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For many organizations, the
link between sales strategy goals and sales force execution is often missing.
Steps to ensure that execution actually supports the sales strategy must include:
clear communication of the sales strategy goals throughout the field sales force,
accompanied by multilevel management support of field sales management; accountability
for achieving the goals; and objective tracking of results.
"When all is said and done, too often, much is said
and little is done."
Anonymous
Sales executives must coordinate a myriad of factors in order to successfully
reach their desired market. To name a few, they must have a product or service
that meets customer needs and quality standards, is competitively priced, and
has adequate distribution.
The sales executive has little direct control over most of these important
factors. What the sales executive does control is how effectively the organization's
sales force "touches" and influences the customer. The sales executive
can ensure that the field sales force has all the capabilities and resources to
sell to potential buyers.
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Let's see how this can be done.
On a periodic basis, organizations establish marketplace strategies and expected
sales goals. These may range from "launch new product X" to "maintain
margins on product Y" to "open and penetrate new market Z" to "build
market share for product A."
These overall organizational sales goals need to be linked to specific customer
sales targets for each salesperson in the field. This requires active and effective
sales understanding and leadership to make certain that no disconnects occur between
the overall sales goals and specific execution by the front-line salesperson.
Here are seven questions that address areas in which disconnects may occur:
- Is there a clear link between the overall organizational strategy and the
sales organization's specific sales strategy?
- Is the sales strategy known and understood throughout the sales force?
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