3 Reasons Why Your Sales Function Is Failing

Developing new sales is the very lifeblood of any company. However, if you are struggling to generate the level of sales you require to achieve your projected growth or indeed simply survive, there could be a number of reasons.

Luckily, in any area of business, there is one common formula which always holds true.

R = A x C

Results = Actions x Competency

Your results will always be determined by the activities being carried out and the competency of the people carrying them out.

It therefore follows that improving your results requires the following; increasing the level of activity, improving the quality of the activities being carried out and improving the competency of the people carrying out the activities.

With this in mind, look at each area of your sales process and identify which area is causing you the biggest problems.

1. Your Prospecting Function

The prospecting function is probably the most common weakness in any business as it’s the area which requires a great deal of effort and discipline.

So, using the formula above, are you carrying out the right activities? For example, are you targeting the right people?  Are you using the right materials with the right messages? Are you doing enough activities to generate the response required? And do the people responsible for the prospecting function have the ability to successfully carry out the activity?

2. Converting Enquiries into Quotations

Most B2B businesses need to go through a process which takes the initial enquiry into an opportunity to present a proposal and quotation. The nature and complexity of this process will vary greatly from business to business, however it is a key activity which must be measured.

So, in this area, we need to explore; how many enquiries are converted into quotations? What activities are required in order to get to quotation stage? Could they be improved?  Should they be increased? Who is responsible for seeing this part of the process through? And are they capable of doing the job to the level required?

3. Converting Quotations into Sales

Converting the sale is often seen as the traditional role of sales, however it usually involves a number of activities such as; follow ups, providing additional information to communicate the benefits and potential negotiations.

Clearly the level and quality of activities carried out at this stage will have a major impact on the sales process, however, a key factor will be the success of the previous two stages to generate sufficient opportunities.

Of course a key element in this formula is the competence of the people carrying out the activities and it is vital that you implement an assessment system to ensure they are up to the challenge.

The alternative is to bring in new talent – and that is where Avenue Scotland can help.

If you would like to discuss your requirements, contact us now on 01383 622233.