesNoteTM

August 2012

In this Issue
Universal Management
Sales Process Adherence
Measure Activity Metrics
Hamilton on Sales Focus

   

Sales Coaching Corner

 

Universal Sales Management

Achieving Top Objectives

 

When surveyed* to share their Top 3 goals for their sales organizations in 2012, the top vote getters listed by sales managers were: 

 

- Increase Revenue (60%)

- Win New Accounts (56%)

- Increase Sales Effective-ness (47%)

- Optimize Lead Generation (28%)

- Improve Up-Selling/Cross Selling (27%) 

 

No real surprise here. It is, after all, all about revenue. Firms need to sell well, add new accounts, increase leads and upsell existing customers.

 

There are 3 universal keys to getting these done across sales organizations:

 

1. Prioritize - that is, stratify everything. Too much territory, accounts, contacts, etc. Zero in on Top 5, 10, 20, 50.

2. Focus - then direct the guns toward these top prioritized targets. No distracting the job at hand.

3. Question - now prompt the rep and yourself to redirect or consider new ideas and alternative perspectives to drive results.

 

Bold leaders around the globe drive focus and unabashed review of the right things that bring success.

 

2012 Key Trends Analysis - CSO Insights     

             More ... 

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42 Rules to Increase Sales Effectiveness

by Michael Griego 

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International Sales Training

Been a busy summer traveling the globe and training enterprise sales teams in Europe, Asia Pacific and both coasts of the United States. Observing, coaching and training salespeople and sales managers across the globe, both in-person and virtually, in successive weeks prompts a few summary observations:

  • Universality of the Sales Quest - when you take away the language and cultural distinctions, the commonality of sales around the world is striking. Regardless of country, product and marketplace, salespeople young and old are challenged to engage new prospects with compelling sales introductions, adjust sales messaging to target audiences, effectively qualify, question and probe, prioritize and strategically develop and manage account and opportunities, execute sales processes while utilizing internal and external resources, present proposals, negotiate deals to closure and accurately forecast while they keep the pipeline growing and flowing. Sales is a tough but great job if you can get it, and handle it.
  • Winners, Losers and Survivors - while all regions are still in various levels of difficult economic straits, one will always find regional high-performing sales super stars who keep blowing out their numbers. Likewise there are those that come up short and don't keep their jobs. There a growing class of those who are just hanging on to jobs with average and mediocre sales production. Tough times create allowances for less than stellar performances. Key is not to settle. Improved sales execution raises all boats.
  • Training Skills and Changing Minds - modern sales training is not just about selling products, it's about teaching proven, provocative techniques customized for the new selling era. It's also about changing old mindsets and habits for one generation and capturing minds and developing habits for a whole new generation. Both groups are demanding, curious and infinitely teachable. This generational dynamic is played out in all geo regions.

So with lessons taught and learned, it's now good to be home. Just seems however that the world got smaller.

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Sales Process Adherence        

 

The need to focus on the execution of a clearly defined and optimized Sales Process just never goes away.

 

Five years ago in studies conducted by CSO Insights the percentage of firms that followed a Formal (Level 3) and even optimized, Dynamic sales process (Level 4) was just a little more than 1/3 of all companies. That means 2/3 were operating with an Informal (Level 2) or non-existent, Random sales process (Level 1).

 

Today that split is approximately 50-50. That's a big improvement - with still lots of room to improve.

 

Level

Description

2007

2012

1

Random Process

17%

13%

2

Informal Process

46%

38%

3

Formal Process

24%

34%

4

Dynamic Process

13%

15%

 

How committed are you to how you sell?

 

 

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Rule #22 Upgrade Your Account Management 

(from 42 Rules to Increase Sales Effectiveness)

 

Account review sessions can be formal or informal sessions involving managers, the account rep or team, technical management and any other key individuals participating in the analysis and strategy development of an ongoing account, typically a major account. They may last an hour, a half day or even a full day for very complex situations. At IBM these sessions were often grueling with intense preparation. Nevertheless they were critical to successfully navigating and directing resources in a complex sales situation.  

 

Today many opportunities lend themselves to strategic review, or at least best practice selling efforts. In Rule 21 we reviewed an informal

"snapshot" review tool called the 360o Account Snapshot to manually review deals. Companies are now moving toward dynamic interactive tools that recreate the Strategic Account Plan while guiding one along the sales process for all key sales opportunities.

                                                                                         Read more... 

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Hamilton on Sales Focus

 
"Men give me some credit for genius. All the genius I have lies in this: When I have a subject in hand, I study it profoundly. Day and night it is before me. I explore it in all its bearings. My mind becomes pervaded with it. Then the effort which I make is what the people call the fruit of genius. It is the fruit of labor and thought."Alexander Hamilton