SalesLevers

Are your sales funnels delivering?  Probably not, if you’re reading this. Or, at least, you sense your sales performance could be better.

It’s really all about risk management. There’s the risk of coming in below predicted target with implications for individuals and organizations. And you have the risk of business plans and cash requirement being driven off course. You might even be at risk of non-delivery if unexpected business comes in at unexpected times.   

But successful funnel management goes beyond risk reporting. And it does more than improve forecasting accuracy. Optimized sales funnel management identifies potential problems in the…

“How do I engage with busy or disengaged prospects who don’t yet see why they should be talking to me?”

It’s the heartfelt cry of many involved in new business development. It’s also a real issue for those trying to re-engage with lapsed or low-contact customers.

We all know that cold calling is a pretty inefficient and ineffective numbers game. The figures are there to back up the experience: 90 percent of buyers say they don’t take calls from unknown callers. The latest figure I saw was that it takes 18 calls to get a live contact with a…

Managing third-party selling is not easy. But in many sectors, it is very important! The intermediaries hold the key to increased income from existing clients and winning new clients.  

Third-party selling can either be the way the company delivers customer intimacy or a barrier to customer intimacy.

In the past companies often took the view that provided the results were good (right volumes, right margins, right compliance) then the activity of distributors did not really matter.  It was almost part of the deal: “as long as you deliver the result we will leave you alone. You get your freedom….

Are you or your team members struggling to put together more effective pitches? Never fear. Check out this list of winning tips from the sales performance experts at SalesLevers.  

1. Only present your offer after summarising the client’s total situation and their requirements—and gaining their acceptance of your summary.

2. Don’t present ideas in the offer for which the client can see no requirement.

3. Know the offer inside out. Sound and detailed product/service knowledge will give you the confidence to make a good presentation. Skimpy knowledge makes for presentations which will reflect a lack of confidence. Such presentations will…

Are you considering selling into vertical industry sectors? Not sure it’s a good fit for your organization? Read on for my take on why organizations should adopt a vertical “go to market” strategy, and how to get started.

1. Customers like it

Every industry thinks they are unique! Buying behaviours throughout the value chain make vertical markets more important. Clients expect their suppliers to work in vertical markets because they have to work in vertical markets themselves.

2. Build on your strengths

You will probably be focusing on vertical markets where you already have a success story. Focus should allow…

Sales training strategy is a vital component of managing a sales team. Here are 10 things to think about as you look at the way your salespeople learn and develop.

Sales Training Strategy Cs: 10 Focus Areas

Challenge: What’s the goal? Be clear about the objective. “Increase market share by 10 percent in a flat market”, “Generate 50 percent of revenue from our top 10 percent of accounts”. “Failure only comes when we forget our ideals, objectives and principles”. Agree what success looks like before going ahead with training.

Clarify: It is essential to have a clear and accurate picture of the…