Spend time on the things that matter most so you can trade more profitably and
enjoy the lifestyle you set out to achieve in the first place.
Now onto our Second Topic (after Leadership): SALES
Have you ever heard the phrase: “Top of the P&L”? Well, now you have anyway. Sales (also shown as revenue or income) is the very first item you will see on your profit and loss statement. The message here is pretty obvious, without sales there is no business, or another way of putting it, everything else comes after sales.
I know I am harbouring on this point, but regardless of what stage your business is at, there needs to be a consistent focus on sales activity throughout the lifecycle. As an experienced sales professional throughout my career, I believe that irrespective of whether you offer a product or service, implementing a proactive sales process will help you avoid those cyclical ups and downs and help you grow a sustainable business over the long term. A great way to get on the front foot is to develop the following:
STRATEGIC SALES PLAN
Clearly set out your sales objectives over the next 12 months. Include realistic and easily trackable key performance indicators. Dividing this into quarterly milestones is a structured approach to fast-track things and is a great way to incorporate your 90-day sales plan so you can get cracking and build momentum.
SALES PROCESS
Design or re-engineer your current sales process that is more in line with using a design thinking approach. Rather than focusing solely on all the benefits your product or service provides, try and understand what your customers really need or the problems they are trying to solve. Then map a simple process that is easy for others to follow, while at the same time enhances the customer experience from first impression to onboarding.
ALWAYS DELIVER
Do not overpromise. Start by recording every customer interaction in your CRM system (if it ain’t recorded, it never happened!). This way, you can track your customer’s journey, manage expectations and deliver the desired outcomes. More importantly, this will build credibility and solidify your brand reputation – all of which facilitates future sales and attracts more of the customers you want!
RETENTION
It is no secret that constantly chasing new customers can be a time consuming and rather expensive acquisition strategy. This often results in sidelining effective low-cost strategies to further engage your existing customer base. A strategic account management approach that aims to communicate ongoing value to existing customer needs is a recipe for innovation and can have a significant impact on future sales revenue.
Find out more at www.orizonconsulting.com.au
