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Sales is more than just making the numbers

Conduct a sales assessment to optimize performance and planning

When was the last time you took inventory of your overall sales methodology?  A fresh assessment of sales measurement systems, market approach and sales readiness can help you optimize performance and set a powerful framework for sales and market planning. 

What is a sales assessment?

A sales assessment is a 360 degree look at your overall sales methodology.  It helps the organization fine tune sales, sales operations, marketing and partner programs to maximize sales success in today’s business environment.  A sales assessment is particularly effective if the sales organization has undertaken any recent changes in product suite, channel strategy, senior management or customer set.

A typical sales assessment looks at some combination of measurements (e.g. systems for motivating and analyzing performance such as SFA, forecasting, quota assignment and reward systems), market approach (e.g. methods for reaching your target market such as channel sales plan, field sales, inside sales and partner programs), and sales readiness (e.g. techniques for preparing people for success such as training, sales guides, sales tools, etc.)

An effective way to begin the process is with your own self assessment.  Have the major stakeholders grade the organization’s effectiveness in each quadrant shown above.  How would you assess the health of your organization along these dimensions?

• Planning: your ability to effectively plan strategies and tactics for each area,
• Processes: Look at the methods and tasks used to build, execute, manage and analyze results in each area, and
• People: An assessment of the skill sets residing in your staff and their ability to be successful in executing and managing these activities.

Beginning with a self assessment will heighten the value of an external sales assessment.  The stakeholders will better understand what the assessment is trying to accomplish.  They will be curious to see the results, more open to evaluation findings and more willing to act on recommendations. Using a trusted external group to conduct your sales assessment will provide an unbiased and thorough evaluation. The sales assessment should be tailored to the unique needs of your business and the market that you serve.

Measurements: evaluate your SFA and compensation systems

Is your forecasting process an effective predictor of future sales success?  Does the SFA system bring value to sales people, marketing campaign managers and inside sales (… oh yeah, as well as to managers and executives)?  Are compensation plans and quota assignments motivating the right behavior?

The old adage “if you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it” applies to sales more than any other area of business.  Examining how your measurement systems measure up will help improve your ability to motivate and predict business success.  SFA systems need to be revitalized on a regular basis so they bring value to sales people, sales management and executive staff.  A sales assessment can make recommendation on how your SFA system can better encourage teamwork, reinforce process, promote ownership and provide improved predictability for sales results. Following initial implementation, SFA systems tend to get little attention beyond the basics.  A mid-year evaluation of compensation structure will provide an invaluable platform for building next years compensation plan … which in most companies is a fire drill that occurs in the last few high pressure weeks of the fiscal year.

Market Approach: review sales methodology and partnerships

How do customers want to buy and use your product or services?  Is your sales approach effective (direct, reseller, distributor, mix, etc)? How effective is your infrastructure in supporting your sales approach?  What is the value of partners to the sell-buy-use process? 

The sales assessor will investigate the differences between what is being sold, what customers believe they are buying and what customers actually use.  Sales approach, marketing messages and customer needs can sometimes be out of sync.  A sales assessor can help recognize this misalignment so that sales and marketing plans cascade into one another. 

A sales assessment will also look at how well your people and processes support the partners and partnerships needed to make your business successful.  From a sales perspective, most organizations require partnerships in some form to reach customers; the most common are:  

• Selling partners reach out to customers in the selling and buying process.  Selling partners include resellers, VARs, system integrators, distributors, wholesaler, agents, etc. 
• Utilization partners form an eco-system needed to deliver full value for your products and services to customers.  Utilization partners may be technology partners, strategic alliances, embedded partners, designers or developers.

Sales Readiness: inventory tools, skills and training

Do your sales people and your partners have the right training?  Are sales tools and marketing materials useful and being utilized at the right stages of the sales process? Is training, tools and processes easily accessible to those who need them? Do your sales people and partners have the right skills to get the job done?

Using the right techniques to prepare for sales success promotes efficiency in hiring and acquiring new partners.  Matching training to the skills and ability of people and partners will achieve the desired results.  A sales assessment will also evaluate if sales materials, sales tools and marketing collateral are mapped to the sales process for effective utilization.  Having the right tools is important and making them easily accessible is essential.

KickStart Alliance: Your sales assessor

Tune up that high performance sales engine and you will get better results.   KickStart Alliance offers independent analysis in a 360 degree review of the people, processes, and plans associated with your sales efforts.  The process usually takes between 3 – 6 weeks, depending on scope.  Let us show you how we can help you get your team to the next level of performance.

Janet Gregory is a veteran sales executive and co-founder of KickStart Alliance. For assistance with sales strategy, sales planning, training, compensation or any aspect of sales operations, contact Janet. Janet leads the sales readiness practice at KickStart Alliance. For help in aligning sales & marketing for results contact any member of the KickStart Alliance team.