Selling in fast changing world discusses several challenges faced by sales people in today's world, and then elaborates on 12 areas where best practice companies focus to improve sales results.

1. Selling in a fast
changing world
Challenges & Global Best
Practices

2. Universal challenges
• No time and/or desire to see salespeople – “Send me an email”
• Exposure overload
• The purchasing process vs the selling process
• The www
• Globalisation – preferred vendors
• The fixation that price only matters

3. Universal challenges
• Buyers are often better educated in terms of solutions than
sellers!
• An increased reliance upon trusted referral sources when
seeking to meet a need.
• Competing with well established global brands
• Getting the meeting
• Getting the potential customer to see the value!

4. What has essentially changed?
• The focus moves from what you want to sell ….. to what customers need
• Aligning needs and value turns sales people into agents of value
• Sales has become a process focused activity
• Review your “Revenue line” Think retention – penetration - acquisition
• You can’t just go out there and sell ….. You need to target high
probability segments
• Your customers don’t want features and benefits … they are
looking for value
• Re-assess your “ Golden Hour” process ….. Lead by following
• Relationships are paramount

5. What will remain essential practice as we
move forward
• The face-to-face sales meeting remains the most effective method of
uncovering needs and projecting value …… and building relationships
• Essential to the process is an efficient system of segmentation, positioning
and targeting
• Process focus – after all, we need a uniform approach to our market

6. Best Practice Organisations ….
Segmentation
& Focus on Segmentation & Targeting
Targeting
• Most companies use a logical approach to ‘access’ the market
• Lead generation systems focus on High Probability segments

7. Active Sales
Management
Focus on Active Sales Management
• Sales managers drive performance and revenue
• Sales managers lead, coach, mentor, plan, execute, motivate
and control
• Sales managers manage, they don’t do the selling!
• Sales managers are by definition performance coaches

8. Training & Focus on Training and Coaching
Coaching
US companies spend $1.7b on training
• Use customized training programs
• Train selling skills
• Train sales process
• Train systems utilisation (CRM & tracking tools)
• Train product knowledge
• Train negotiation skills
• Train presentation skills
• They don’t stop !!
One on one coaching is priceless – Managers are coaches
4 Coaching sessions are needed in the 16 week period following
training or learning decay will be 80%

9. CRM Systems Focus on CRM Systems
• CRM systems provide a repository of customer and prospect contacts
• CRM systems provide activity visibility
• CRM systems provide sales deal flow visibility
• CRM systems provide interaction continuity
• CRM metrics drive sales success

10. Organisational Focus on Organisational Structure
Structure
• Defined structures – acquisition – retention – penetration
• Optimised deployment - reconcile opportunities with capacity
• Clear roles and responsibities

11. Sales Process Focus on Sales Processes
“Most managers have never attempted to diagram the sales
process for their product or service.
• Process defines the way we work
• Process ensures a universal approach to the market
• Process provides visibility and measurability
• Process keeps the sales organisation on - track

12. Performance Focus on Performance Management
Management
• Use an “active” performance management system
• Have clear measures and accountabilities that link with the
organisation’s strategy and objectives
• Use coaching to correct skills and performance and skills
deficiencies

13. Compensation Focus on Compensation
• Use a basic salary as a foundation
• Use an incentives as a motivational tool (uncapped!!)
• Use reward systems as a motivational tool
• Use recognition systems as the ultimate motivational tool

14. Finally,
Best Practice Organisations ….
Relationships Focus on Relationships
Building Trust
Commitment
Creating Mutuality

15. Best Practice Organisations ….
Segmentation Active Sales
& Management
Targeting
Training &
Compensation
Skills
Performance Global Sales
CRM
Management Best Practice
Sales
Organization
Processes Structure
Relationships

16. Carpedia Consulting (Pty) Ltd
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2052
Building 2
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Sandton
South Africa
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