Sales Effectiveness

Sales Productivity Audit

The sales productivity audit provides the basis for reviewing the current business goals and objectives and the sales and marketing strategy and for developing the executional elements required to improve sales effectiveness and compete at a “world class” level.

Sales Strategy

Fundamental to sales effectiveness is clarity in direction:

1. Business Goals and Objectives

2. Sales & Marketing Strategy and Plan

Sales Structure, Roles & Responsibilities

A sales organization structure that will meet the goals and objectives and implement the sales and marketing strategy needs to be developed. Roles, responsibilities and performance expectations need to be clearly defined.

Cores Sales Processes – Account, Contact & Sales Cycle/Pipeline

The Core Sales Processes need to be defined and implemented effectively:

1. Account Management – Determining account segmentation, allocating accounts and tracking performance/profitability

2. Contact Management – Information about distribution channel and customers so that the company owns the accounts (not the rep) and the information is available to others in the company

3. Sales Pipeline Management – The steps required in the pipeline to make a sale from lead generation to satisfied customers providing repeat business

Information Technology & Tools

Effective sales force management is interlinked with providing faster, accurate sales process information to the all the customer facing people. For smaller companies, it is critical to rethink their processes and selling needs to discover what kinds of applications will produce the most benefit for their investment.

Base & Incentive Compensation

Sales Compensation Plans normally have a significant performance element:

1. Introduce a compensation program that is aligned to the business plan and competitive in the marketplace.

2. On an annual basis, create visible alignment between the incentive plan and business objectives and sales strategies.

3. Install an incentive plan that is equitable across the company based upon the individual sales roles and positions.

4. Promote an environment to overachieve by increasing incentives beyond the annual sales and profitability targets.

Recruiting & Staffing Systems

Recruiting is part of an overall staffing system. A staffing system is a continuous improvement plan that comprises: hiring, developing, assessing, promoting, retaining, demoting and terminating people. Companies that invest in a staffing system will succeed in hiring and retaining the high performers.