Controlling the sales environment - how can you?

With all of the elements of the sales environment that we cannot control, it's vital to streamline what is within reach.

There's a lot about the sales environment that sales leaders cannot control. The list includes the economic cycle, the growing size of the buying committee, a lengthening decision cycle, rising costs of doing business, and the behavior of the competition. Proof of this reality is the fact that 71% of the Fortune 400 missed their sales goals in Q1 of 2023- and the normal rate is about 40% globally. Focusing on what you can't control is a sure path to frustration.

Here's what you can control: the internal sales environment and the rhythms your salespeople use to engage the market.

When we think of the internal sales environment, we usually think of the culture, processes, and strategies within our teams. We know that by creating a positive and supportive environment, we can empower our salespeople to engage the market with confidence and effectiveness. It's all about finding the right rhythms and approaches that work for our unique team and market. 

The sales opportunity we miss

One part of the sales environment that often gets missed, however, is the sales stack. Put simply, this is the technology that a salesperson will use to prospect, sell, and report on his or her work. The evidence that this part of the sales environment needs attention is the startling truth that more than 80% of sales leaders now believe that their biggest barrier in sales is not the external market, it is the productivity of their team. 

Productivity is largely connected to the sales routines and processes that salespeople must use to reach not only their quota but also reporting requirements. This is where the rubber meets that road - and right now the estimates of time spent in administrative work vs. actually sales activity range from 25% to 40%. 

Three areas of sales productivity to be focused on:

• Data- a large percentage of sellers indicate that incomplete data is a major barrier
• Targeting - lead intelligence and ease of research drive better sales
• Time management - time spent in non-sales related activities is a huge drag on seller productivity

In practical terms, the burden of administrative work means that the average salesperson spends between 1.2 and 2 days per week - not selling.

Salespeople need a streamlined and unified sales environment that allows them to complete administrative requirements as a part of their sales workflow, not as a frustrating quest to overcome the barriers of multiple systems, wrangle data, and juggle information between services.

Read more- Three areas where you can identify and solve for pain points and gaps that will unlock strong sales