Examples include "ensuring that salespeople have the necessary resources and tools to maximize selling effectiveness" and "gaining commitment to company directives, programs, and initiatives in order to maximize the achievement of sales strategy goals."

C. Commitment level of senior sales management
The senior executive group must be committed to the success of the field sales force in executing the strategy. The group must make certain that its policies and communications actively support field execution. Without successful execution, efforts are often superficial, incomplete, and do not work. It must "walk the talk." As Pfeffer and Sutton have pointed out in The Knowing-Doing Gap, "One of the main barriers to turning knowledge into action is the tendency to treat talking about something as equivalent to actually doing something about it."

Senior management must answer questions, such as: "Are sales managers recognized and rewarded for developing and coaching salespeople?" "Is hands-on observation, coaching, and development of salespeople by sales managers given a high priority in a sales manager's job responsibilities?"

"Does the job structure and specified responsibilities for sales managers allow adequate time, attention, and resources for salesperson coaching and development?"

Comparisons of the answers to these questions received from senior sales executives, as well as salespeople and their sales managers, will uncover whether the groups agree that senior management will support their field sales efforts.

4. Does the sales strategy form the foundation for planning and focusing sales resources at field level?
This is another critical step in executing a sales strategy that is too often not a reality. John Byrnes notes that, "Effective business plans have three essential roles: first, to state clearly the company's objectives; second, to specify new initiatives, required resources, and expected results; and third, to guide the day-to-day activities of the company toward maximum profitability. In most companies, the first objective is usually met, the second is sometimes met, and the third is often neglected. When this occurs, it causes the sales force to be disconnected from profitability."