The term sales define a finite point in time...the time of transaction point or POS (Point of Sale). Sure, we can all say that success in sales happens when new and profitable revenue has been generated. But is it? What activities lead us there?
My marketing colleagues will be happy to hear me say that sales are generated long before a transaction ever occurs, conversely my sales colleagues might feel undervalued with the concept that sales performance happens based on activities before they are involved. Yet there is another argument to be made that sales cannot occur until the relationship is nurtured by a fellow human being and that all prior activities were simply intended to bring sales in contact with the potential buyer. So who is right?
Are sales driven by marketing activities that occur long before a salesperson is involved? Or does the salesperson drive the transaction from start to finish? The answer lies within your offering and current sales process or maybe a lack of a sales process. This is often the result of marketing and sale teams that work in silos. It is the leadership's responsibility to bridge the "respect" gap between the marketing and sales teams. Here are a few points to consider in defining what a sales win looks like:
- Marketing wins consist of a series of yeses through messaging and content-based relationships (graphic, written, video, and other tangible brand assets) put in front of a defined persona at a specific time. The yeses might include: yes-put me on the list, yes-I will talk with you, yes-I will watch your webinar, etc.). Good salespeople engage with the marketing team so that they can share insights and develop messaging together.
- A sales win happens when the transaction occurs from good marketing, digital processes, and/or the result of a human-to-human relationship. Define and celebrate the pre-transaction wins also. Your team(s) need this.
- A good growth team relies on each other. Define and celebrate what a marketing & sales win looks like. This will help you to define "Leading Indicators" that can help to predict the likelihood of getting to your point of sale.
Team success lives within leadership's ability to foster a sense of unity towards a common goal and internal respect for each other's talents. Stop holding "Sales Meetings" and consider "Growth Meetings": that include team members throughout the organization. Certainly, marketing and sales should be involved but, perhaps an accounting process is slowing new sales or logistics or other operational workflows. If your sales team is in tune with customers & prospects, they will tell you where gaps to purchase exist.
Sales success really looks like...COLLABORATION, fostered by leadership. Do this well, you and your teams can enjoy many point-of-sale transactions.
If you are a small organization or start-up without a team or you have a small team. Sales success depends on how well you manage your time to include direct conversations with clients and prospects and how well you are able to focus on developing your structure and processes to find new prospects. Balance your time between operations needs and marketing & sales tasks. Or call us, we can help!
Do you want to hear more about this and other topics? Subscribe to our on-demand webinar series below.
