{"id":2599,"date":"2018-06-13T09:55:45","date_gmt":"2018-06-13T09:55:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/devbloglavaprotocols.nityo.in\/3-ways-to-find-that-sweet-spot-in-your-sales-strategy\/"},"modified":"2018-06-13T09:55:45","modified_gmt":"2018-06-13T09:55:45","slug":"3-ways-to-find-that-sweet-spot-in-your-sales-strategy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lavaprotocols.com\/the-cloud-blog\/3-ways-to-find-that-sweet-spot-in-your-sales-strategy\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Ways to Find That Sweet Spot in Your Sales Strategy"},"content":{"rendered":"
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By\u00a0Alexandra Martin,\u00a0<\/em>Sales Strategy Senior Analyst, Salesforce<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Sales has become increasingly complex. Educated customers expect solution expertise, and new technologies are changing the buying process.\u00a0Everyone in\u00a0sales\u00a0\u2014 from sales leaders to account executives and sales strategists <\/a>\u2014<\/a>\u00a0has to meet new demands<\/a>.<\/p>\n

All this change begs the question:\u00a0What\u00a0hasn\u2019t changed in sales?<\/b>\u00a0Well, the answer is this:\u00a0<\/b>hitting your quota<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 it always has been \u2014 and will continue to be \u2014 a top priority.<\/p>\n

Working in sales strategy and operations here at Salesforce, I\u2019ve learned a lot about what works and what doesn\u2019t in driving growth for a business. The secret weapon, I\u2019ve discovered, in making sure a growing business can make their numbers is this: Aligned strategy. The challenge is using all the available information and data you have to target the right audience at the right time.<\/p>\n

Sales operations is typically the person (or persons) in your business who best understands where the pockets of growth are. They are responsible for understanding your business as a whole, but particularly how to make sales more effective. This can include everything from setting up systems and processes<\/a> that enable sales to close more deals, to testing and creating the right customer experience in post-sales interactions. If sales and strategy aren\u2019t in sync, it\u2019s going to be tough to reach or exceed your goals.<\/p>\n

Selling is a balance between relationship-building and analysing data. Here are 3 steps to create a winning partnership between the two and to ensure you have a strong sales strategy:<\/p>\n

1. Get aligned \u2014 on matters related to the sales strategy<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n

Set short and long-term priorities together. Key discussions might include compensation, renewals versus new business, territory planning, key performance indicators (KPIs) and expected growth. For example, small sales teams need to be dynamic as they constantly adjust their processes. So when the sales motion changes, the sales playbook \u2014 everything from training, tools, and analytics \u2014 also needs to adapt to it. A good question to start any planning session with is this: What\u2019s the challenge we\u2019re trying to overcome? At Salesforce,\u00a0we have a process for staying aligned<\/a>\u00a0that\u2019s known as \u2018\u2018V2MOM<\/a>\u201d\u00a0\u2014 it stands for Vision, Values, Methods, Obstacles,\u00a0and Measures. It\u2019s easy to remember and it keeps us in sync at Salesforce.<\/p>\n

2. Identify the gaps<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n

Each step of the sales process is open to improvement, be it recruiting, gathering competitive intelligence, or conducting quarterly business reviews or annual planning. Even the sales process itself \u2014 how you\u2019re engaging with customers \u2014 is an opportunity to improve. When discussing the gaps, provide the strategy team with context and be transparent about your needs. Ask for details. Your team\u2019s metrics should include more than closed deals. Consider tracking metrics from all stages of the sales cycle such as:<\/p>\n