Everyone in your sales organization participates in this phase of SPQ⁴, which helps earn organization-wide commitment to the process and makes each person a stakeholder in the outcome.

First, your senior sales management team identifies the most important overall sales strategies by:

• Reviewing a list of primary performance drivers
• Rewording these statements so they apply specifically to your organization
• Interlinking the most important strategies into a single strategy statement that summarizes the goal for your sales organization.

Next, a number of computer-based surveys are completed by appropriate members in your sales organization (i.e. salespeople, line sales managers, and senior sales management). These surveys help determine:

• How well the activities of your salespeople and sales managers support the strategy statement
• What developmental efforts are needed

• The commitment of your organization to support the salesforce at the level needed to succeed

Results of these activities are summarized in an SPQ⁴ feedback report presented to senior sales management. The report clarifies the:

• Strengths and weaknesses of your current sales and management activities in terms of your strategy
• Gaps in perceptions among senior managers, line managers, and salespeople
• Direction for shaping activities to align sales development with strategy.