CEOs who are downright scared about the impact the economy is having on their revenue are invariably asking us to solve the same two problems: delayed closings and not enough new business in the pipeline to compensate. When an economy like the one we’re experiencing squashes revenues, you must shore up your sales organization. And if you do it the right way now, you will create a sales culture that drives revenue and margin success under all market conditions.
What NOT to do
It’s my nature to first tell you what you absolutely shouldn’t be doing:
- Don’t rely on undercutting as a strategy to win business. You’re simply treading water and heading for lower margins and a reversal of company value. In addition to modifying your market position and changing what your brand stands for, you’ll turn your marketplace into an even more price sensitive, commodity-driven horror show.
- Don’t try to weather the recession in a holding pattern. Cutting costs, issuing a spending freeze or laying people off may be the obvious short-term options. However, acknowledging the symptoms of poor sales won’t fix the real problem—the gap between revenue and costs is due to poor sales performance.
Take the Important First Step NOW
The first step is uncovering where the breaches are in your sales organization. The
“Sales Force Grader” quickly helps you get to the heart of the matter. The payoff is well worth the few minutes (really—no more than 3) to fill it out and submit. You’ll immediately be sent a score and suggestions for developing a sales force that can succeed under all market conditions.
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Feel free to forward this to a colleague who wants to optimize revenues and margins. |
