- CSO Insights (2008)

Doing the Right Things Well

Companies spend billions of dollars per year training their sales teams on name-brand sales methodologies, processes, or individual training sessions addressing specific skills. However, the majority of the time, the impact of such training is all but gone after 90 days. Many times, this is because the methodology chosen by the company does not quite fit the way you do business. Or, sometimes the chosen methodology or process gives you the framework of what to do but does not provide enough detail to teach the rep how to do it. More often than not, the new sales process or methodology is not reinforced and the sales team goes back to their old way of doing things.

Having a defined sales process, regardless of which process or methodology you choose, is imperative. It provides the "secret sauce" for new and existing reps to follow which allows them to be more effective. It takes the best practices of your top performers and teaches it to everybody on the team. Imagine the new rep that observes each rep selling in a different manner. Who should they model their process after? This just adds to their ramp-up period and makes them less productive. Following a defined sales process allows everybody to speak the same language, look at the same measurements, and expect similar results.

Determining the key activities necessary to help prospects make informed, fast and effective decisions is a key element in helping sales spend their time appropriately. Aligning these activities and tools with customer decisions and customizing them for your organization has been proven time and time again to produce better results. But you must implement a methodology and process that is tailored to your business, your challenges and your culture rather than choosing something off-the-shelf.