Post by dokijig on Nov 29, 2023 23:17:15 GMT -6
The panel agreed that changes in buyer behavior are one of the most common triggers for a transformation. Change in buying behavior is a symptom of: Buyers’ increased access to information Greater involvement of stakeholders in business decisions (which is commonly by consensus) Procurement groups being more active Buyers increasing expectations of vendors in terms of leveraging their expertise and experience to accelerate business outcomes For many sales organizations, undergoing a sales transformation is a big ask. After all, we’re talking about changing the way sales reps sell, which means changing deeply ingrained selling behaviors. This can be hard to initiate and even harder to sustain.
If you consider previous attempts to instill change within the sales organization Fax Lists (perhaps through a training program or by introducing a new technology, one of the most common reasons they fail is because of poor sales rep adoption? Because few sales leaders put themselves in the sales rep’s shoes and answer the question What’s in it for me? If the sales rep does not see direct value in changing the way they do business, it is only a matter of time before they revert to old habits. This goes hand-in-hand with another strong belief that is commonly overlooked: the sales manager is a critical part of the solution. The sales manager must be capable of and equipped to communicate and reinforce the changes being implemented. The why i.e. business motivation behind the change is a key component. But here’s the rub.
Even if the rep understands the motivation, if the behavioral shift is just too difficult to assimilate and consume – be it for filling out account plans, updating a CRM system or following a different process – it can become a self-fulfilling prophecy and you’re back to square one before you know it. This is one of the reasons why it is reported that 87% of all knowledge imparted in a training program is forgotten or ignored after 30 days. To compound this further, it is never a one-size fits all scenario. Application of any process, learning, or technology is completely situational. It’s complex. How do you engage each stakeholder in a meaningful way? The conversation is influenced by: What you are selling To whom you are selling In what industry sector To address what business requirement(s) Against what competitor(s) What’s a sales leader to do? There is no silver-bullet. A multi-threaded approach is your best bet. You HAVE to educate, you HAVE to coach, you HAVE to implement new processes and deliver new content, you HAVE to provide new tools, adjust territories and comp plans, etc. But in isolation these investments run the risk of not delivering the expected ROI.
If you consider previous attempts to instill change within the sales organization Fax Lists (perhaps through a training program or by introducing a new technology, one of the most common reasons they fail is because of poor sales rep adoption? Because few sales leaders put themselves in the sales rep’s shoes and answer the question What’s in it for me? If the sales rep does not see direct value in changing the way they do business, it is only a matter of time before they revert to old habits. This goes hand-in-hand with another strong belief that is commonly overlooked: the sales manager is a critical part of the solution. The sales manager must be capable of and equipped to communicate and reinforce the changes being implemented. The why i.e. business motivation behind the change is a key component. But here’s the rub.
Even if the rep understands the motivation, if the behavioral shift is just too difficult to assimilate and consume – be it for filling out account plans, updating a CRM system or following a different process – it can become a self-fulfilling prophecy and you’re back to square one before you know it. This is one of the reasons why it is reported that 87% of all knowledge imparted in a training program is forgotten or ignored after 30 days. To compound this further, it is never a one-size fits all scenario. Application of any process, learning, or technology is completely situational. It’s complex. How do you engage each stakeholder in a meaningful way? The conversation is influenced by: What you are selling To whom you are selling In what industry sector To address what business requirement(s) Against what competitor(s) What’s a sales leader to do? There is no silver-bullet. A multi-threaded approach is your best bet. You HAVE to educate, you HAVE to coach, you HAVE to implement new processes and deliver new content, you HAVE to provide new tools, adjust territories and comp plans, etc. But in isolation these investments run the risk of not delivering the expected ROI.