95% of Small Business Say They are Below Average or Worse in Their Sales Performance

95% of Small Business Say They are Below Average or Worse in Their Sales Performance

By soshaughnessey

We are almost done tabulating the results for the grading of small businesses. Every year, Sales Xceleration asks the CEOs and owners of small businesses to grade themselves on how well their company is running its sales operations.

Like last year, 95% of all companies couldn’t get to the “average” level of execution.

But 2022 was worse than last year since more companies graded themselves as “Poor” rather than just “Below Average.” 

It is okay that small business owners or executives at small businesses do not know how to create a great sales organization, however …

… it is not okay for them not to fix it.

The reality is that most small business owners excel at many things. That is why they started their business. Perhaps, they are experts at:

  • manufacturing
  • design
  • software creation
  • operations
  • logistics

Or any of the hundreds of essential skills required to create a great company. But even though the small business owner is best-in-class in one or many of these disciplines, they still need to be better-in-class in producing or managing a sales organization. 

It may be okay that the small business leader cannot create an excellent revenue generation machine. Still, it is not okay that they don’t address the problem. The company and all of the people working for the company (along with their families) depend on that company. The owner needs to fix this problem.

But it is very hard for the small business owner to fix this problem.

They may not be able to find or afford an executive to at least get the “Excellent” rating. Let’s face it, that type of executive is in very high demand by companies that are much larger than small businesses.

The solution, of course, is to look for a Fractional Sales Vice President to help them. I am here to help. I help company owners realize the maximum value of their company by improving their revenue generation capability. ​To accomplish this, I help owners enhance their sales management, methodologies, processes, teams, and messaging. 

You can learn more about how small businesses are doing in generating revenue for their companies at two upcoming events.

If you are in Cincinnati, I will present on this topic at the Beers & Biz networking event on February 23. You can register for this event at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/beers-biz-b2b-networking-tickets-451941468097 but make sure that you arrive at 3:30 (I start on time) and sign up for the Revenue Growth breakout session.

You can also watch Kevin Lawson and me go through the study’s highlights, explain why the various grades are a problem, and then offer potential solutions to the issues. Kevin and I will be presenting at a special session of our monthly CEO Workshop on March 1, and you can register at https://www.linkedin.com/video/event/urn:li:ugcPost:7027766861027008512/

The company owner may be unable to make a best-in-class revenue generation engine within the company personally, but that doesn’t mean the owner shouldn’t create one. Fractional executives are available to fill in the gaps in the expertise that exists within the company.

Two Tall Guys Talking Sales Podcast – Manage the Expectations of Upper Management for a Sales Turnaround Effort – Episode 18

Two Tall Guys Talking Sales Podcast – Manage the Expectations of Upper Management for a Sales Turnaround Effort – Episode 18

By soshaughnessey

In this episode, Sean and Kevin discuss the struggle of a sales turnaround. 

It is important to define what a turnaround means for your specific sales department, as the definition may vary depending on the nature of the business, the industry, and the competitive landscape. Once you have a clear understanding of what constitutes a successful turnaround for your team, you can start outlining a plan of action that meets or exceeds the expectations of upper management. This plan should be based on a thorough analysis of the current sales process, customer needs, and market trends and should be realistic and achievable within a specific timeframe.

Communication is key to any successful turnaround. You must share your plan with all sales team members and get their buy-in. This involves explaining the rationale behind the plan, outlining their specific roles and responsibilities, and addressing any concerns or objections they may have. Once everyone is on board, you can start executing the plan and tracking progress on a regular basis. Celebrating successes along the way is important to maintain team morale, but you should also stay focused on the ultimate goal and be prepared to adjust course as necessary based on feedback from management and results achieved. Following these steps can increase your chances of achieving a successful sales turnaround and positioning your department for long-term growth and profitability.

Build a Path to More Sales

Build a Path to More Sales

By soshaughnessey

I was interviewed by Subkit. You can read the full article here: https://gosolo.subkit.com/new-sales-expert/, but they were nice enough to allow me to reproduce it here.

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in business development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Sean O’Shaughnessey, CEO and President of New Sales Expert, LLC., located in Mason, OH, USA.

What’s your business, and who are your customers?

I am a fractional Chief Revenue Officer. I help small and medium-sized businesses accelerate their revenue growth.

Tell us about yourself

I realized a few years ago that many companies struggle to develop a revenue stream that is predictable and sustainable. This is primarily because the people in those companies that are in charge of sales are not sales professionals. They needed help creating the sales messaging, methodology, and processes to repeatably sell their product. However, they couldn’t afford someone with my skills full-time, nor did they need me full-time. A fractional relationship allows me to help them grow without burdening them with a cost that is crippling.

What’s your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

There is nothing better than seeing salespeople that were struggling or not appreciated start to be successful in their positions.

What’s one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

My biggest challenge is balancing selling with delivery. I work on relatively short engagements, so I am always talking to new potential clients about what I do. I cannot let that activity affect my ability to deliver great service to my clients. The balance of selling and delivery is a weekly challenge.

What are the top tips you’d give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

Since my job is to help small companies create more revenue, I will focus my advice on sales (which is the lifeblood of any new company):

  1. Talk to at least 40 prospects monthly about their needs and goals and how you might help them.
  2. Develop your value selling proposition (VSP) that creates a strong message to those 40 prospects.
  3. Tell your story as loudly and as often as possible. Don’t hide. Put your VSP out on social media. Tell everyone what you do.

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

Your company’s job is to sell your product or service. It isn’t to make a product or service. Treat sales as a complicated and difficult profession (it is). Hire the best people to run sales, and you will succeed.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: http://newsales.expert/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/soshaughnessey/

Tip #12 of 12 – How To Start The New Year STRONG! – Try something new

Tip #12 of 12 – How To Start The New Year STRONG! – Try something new

By soshaughnessey

As sales professionals, staying ahead of the curve is essential. You need to consistently leverage emerging trends and acquire new skills. The modern marketplace is ever-evolving, with dynamic demands and vast opportunities. By taking ownership of your personal growth in the industry, you can ensure that you have the necessary tools to continue succeeding as a salesperson.

Adaptability is key—though it would be great if there was an easy formula for success that never changed, it’s time to recognize that modernization requires us to continuously refine our skill sets and take chances on innovative approaches.

From customer relationship management (CRM) software to sales enablement tools, salespeople and managers have never had a better time taking advantage of the latest technology. The days of carrying around bulky spiral notebooks and juggling between emails, spreadsheets, and file folders are officially over, as technological advancements have made it possible for salespeople to access powerful yet intuitive tools to help them work smarter, close more deals faster, and grow their business.

The sales industry is quickly evolving, and it’s no surprise that innovative new tools are appearing on the market for salespeople. With so much potential value at their disposal, successful sales professionals must stay up-to-date with the latest developments and solutions designed to help them close more deals faster. A savvy salesperson will constantly be looking to increase productivity and efficiency. Some of the new tools on the market might just be the edge you need to stand out from your competitors.

Watch this video post for tips on prioritizing continual learning and remaining agile in a constantly changing landscape!

  • If you don’t evolve, you will lose
  • There is no way that you do everything correctly.
  • What are you going to change this year?

You can check out all of the 12 tips here.

Tip #11 of 12 – How To Start The New Year STRONG! – Reward Yourself For Small Wins

Tip #11 of 12 – How To Start The New Year STRONG! – Reward Yourself For Small Wins

By soshaughnessey

In any career, it’s important to recognize and reward yourself for your small successes along your journey. Salespeople are often guilty of pushing themselves too hard and forgetting to celebrate their smaller accomplishments. As a salesperson or manager, you will increase your motivation to keep pushing forward by recognizing those moments of progress. Celebrating said wins helps you stay focused on achieving larger goals and fosters a healthy corporate culture that validates individual growth within a team setting.

In this video post we’ll cover how celebrating successes can help professionally and personally while giving tips on how salespeople can reward themselves without losing sight of what’s important.

  • Sales is a marathon; reward yourself for the sprints
  • One special thing that you only do for significant wins
  • Give yourself a special and unique gift for deals that are 5%, 10%, or 15% of your annual quota

You can check out all of the 12 tips as soon as they are published here.

Tip #10 of 12 – How To Start The New Year STRONG! – Learn more by reading more

Tip #10 of 12 – How To Start The New Year STRONG! – Learn more by reading more

By soshaughnessey
  • Read Sales Blogs
  • Make the most of your commute by listening to sales podcasts.

Earl Nightingale said many years ago:

One hour per day of study in your chosen field is all it takes. One hour per day of study will put you at the top of your field within three years. Within five years, you’ll be a national authority. In seven years, you can be one of the best people in the world at what you do.

If you are unfamiliar with Mr. Nightingale, he was a famed radio broadcaster and motivational speaker. As a Depression-era child, Earl Nightingale was hungry for knowledge. From the time he was a young boy, he would frequent the Long Beach Public Library in California, searching for the answer to the question, “How can a person, starting from scratch, who has no particular advantage in the world, reach the goals that he feels are important to him, and by so doing, make a major contribution to others?” His desire to find an answer, coupled with his natural curiosity about the world and its workings, spurred him to become one of the world’s foremost experts on success and what makes people successful.

Throughout his life, Earl Nightingale explored the subjects of meaningful existence, motivation, and human character, and all his works primarily take their inspiration from these topics. In the ’50s, Nightingale played the voice of ‘Sky King’. He also worked as a radio host at WGN for over half a decade.

Earl Nightingale remained a follower and disciple of Napoleon Hill all his life. It is said that the great American radio speaker attained his enlightenment in 1949, at the age of 29, while perusing Hill’s ‘Think And Grow Rich.’ Such was the book’s influence on his life that later, in the ’60s, Nightingale published its audio version.

Earl Nightingale’s incomparable contribution to the radio industry earned him a position in the National Speakers Association Speaker Hall of Fame in 1976 and The National Association of Broadcasters National Radio Hall of Fame in 1985. In addition, Nightingale’s book ‘Earl Nightingale’s Greatest Discovery’ won the Napoleon Hill Gold Medal for Literary Excellency.

You can check out all of the 12 tips as soon as they are published here.

Tip #9 of 12 – How To Start The New Year STRONG! – Optimize your LinkedIn profile for sales

Tip #9 of 12 – How To Start The New Year STRONG! – Optimize your LinkedIn profile for sales

By soshaughnessey

In today’s hyper-competitive business environment, standing out is more important than ever. For salespeople and sales managers looking to build their network and gain exposure within their industry, optimizing a LinkedIn profile is one of the most effective ways to establish credibility, grow your professional brand, and find new business opportunities.

With all the noise out there competing for attention, an engaging and well-optimized LinkedIn profile can make you stand out from the pack by helping potential customers understand who you are and your experience with relevant qualifications.

By following a few simple steps in this video post, you will be able to create a powerful presence that helps foster trust among other professionals – giving you an edge over your competition. Discover how optimizing your LinkedIn profile could help take your career to the next level!

In the video, I cover the following points:

  • Choose the right profile picture for LinkedIn.
  • Add a background photo.
  • Make your headline more than just a job title.
  • Turn your summary into your story.
  • List your relevant skills.
  • Spotlight the services you offer.
  • Manage your endorsements more proactively.
  • Take a skills assessment.
  • Share relevant content from your LinkedIn feed.
  • Add comments.
  • Publish long-form content – and use it to start conversations.

You can check out all of the 12 tips as soon as they are published here.

Tip #8 of 12 – How To Start The New Year STRONG! – Check in with prospects that went another way

Tip #8 of 12 – How To Start The New Year STRONG! – Check in with prospects that went another way

By soshaughnessey

We are coming down on the end of the year and are now on the 8th video in my series of how to start the New Year strong so that you achieve more revenue next year.

In this eighth video in the series, I encourage you to return to the deals you lost.

It’s never a pleasant experience to lose a deal, but sometimes it’s inevitable. If you take the time to properly and strategically follow up on lost deals, however, you may be able to turn things around for yourself. Following up after losing a sale can yield numerous benefits for salespeople and their managers – from increasing revenue to developing relationships with new customers. This video discusses how following up on lost deals can benefit your business.

  • Did they actually buy from your competitor?
  • Do they have buyer’s remorse that you can use to your advantage?
  • Can you do a smaller deal that fills in a shortcoming in the winning solution? After all, some revenue in the new year is better than no revenue.

If you’re a salesperson, chances are you think about “lost deals” quite often. It can be incredibly frustrating to invest time and energy into a potential customer only for them to have opted out at the end of the day! So why did the prospect reject our offer? Be completely honest with yourself (even if you aren’t honest with your management). Can you go back and save it?

You can check out all of the 12 tips as soon as they are published here.

Tip #7 of 12 – How To Start The New Year STRONG! – Check in with current clients

Tip #7 of 12 – How To Start The New Year STRONG! – Check in with current clients

By soshaughnessey

Sales is about finding the best ways to reach new customers and grow your business efficiently. However, it’s essential not to overlook what you already have. Your current clients are one of your most valuable resources for growth – by serving them better than ever, you can open up a whole world of possibilities for expansion and success. In this video, I will challenge you to leverage your relationships with existing clientele to maximize opportunities for future revenue.

  • Can you upsell them more products?
  • What are their concerns?
  • How do you become their Trusted Advisor?

You can check out all of the 12 tips as soon as they are published here.