It is said that hope is not a strategy for success, and when it comes to sales that is just as true. Many organisations have grown at such a pace or in such a way that planning has not become part of the way things are done. This could be because the sales function is not populated by people who know how to do it or understand the value, or it could be that the reliance on inbound opportunity management has driven the good practice out of the business.
Good planning is the corner-stone of an effective sales function. It ensures that appropriate measurements can be put in place upstream of a sale, that the target clients are considered on merit and the approach is researched and organised. Without good planning a sales function has little chance of executing the sales strategy and will tend to be reactive in its culture.
Good planning alone is not sufficient and alongside the implementation of a proper approach to planning it is imperative that appropriate sales processes are also adopted. Key processes include qualification, lead management, bid management and the overall sales process from lead to close.
Miram Consulting will work with you to implement appropriate planning and processes. For some businesses this might simply be an excel spreadsheet and Powerpoint deck, for others a more sophisticated approach may be required. We will tailor the approach to your business because we know from our own experience of running an agency that elaborate planning and process will not be adopted and can be a waste of money.
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