Operationalizing Your Sales Strategy
Operationalizing your sales process and approach is vital to your sales success both in the short term and the long-term. Anyone can dream up a brilliant idea or strategy, in fact this world is full of great ideas that will never happen. The genius is in the implementation.
Following are the five key elements of Operationalizing sales:
1. Tools
In order to operationalize our sales process and achieve our goals we will need the right tools to get the job done. These tools include everything from electronic devices, research tools, business cards, marketing materials, software, and accounting and billing tools to name a few. It is important to be aware of the core tools needed to effectively execute the plan.
2. Measurement
What gets measured gets improved. Without measurement there is no feedback, positive or negative, regarding our progress. A goal helps us push ourselves in positive ways and fuels improvement, motivation, self-esteem and team spirit.
What gets measured gets improved. Without measurement there is no feedback, positive or negative, regarding our progress. A goal helps us push ourselves in positive ways and fuels improvement, motivation, self-esteem and team spirit.
3. Processes and Knowledge
Once you have a goal, a measurement process, and the right tools needed to identify the process to follow, you can identify any knowledge or skill gaps that may affect progress. Being a master at sales is a process of constant improvement, self awareness and personal growth.
4. Maximize Selling Time
Your end goal is to build solid client relationships that result in sizeable amounts of revenue. Using this as a core goal, we can maximize the time spent doing the things that move us toward that goal. Many sales people have failed because they became experts at paperwork, staff meetings, research, and a myriad of other activities that have very little to do with closing the deal or building relationships with the right clients.
Sales professionals need to have a process that supports the core goal and the courage to fight for the time needed to do these things. This process is about delegating, automating or deleting these activities from our life that are not harmonious with our goals.
5. Support and Accountability Structure
“One is too few a number to achieve greatness” – John Maxwell.
John Maxwell, leadership expert says it well in this quote. We need a team to help us reach our goals; many of us will do more for other people than we would do for ourselves. Having a set of checks and balances and a manager, coach, mentor or peer that holds us accountable is a key ingredient in driving sales results.
– Shane Gibson
