How to Get Your Sales Strategy Back on Track Now

Getting Your Sales Strategy Back on Track Matters
If you want to get your sales strategy back on track, you should feel reassured that when it comes to sales performance, sales strategy matters.  Our organizational alignment research found that strategic sales clarity accounts for 31% of the difference between high and low performing sales teams in terms of:

• Revenue growth
• Profitability
• Customer retention
• Sales leadership effectiveness
• Sales team engagement

Does this Sales Strategy Scenario Sound Familiar?
Everyone seemed to be on board when you outlined the corporate sales strategy for the coming year. But now, as the end of the quarter is drawing closer, you notice that the sales team is not really following the strategic plan.

You notice they are chasing short-term gains and unqualified sales leads rather than following the plan to focus predominately on building long-term relationships with a chosen few target clients where your unique value proposition sets you apart from the pack.

Three Ways to Get Your Sales Team Pointed in the Right Direction
How can you as a sales leader redirect their efforts and get your sales strategy back on track?  Solution selling training and business sales training experts recommend three ways to keep on track with your sales strategy:

1. Measure the Right Sales Activities
   Determine first which critical few sales behaviors align with and lead to executing your sales strategy and achieving your sales targets; then measure them and share them with the team.

   If, for instance, frequent on-site visits help build the desired long-term relationships and revenue, establish how often your reps should call on their key clients and measure visit frequency and quality.

   Just make sure that any sales metrics are considered to be fair, accurate, relevant, possible, consistent, and timely by your entire sales team if you want to effectively motivate employees to perform at their peak.

2. Set Clear Behavioral Priorities
   First, create a plan that prioritizes the “money making” sales activities that bring the results you desire. Then coach your sales managers to see that their teams follow the sequence of these behaviors that align with and promote your overall sales strategy.
3. Coach, Manage, and Lead Frequently and Consistently
   Data from our research-backed sales management training tells us that effective sales leaders consistently and frequently coach, manage, and lead their teams to greater heights.

   The best sales leaders coach both in formal one-on-one meetings and situationally on-the-spot so sales reps learn the most important behaviors that matter most for your unique sales strategy and culture.

   Recent McKinsey research found that top sales organizations commit 79% more time coaching their sales reps. Our own research found that reps who are consistently coached outperform their peers 4-to-1 in terms of quota attainment.

   Sales performance coaching matters.

The Bottom Line
If you want to get your sales strategy back on track, focus on strategic sales clarity by measuring the right activities, setting clear behavioral priorities and coaching frequently and consistently.

To learn more about getting your sales strategy back on track, download 7 Ways to Stress Test Your Sales Strategy