There’s an ongoing conversation about the importance of strategy, process, and anticipating potential challenges in B2B sales. There’s an analogy that encapsulates this perfectly – imagine you’re on a road trip. You have a destination in mind but are unfamiliar with the route. This is where tools like Waze, Google Maps, or Apple Maps come into play. They direct you to your destination and alert you about potential roadblocks, construction, traffic, or other unexpected events that might delay your journey.
This is precisely how a sales strategy should work. It’s not just about getting from point A to point B but also about understanding the complexities of the journey and preparing for potential roadblocks. For salespeople, managers, and CEOs, understanding the strategy is critical to increasing revenue and improving productivity.
Understanding that a strategy involves more than just the turns along the way is vital. It also involves how to navigate through different areas, understand the speed limit, and anticipate any warnings that might come up. Many salespeople don’t fully grasp these challenges and tend to take them as they come rather than anticipating them and planning accordingly.
Like Waze uses real-time data to adapt to changes on the road, a sales strategy should adjust to new information and circumstances. For example, if there’s construction up ahead or a detour is required, Waze will adapt and provide a new route. Similarly, salespeople should be able to adjust their strategies based on new information or unexpected challenges.
With this in mind, it’s clear that having a sales process is crucial. This process acts as the initial “paper map” that outlines how the sales plan is supposed to go. However, adjustments are necessary as the journey progresses and new information surfaces.
Sales leaders and salespeople should think ahead and plan strategically. For example, suppose a salesperson knows that a potential customer will require several reference calls before making a decision. In that case, they should arrange these calls early rather than waiting until the last minute. By understanding the strategy of the entire process, salespeople can prepare in advance and avoid panic when specific steps need to be executed.
A key component of sales strategy is differentiating between strategy and tactics. A sales strategy starts with a broader goal or “commander’s intent,” such as capturing a new market or developing a competitive offering. Tactics, on the other hand, are the specific actions taken to achieve these strategic goals.
Sales leaders play a crucial role in helping salespeople understand this differentiation. They can guide them in identifying their strategies, tactics, and to-do lists. This helps create a clear path from the broader approach to the tasks that must be completed to achieve that strategy.
A successful sales strategy requires planning, adaptation, and a clear understanding of the difference between strategy and tactics. Like a road trip, the journey in sales is filled with unexpected obstacles and detours. However, with a solid strategy and the ability to adapt, salespeople, managers, and CEOs can successfully navigate these challenges and reach their destinations.
Embark on your sales journey with these actionable steps you can implement today.
- Reassess Your Sales Strategy: Reflect on your current sales strategy. Identify any challenges or obstacles you’ve recently faced, and consider adjusting your strategy to anticipate better and tackle these roadblocks in the future.
- Differentiate Strategy from Tactics: Take some time to clearly define your overarching sales goals (strategy) and the specific steps (tactics) required to achieve them. Ensure every sales team member understands the difference and how their individual actions contribute to the larger objectives.
- Plan Ahead for Customer Requirements: If you know a potential client will require certain steps like reference calls or demonstrations, schedule these well in advance. Don’t wait until the last minute; proactive planning can prevent needless stress and ensure a smoother sales process.
- Incorporate Real-Time Adaptation: Stay adaptable and be ready to modify your sales strategy based on new information or unexpected challenges, just as a GPS recalculates a route based on real-time data. This could mean adjusting your pitch to better cater to a client’s needs or modifying your sales process to overcome an unforeseen obstacle.
