Span the Chasm – Sales Team Training – Driving Sustainable Sales and Growth through Development and Consulting

Tag: planning

  • The Essentialism Steps for Success

    The Essentialism Steps for Success

    It’s true. I’m an idiot….

    For those of you who know me, that wasn’t a surprising statement. But, apparently……
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  • APIMA: 5 Critical Steps for a Successful Sales Campaign

    It’s a foundational sales truth:

    You simply cannot win in today’s competitive world without them. You know what they are…

    Sales Campaigns.

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  • Metrics, Metrics Metrics: What is a sales manager to do?

    Metrics, Metrics Metrics: What is a sales manager to do?

    As sales leaders, we have all been there, agonizing over the question:

    What metrics do I need to have to ensure success? 

    0 metrics and let them ‘practice their art’ or 12 metrics and control everything that they do?

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  • For Sales: Planning = Winning. Period.

    For Sales: Planning = Winning. Period.

    ‘Victorious warriors win first and then go to war.  Defeated warriors go to war and then seek to win.’
    – Sun Tzu

    It was true 2,500 years ago. It is just as true today.

    A victorious warrior wins first.  How?  By studying his opponent.  By preparing his skills.  By improving his weaponry.  By hardening his body.  They have a victory plan prior to engaging the enemy.

    The question I have for you today is: What is your victory plan?

    There are 5 areas that, with a little effort, will accelerate your success as you march toward your goals.

    1- Who: Do you know who you are pursuing and why it makes for you to engage them?  Why are they on your list?  Size?  Market?  Profile?

    Learning moment: Know what you are aiming for.

    2- What: What information do you need to collect prior to engaging to assure that it makes sense for them to engage you?  Corporate objectives?  Strategies?  Use cases?  Perceived business value?

    Learning moment: Be smart about your resources.

    3- How: What is the best plan of attack?  Do you have the right tools and processes aligned?  Do you have a social selling strategy?  Great executive reference lined up?  What are you doing to optimize your chances of success?

    Learning moment: Thoroughness and completeness matter.

    4- Goals: Have you mapped out these 2 critical elements: 1) What are your goals for the engagement?  What would make it the perfect meeting?  2) What are your pre-planned ‘next steps’ based on your intent?  Obviously, be ready to pivot.

    Learning moment: Without clear goals, plans are just dreams.

    5- Prioritized Action Plan:  Given all of your potential and opportunity, have you taken the time to define and prioritize your sequence of engagement.

    Learning moment: Win what you want to win.

    My list for last weekend is captured above.  Pretty rough.  But I took the time to scope it out.  I could estimate about how long each item would take.  Based on urgency, impact and time needed, I numbered the priority.  Did I get them all done?  No.  But I got the most impactful things done first.  And because I was smart about it, I had plenty of time for my wife, 2 kids, 2 dogs and a cat…. Even a little gym time for me.

    Super-charger idea: If your desire is to truly crush it: Share your goals with someone you trust and will keep you accountable for your success.  Accountability is success steroids!

    Want to start planning for Victory? Start by Contacting us to set up a strategy call!