GET SELLING, NOW!

Some of the common problems that stop sales and how to solve them

CONTENTS

• What are sales problems? • The common problems and their

symptoms

• Finding workable solutions • A seven stage methodology to drive

change

• How I work with you

BACKGROUND

Over half of sales professionals are

missing their targets

The average time in-job for a sales

manager is just 18 months

Turnover amongst sales people is

over 40% per annum

Everybody’s seeking the same 10%

of sales superstars

Most sales teams are less than 50%

efficient

Only about 10% of sales

opportunities close

More than eight out of ten deals are lost through either ineffective qualification, lack of sales process or planning, or both

Only a third of companies have a sales forecast accuracy of more than 50%

Only 43% of companies have a sales training programme, and of those, only half provide any form of sales skill training

Three out of five companies do not have a sales performance measurement system in place

Sales isn’t working. Here’s the evidence:

FIX SALES PROBLEMS FAST

• Ineffective sales leadership

• Ineffective sales team

• Marketing and sales not co-operating

• Flawed sales proposition

• Unclear sales proposition

• Poor sales processes

• Poor customer relationships

INEFFECTIVE SALES LEADERSHIP

• Lack of management skill

• Ineffective objective setting and measurement

• Ineffective sales compensation plans

• No vision for the sales team

• Sales disjointed from the organisation

• Ineffective recruitment practices

• Ineffective training and coaching

• Focus on sales not management

INEFFECTIVE SALES TEAM

• Lack of leadership or motivation

• Lack of sales skills

• Lack of engagement with company

• Lack of belief in company or solutions

• Lack of solution knowledge

• Lack of credibility with customers

MARKETING AND SALES NOT CO-OPERATING

• Lack of shared objectives between the two functions

• Lack of holistic view from solution definition to completed sales

• Lack of shared language

• Lack of seamless join between the two

• The two functions acting independently of each other

FLAWED SALES PROPOSITION

• Solution doesn’t work

• Problems the solution addresses not important

• Cost base too high to compete

• Little differentiation from competition

• Solution only solves part of the problem

• Commercial terms don’t match how customers buy

UNCLEAR SALES PROPOSITION

• Problems the solution addresses are unclear

• No clear link from problem to solution to benefit

• Solution is generic or commoditised

• Solution focus is technology not business

• Unclear ideal customer criteria

• Inappropriate sales channels

• Ineffective support materials

• Marketing messages vague

POOR SALES PROCESSES

• Customer relationships not tracked or planned

• Ineffective account planning

• Ineffective prospecting

• Ineffective qualification

• Ineffective value propositions

• Ineffective sales proposals

• Ineffective sales reviews

• Little or no sales performance measurement

• Lack of factual information

POOR CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS

• Contacts too low to make decisions

• Single or low points of contact

• Seen as sales not problem solvers

• Inability to relate at senior levels

• Poor customer satisfaction

FINDING SOLUTIONS THAT WORK FOR YOU

• Interview key stakeholders

• Agree issues

• Data collection

• Agree action plan

• Agree metrics and deliverables

• Implement change programme

• Measure results

WHY WORK WITH ME?

• Get answers, action and results • Help you define what isn’t working

• Independent, objective view of the problems

• Experience to recommend pragmatic solutions

• Capability to implement solutions as a project

• Clearly defined objectives, metrics and deliverables

MIKE MCCORMAC

About

• Mike McCormac founded Sales Success and More to help companies selling high value services achieve more

• He has an MBA and his sales background includes over 15 years success selling IT services and outsourcing as a sales executive, sales manager and sales director

• Mike works mainly in the UK and Cyprus

Contact

• Connect on LinkedIn

• Follow on Twitter

• Email

• Phone:

+357 99 860725 (Mobile)

+44 (0) 20 8133 7635 (UK)