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The Center for Sales Strategy Blog

6 Ways to Improve Pipeline Efficiency

6 Ways to Improve Pipeline Efficiency

Having a robust sales pipeline may help the sales team, sales managers, and the C-suite sleep better at night. But if there’s little or slow movement of those deals through the pipeline, everyone will spend more time counting sheep than counting money.

After all, opportunities in the pipeline don’t pay the bills. Only closed/won deals produce revenue.

So generating leads is only part of the equation for successful sales and marketing organizations. Keeping those leads moving through the pipeline and shorting the sales cycle is equally important.

Topics: sales pipeline

Are You Productive Or Just Busy?

Are You Productive Or Just Busy

Productivity refers to moving the sales cycle forward, improving application numbers, and increasing booked volume. Productivity measures how well you're able to meet the goals and objectives of your company, regardless of whether these are short-term or long-term goals.

On a day-to-day basis, if you write out a to-do list at the start of the day and are able to cross off most or all of the items by the end of the day, then you can consider it productive.

On a bigger scale, if you're able to meet the goals and objectives you have established for your company, then you're seeing productivity. Increasing productivity means that you will come closer to your goals. Remember, some people are more natural at this than others based on their talents.

Topics: sales performance sales productivity

Weekly Roundup: Deal Velocity, Developmental Goals For Leaders + More

Deal Velocity, Developmental Goals For Leaders

- MOTIVATION -

"Where there is no vision, the people perish."

 

- AROUND THE WEB -

<< If you only read one thing >>

Use These 5 Unconventional Sales Signals to Create Stickier Deal Cycles – Sales Hacker

We obsess over deal velocity. How quickly can I find deals, close them, and move on to the next one? It infects the rest of our work: BDRs batch and blast outreach to book more meetings. Reps fill out their calendars only half-prepared for the meetings. Managers ask weekly, “When’s this deal coming in?”  >>> READ MORE

Topics: Wrap-up

One Solution to the Biggest Problem in Sales: Setting Quality Appointments

One Solution to the Biggest Problem in Sales Setting Quality Appointments

Research with our client base, practical experience, and many years of consulting sales organizations of all sizes makes one thing abundantly clear: the biggest single problem salespeople experience in securing high-value appointments with key decision-makers. If you agree, keep reading.

Over the years, I have written nearly 100 sales meeting kits for managers, and more than 20 of them deal with some aspect of securing a quality appointment.
 

Today's technology not only allows prospects to delete your voicemail messages and zap your emails, but Internet access is also allowing customers to gather most of the information they need about your product, how it works, and how your clients feel about it.

Topics: business development

Upcoming Virtual and In-Person Events Sales Professionals Should Be Attending

Conferences

There are two underrated ways to quickly improve sales skills, grow networks, and grow both personally and professionally.

The first way is to read more quality books – and you can find several on this list.

The second way is to invest in yourself and attend conferences and events. Events designed specifically for sales professionals will not only help you grow and develop, but you’ll gain insight into the future of the industry.

Listed in order by date, here are some upcoming virtual and in-person events for all sales professionals to attend in 2022.

Topics: events

Priorities for the Modern Leader

Leadership-1

Work and career are areas that are ever-evolving.

New ways of working emerge, skill sets and experiences change, and employee expectations shift. As a leader, it's important to understand where your priorities need to be and how you can position yourself to help your employees grow.

Topics: sales leadership leadership development

Why Salespeople Are Quitting After 90 Days — And How To Prevent It

Why Salespeople Are Quitting After 90 Days — And How To Prevent It

During the first 90 days at a new job, the relationship between a new hire and their employer is as vulnerable as it gets: 20% of all employee turnover happens during those crucial three months.

Leaving a job before things really get going is becoming increasingly normal, especially for younger workers: Jobvite’s oft-cited annual “Job Seeker Nation” survey reports that 34% of them have, at some point in their young careers, left a job in the first 90 days.

Topics: sales talent assessment sales talent

Weekly Roundup: Sales Forecasting, Inflation + More

Sales Forecasting, Inflation

- MOTIVATION -

"There are four ingredients in true leadership: brains, soul, heart, and good nerves."

 

- AROUND THE WEB -

<< If you only read one thing >>

Quantitative vs. Qualitative Sales Forecasting: Which Is Best For You? – LinkedIn 

Forecasts are infamously difficult to trust. 

Does your weather app say it’s going to be sunny on Saturday? You still might want to have a backup plan for your picnic.

In sales, forecasting is a practice that’s been around for a long time, but its accuracy has often failed to escape the realm of long-range temperature predictions. >>> READ MORE

Topics: Wrap-up

A 5-Step Campaign Recap Template to Keep Customers Coming Back

campaign recap templateYou sold the campaign. You executed the campaign. Now get the credit you deserve! 

Creating a successful digital campaign designed to deliver desired business results takes time and expertise—not to mention a great deal of work! It makes sense to present a recap during the campaign—to make sure it is on track—and after the campaign, to get credit for a job well done.

The best way to do this is to create a campaign recap and present this to the customer. This process allows sellers to get the credit they deserve for a job well done as well as open the door to the next sales opportunity with a satisfied customer.

Topics: sales strategy sales process sales accelerator

Simple Things You Can Do to Make a Big Impact on Sales Performance

Simple Things You Can Do to Make a Big Impact on Sales Performance

Without sales, you don't have a business.

Your profits are directly linked to sales performance, so it's important to maximize sales wherever possible. There are a range of things you can do to improve sales, and if you're not doing this your business will never reach its full potential.

For a rundown of some simple things you can do to improve sales performance, keep reading.

Topics: sales performance