What you'll learn: - Run more effective 1:1s and pipeline reviews across hundreds of deals - Cut forecasting time by 80% and improve the productivity of reps and managers - Consistently deliver on revenue commitments month after month

1. How to Build the Ultimate
Sales Forecasting Approach
for Predictable Revenue
SALES HACKER WEBINAR
@saleshacker

2. Hosted by:
Kevin McKeown
SVP Sales, New Business
Cision
Scott Barker
Head of Partnerships
Sales Hacker

3. The Pains of
Sales Forecasting

4. The Pains of Sales Forecasting
Time Consuming Meetings1

5. The Pains of Sales Forecasting
Spreadsheets from Hell2

6. The Pains of Sales Forecasting
Daily Interrogation of Sales Reps3
● How did the demo go?
● Did we get a “verbal”
● Did we send out a proposal?
● Have we heard back on our proposal?
● When’s the next meeting?
● Have we time-lined them for this?
● Did they send us redlines?
● Do they know the pricing expires this
month?
● Is this deal still set to CLOSE this
month?

7. The Pains of Sales Forecasting
Data Visualization - Probability Weighted Pipeline4
● Spreadsheet of all deals in play for
Month/Quarter
● Total Bookings Value by Deal
● Probability of Deal to Close (25%,
50%, 75%...)
● Weighted Deal Forecast (Deal Value *
Probability)
● Sum it all up to get to “Total
Forecast”

8. The Pains of Sales Forecasting
Not all Sales Reps Forecast the Same5
THE SAND-BAGGER
Always surprises with last
minute deals that weren’t
in the forecasted pipeline.
THE SHARP SHOOTER
Calls the deals early and
delivers on the mark with
consistent reliability.
THE OPTIMIST
Too confident about deals
plagued by last-minute
“surprises”.

9. Building the Ultimate
Forecasting Approach
The 5 Pillars

10. 5 Pillars to Building the Ideal Sales Forecast
1. “Connected” - Powered by Real time Data
2. “Intelligent” - Adapts for historic seasonality & rep
variability
3. “Efficient” - No shadow reports, faster pipeline reviews
4. “Informative” - Alleviates the need for daily rep
interrogations
5. “Reliable” - Provides leadership a reliable call

11. Reaping the Benefits
What Predictable Revenue Did for Cision
● Amazing insight into Opportunity Engagement
● CRM Score is the “anti-fud” to rep over
exuberance
● Empower Managers - only dig into Opps off the
rails
● Heads up dashboards to see Opp changes
real-time
● Reduce time wasted in daily “Q&A” Opp check-ins
● Improve reps ability to quickly update stale data
● Reduce “helicopter” rep oversight by Mgr, Dir, VP

12. Q&A
Kevin McKeown
SVP Sales, New Business
Cision
CONTACT INFO
Scott Barker
Head of Partnerships
Sales Hacker
CONTACT INFO