SALES IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM - SALES HEALTH CHECK
Sales Improvement Program Description
Our Sales Improvement Program utilizes our proprietary Sales Improvement Model and has been instrumental in producing significant sales results in over 100 client firms.
After agreeing on Sales Improvement Program deliverables, we interview client salespeople, managers and optionally customers and prospects to gain invaluable feedback and assess the status quo. The interview results, combined with things like sales call monitoring, professional selling skills assessments and sales interest surveys help us develop specific strategies to increase sales results. But rather than present the “best” strategy, we provide numerous ideas and options. This brainstorming-oriented approach allows you select the solutions you know will work best in your environment.
Many clients have told us that having a sales management expert, with a fresh and unbiased perspective, inspect their entire sales operation was key to generating innovative initiatives and sales improvements. Several clients even commented that their investment in our Sales Improvement Program and Sales Consultant was the one of the best business decisions they’ve made!
Our Sales Improvement Model
We have helped several hundred companies, over a 25+ year period, significantly increase sales and profits. The basis for our work with these firms is our Sales Improvement Model which appears below. For a detailed description of this model, see our Sales Improvement Model web page.
Sample Sales Improvement Program Deliverables
Listed below is a sample of Sales Improvement Program deliverables that serve as the basis for all work, idea generation and recommendations made by our Sales Consultant.
Sales Strategy
- A review of your firm’s sales strategy, sales plans, desired growth goals and tactics to support management’s vision
- Ideas for new strategic sales initiatives
Sales Process
- Suggestions for enhancing current inbound and outbound sales process steps, including lead generation, needs assessement and closing sales
- Development of an overall selling process, complete with details of each sales process step, that serves as the basis for all sales management, measurement, training, coaching, compensation and staffing initiatives
Sales Hiring
- Suggestions for changes to existing job descriptions and further definition of ideal sales job candidate traits, skills, experience and qualifications
- Recommendations for an enhanced the sales hiring process including:
- Additional methods for attracting and locating qualified candidates
- A structured interview process involving pre-defined salesinterview questions, role-plays and assignments
- Positioning the job to candidates and creating appropriate expectations
- Reducing new sales hire “ramp up” time and to boost retention rates
Sales Compensation Programs
- An assessment of current salespeople, goals, performance standards and sales motivation/compensation
- Ideas for appropriate goals and targets (including sales process, sales improvement and sales activity goals)
- Alternative sales compensation programs and methods
- Recommendations for additional motivators (e.g. motivators for specific individuals interviewed, MBO payments, activity level motivators, contests, recognition programs).
Sales Coaching
- Suggestions for creating an ongoing sales team coaching and reinforcement program so that newly-acquired skills are successfully integrated into daily sales activities
- Recommendations for effective use of limited sales management time
- Identification of specific skills areas requiring sales improvement
Professional Selling Skills, Tools and Training
- Recommendations for sales training classes and sales manager training
- A list of core professional selling skills needed by new and existing hires to accomplish each sales process step
- An assessment for each salesperson including a “gap” analysis showing professional sales skills possessed vs. sales skills improvements needed
- Recommendations for new-hire sales training, including possible self-study programs
- Sales consultant suggestions for sales improvement strategies, new sales tools and sales classes that could include ways to:
- Increase sales prospecting and cold calling success rates
- Make closing sales more time efficient
- Increase the percentage of up sells and cross sells
- Provide competitive differentiators and advantages
- Boost levels of customer trust and repeat purchases
- Motivate internal teamwork
Sales Management/Measurement
- Methods to measure pipelines, leads, closing ratios, sales cycle times, sales process steps and sales improvements
- Ways to forecast future sales, increae sales efriciency and determine levels of prospecting required
- Methods for structuring the department to boost sales, prospecting and closing effectiveness
Sales Action Plan
- Creation of an implementation plan, including activities and due dates
- Identification of items (agreed to in the corporate sales consulting process) needing further development before implementation
- Scheduling of regular milestone meetings
- Tracking sales strategy effectiveness and overall sales improvement
These deliverables are for exemplary purposes only, and will vary by client. Several of our clients have commented that our Sales Consultant Services and Sales Improvement Programs were amongst the best business investments they’ve ever made!
