As a sales manager are you winning small battles, but losing the war?
You have established a track record of innovation, creativity, and strong motivation. Does your sales team develop realistic game plans toward effective business development? Many companies use warfare to illustrate how selling efforts are analogous to strategic sales battles.
Virtually every military expert says that air superiority is vital to success. It has great strategic value. They also say that ground warfare (boots on the ground) is ultimately where the battle is won. It is not a matter of one being more important than the other; it is the combination that insures a successful campaign.
In listening to many sales managers, we see the air aspect more than fully covered. The need is identified. A motivating theme is conceived and executed that drives home the overall objective for the team to achieve. Marketing and Operations support the plan. As with an air assault, many areas are adequately covered. To borrow a phrase, Executive and Sales Management provide the “Shock and Awe” (in a good way). However, the need for a strong force on the ground is also acute. It is the tactical aspect that comes into play.
Effective leaders continually assess if their troops are well armed and well armored? They know if their troops really understand who the insurgents (competitors) are and how they operate in this ever changing and competitive environment. They know what their troops need to know and do to protect and build upon the ground (customer’s business) they’ve fought so hard to capture. These questions need to be asked of each and every ground troop you have. The answers will vary, unfortunately, with each, as one-size capability does not fit all. Some may be troopers, infantrymen, rangers, snipers, or gunners. Everyone is different and everyone has different needs.
By identifying each person’s strengths and weaknesses you can build a personal training program for each member of your team encompassing and complementing your overall direction. It seems impossible to have 100% of one’s sales team executing the team’s game plan 100% effectively; however, you can dramatically improve both percentages whatever they may currently be.
The result: The ground you’ve won is secured and provides a base to capture more. Sometimes it takes allies or external forces to help sharpen the skills of your troops and elevate their capabilities so that as a unit they are more effective. At Sales Concepts, we endeavor to be your ally when it comes to training your troops. Please contact us should your team be in need of reinforcement.
