Top Three Challenges Facing Sales Leaders Today - Part One

Miller Heiman is one of the best known names in the sales training industry. Some time ago they published the "Top Three Challenges Facing Sales Leaders Today." The study was conducted in the Fall of 2004 and compiles the responses of 3,400 sales leaders throughout the country. For me, it was actually comforting to discover that the challenges identified in the nationwide study were the same issues that my small business has faced year after year!

Here they are...

1. Lack of a well-defined methodology for identifying the right opportunities to pursue.
2. Poor sales call activity and productivity.
3. Lack of an effective process for recruiting and hiring qualified salespeople.

Over the last few months I put together the "answers" I've discovered over the years to "counter" these challenges. I'll be presenting them in three different postings, starting today with number one - "Lack of a well-defined methodology for identifying the right opportunities to pursue."

In each of the challenges facing sales managers the central theme is simply lack of desired results. This is evident in number one - Lack of a well-defined methodology for identifying the right opportunities to pursue. Simply put, if your sales people aren't laser focused on who they should be pursuing, they are going to be doing something unproductive!

It's noted in the report by Peter Foster of Cardiac Science, Inc that "Walking the line between too much structure and total freedom is a tough balancing act." Mr. Foster is right on the money. I found over the years that producers of all levels want their freedom, but don't want to deal with the consequences of not achieving results. Thus the purpose of structure (or methodology) is to provide guidelines to success.

Doesn't it make sense that salespeople at all levels should know who they should be contacting? Is it possible that salespeople are given a territory and not trained to prospect? Yep. Another interviewee of the study, Bob Hayworth of Lockton Benefit Company, said "the lack of an effective approach to successful prospecting is the result of an absence of focus. You must have a strategy for prospecting, which allows salespeople the ability to focus and find success."

My company found that identifying a "TIP" (Template of an Ideal Prospect) for our salespeople was the starting point. Whether they would do the work or not, we made sure our people knew who they were supposed to be pursuing. Which leads to the second major challenge... Poor sales call activity and productivity.

My answer... in the next posting.

TK