Have you ever wondered what sets the mindset of a different manager apart from traditional ones? Well, let me tell you, these managers think realistically and set high expectations for themselves and their team. They are constantly striving for improvement, knowing that each new year brings with it new challenges and obstacles in sales.

However, successful companies must also consider the risks to revenue and growth. That's where "Big Risk Metrics" (BRMs) come into play, a concept that many organizations overlook. We need to move beyond the pipeline-driven approach to sales and instead focus on precise metrics that help us identify potential risks.

But even with CRM technology, we can be misled and fail to see underlying risks in our sales pipelines. That's why it's crucial to maintain an ideal sales pipeline that adheres to strategic standards and guarantees monthly and quarterly targets. Accurate forecasting and data-driven insights are essential in any sales organization.

Weekly monitoring and execution are also significant in sales operations. We need to set a faster pace, focus on problem-solving, and treat the week as a management tool to identify and solve critical issues efficiently.

In short, the different manager's mindset is all about realism, high expectations, and constant improvement. By considering risks to revenue and growth, relying on precise metrics, and maintaining an ideal sales pipeline, we can achieve success in sales operations.

The episode delves into the current shift in organizations towards a more collaborative and metric-driven mindset that fosters confidence and open communication. Sales governance plays a pivotal role in aligning the team's focus towards areas that require improvement, creating a transparent and honest environment that embraces challenges and opportunities for growth. 

For businesses keen on boosting their sales performance and embracing a new outlook, the different manager philosophy is highly recommended. This approach emphasizes the significance of metrics, collaboration, and transparency in creating a conducive environment for growth and success. 

As the conversation progresses, the importance of sales in funding and building a strong business becomes more evident. By implementing the different manager approach, businesses can gain valuable insights into their sales forecast, identify key issues, and take action to resolve them. 

In conclusion, Michael's insights have been invaluable, and it's a reminder for business owners and CEOs to take stock of their goals and explore ways to enhance sales performance within their organizations. With the right mindset and approach, businesses can achieve significant growth and success.

0:02:00 The Different Manager's Negative Thinking
0:06:18 The Risk to Revenue and Growth
0:09:15 Uncovering Hidden Risks in Sales Operations
0:11:14 The Pitfalls of Pipeline-Driven Approaches to Sales
0:17:10 The Importance of Weekly Risk Identification and Problem Solving
0:20:30 The Weekly Lever: Changing Progress Review and Execution Monitoring
0:26:14 Sales: Bringing Confidence to the Business
0:28:02 Sales as a Leadership Position: A Mini CEO
0:34:31 Company Potential: Planning for the Future
0:42:42 Introducing the Demand Chain for Better Marketing Contribution

Visite https://www.salesvirtual.com for more content and extended show notes on this subject. 

In this episode, we delve into the concept of sales architecture and its role in driving sales performance. We begin by addressing the common obstacle faced by many established businesses – the underperformance of the sales team. While these businesses may have a solid product and a growing team, they struggle to achieve the desired growth due to inconsistent monthly revenues and missed opportunities.

To overcome this challenge, we introduce the concept of sales architecture as a solution. We explain that salespeople are more likely to adhere to a framework or architecture rather than strictly follow a sales process. The first pillar of sales architecture involves implementing a trained common language for pipeline management and accurate forecasts. By de-risking the deals pipeline through an opportunity qualification methodology, businesses can ensure a more reliable revenue flow.

Moreover, we highlight the importance of implementing metrics and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to measure the risk to income each month. We introduce the idea of using deals coverage as a superior metric to revenue coverage, as it provides a safer buffer and reduces income risk. Additionally, we emphasize the significance of accurate monthly forecasting and advocate for the use of the salary bet standard, where salespeople prioritize closing deals within the current month rather than relying on eventual closures.

Moving forward, we discuss the transformational impact of accurate forecasting on the sales culture. We introduce a sales governance report called "distance to revenue," which categorizes income timing into green, amber, and red zones. This report is run by the finance department and provides a clearer understanding of the sales pipeline and progression towards revenue targets. We recommend sharing this report with the senior leadership and sales team to align their understanding.

We also emphasize the importance of inspection in the sales architecture. Using an ideal sales pipeline benchmark, businesses can measure sales performance accurately. To facilitate this, we promote structured weekly sales meetings with specific agendas and the use of CRM or governance reports, eliminating the need for clue-finding. We question the necessity of group sales meetings but suggest using them for forecasting declarations and learning opportunities.

The most significant meeting in the sales architecture is the one-to-one between salespeople and their direct managers. This is where performance and mindset are shaped, emphasizing the importance of building strong, customized relationships. Lastly, we introduce the OKR (Objectives and Key Results) pillar, focusing on salesperson and team development. By setting high-level objectives and supporting them with key results, OKRs align actions and create a standard of performance that leads to success.

Sales architecture serves as a bridge between the technical and creative aspects of sales, fostering incremental progress in revenue production, skills improvement, learning, and earnings. By implementing this architecture and hiring sales leaders who understand both the technical and creative sides of sales, businesses can significantly improve their sales capabilities.

The benefits of implementing sales architecture are substantial – from outperforming competitors who rely solely on sales personalities to achieving accelerated growth and new levels of performance. This podcast is aimed at helping small to mid-sized companies enhance their sales capabilities without extensive investment, demonstrating that sales architecture is an effective approach for driving growth and achieving success.

0:00:59 Establishing a strong sales team for growth
0:03:22 The need for a sales architecture and common language
0:07:02 Metric 1: Dated pipeline and its correlation to income production
0:09:37 Pillar 2: Achieving accurate monthly forecasting with the salary bet standard
0:11:03 Introduction of the Green Zone Standard for forecast performance
0:13:47 The Dangers of Operating in the Red Zone
0:15:05 Introducing the Distance to Revenue Report for Accurate Forecasting
0:19:20 The Role of Weekly Sales Meetings
0:21:06 The Power of One-to-One Seller-Manager Relationships
0:22:33 The OKR Pillar: Developing the Salesperson and the Team
0:24:19 Implementing OKRs for Long-term Progress and Personal Earnings
0:26:13 Building Quality Thinking and Behaviors in Sales
0:28:04 Attracting Good People with Effective Sales Architecture

Visite https://www.salesvirtual.com for more content and extended show notes on this subject. 

In today's episode, we dive into the topic of remote working and its impact on sales performance. While there are varying opinions on this matter, it's crucial to explore the potential reasons behind productivity levels in office settings and how remote work can either enhance or hinder them.

From my observations, it appears that salespeople who struggle to perform in an office environment may continue to face challenges when working remotely. On the other hand, high-performing salespeople tend to thrive in remote or hybrid settings. This phenomenon can be attributed, in part, to the limitations of office environments. In offices, sales conversations often revolve around pleasing the office audience rather than prioritizing what's best for the buyer. However, when salespeople work from home, they gain the freedom to test different language and engagement approaches that resonate with the buyer, even if they don't align with the preferences of office listeners.

Another issue arises when multiple salespeople work in the same office. The traditional practice of seating new hires close to experienced salespeople for learning purposes often leads to the adoption of bad habits and poor sales techniques. As a result, these negative patterns are perpetuated, hindering the growth of new salespeople.

For small to medium businesses with limited sales teams, there is a significant opportunity to leverage the hybrid remote model to boost sales performance. It's not solely about the physical work environment but also the measurement approach that remote work demands.

The standard of measurement in remote work tends to be higher, which can be transformative for sales performance. In traditional office settings, sales review sessions often rely on subjective, casual conversations lacking specific data points. In contrast, remote work compels managers to rely on more objective data points, leading to better progress assessment and strategizing. With tools like CRM and Kanban, sales managers can effectively work while others are asleep, fostering a more data-driven, objective, and productive relationship with their team.

Furthermore, remote working provides salespeople with an uninterrupted environment where they can work independently, take ownership of their business, and be accountable for their performance. This newfound freedom and responsibility are known to contribute to improved sales performance. 

Even when salespeople primarily work in office settings, important meetings like forecast and pipeline reviews often take place remotely, typically on Mondays or Fridays when many individuals work from home. Therefore, it's essential to measure performance and implement sales strategies that align with remote work measurement standards, regardless of the company's hybrid working policy. The key message here is to treat everyone as if they are working remotely and utilize remote standards for measurement and sales practices.

As the business landscape continues to evolve, it's vital for sales organizations to adapt to the changing dynamics and capitalize on the potential benefits of remote working. By understanding the nuances and implementing effective strategies, businesses can unlock new levels of sales performance and success.

0:00:59 Remote working and its impact on productivity and performance
0:02:42 Advantages of the work from home model for salespeople
0:04:51 The potential of the hybrid remote model for small businesses
0:07:28 The positive shift towards data-driven management in remote working

Visite https://www.salesvirtual.com for more content and extended show notes on this subject. 

In this episode, we look at the one thing that a modern B2B salesperson needs to do and buy into, if they are to provide value to their company, colleagues, cusomers and themselves. And it's this: take ownership - of everything.  

In the past, sales training and investment were not priorities, but now, with the abundance of tools, methodologies, and content available, the expectations for salespeople are higher than ever. Buyers are demanding quality dialogue and value in their interactions with salespeople, posing a challenge for those in the field to prove their worth.

To excel in sales, one must have strong recovery and coping skills, as it is a role filled with obstacles and uncertainty. Taking ownership of everything, including problems created by others, allows a salesperson to find solutions and gain the support of their colleagues. This alignment and support from other departments within the organization are crucial for success. Sales managers must focus on building a sales architecture that measures progress and provides clear forecasting and a well-built sales pipeline.

By shifting our focus to ownership, we can build the ideal sales pipeline and avoid constant stress from setbacks. As sales leaders, it is important for us to provide our teams with the necessary tools and resources to execute their roles effectively.

Just like owning a franchise, we must take ownership of our sales role and make things happen, even in the face of challenges. Rather than asking for everything, we should utilize what we already have and anticipate and overcome obstacles to meet our targets. It is also essential for salespeople to have expertise in the domain and subject matter they are selling, not just sales skills.

Ultimately, a successful sales operation relies on individuals who are willing to take ownership and responsibility for everything. This mindset, combined with a well-structured sales pipeline, can lead to sustained success in the sales industry.

0:00:59 The Evolution of Sales Tools and Methodologies
0:01:54 Challenges Faced by Salespeople in the Modern Era
0:04:40 The Need for Value and Indispensability in Salespeople
0:12:38 Ownership and Narcissism in Sales Performance
0:14:19 The Importance of the Ideal Sales Pipeline and Measurement
0:15:10 Taking Ownership to Avoid Ups and Downs in Sales
0:15:59 Execution Architecture for Franchise Strength in Sales
0:17:36 Taking Ownership and Making Things Happen in Sales

Visite https://www.salesvirtual.com for more content and extended show notes on this subject. 

In this episode, we delve into the importance of a crucial number in sales - one. It's the number that determines our success, guides our decision-making, and fosters collaboration between sales managers and salespeople.

Understanding the "power of one" means knowing how many leads it takes to secure one appointment, how much investment is needed for one appointment, and how many prospects are required to close one sale. These numbers enable us to effectively prioritize our efforts and make strategic business choices.

While technology aids in tracking certain metrics like talk time and call volume, we must also consider the effort and time spent on prospecting. Sales professionals must be adept at time management, balancing limited hours with numerous tasks. It's crucial to invest time wisely, focusing on activities that yield long-term benefits while achieving short-term sales goals.

The ultimate goal is to determine how many hours of prospecting equal one appointment and allocate time wisely among various prospecting methods. Excessive time spent on preparation and research should be avoided, and the focus should shift towards actual contact and engagement with potential clients.

During this conversation, we emphasize the significance of understanding the number of hours or actions required to achieve specific outcomes. Salespeople must be aware of the hours of preparation that lead to one appointment, the hours of prospecting that equal one task, and the number of proposals needed to secure one sale. By monitoring and analyzing these numbers, sales professionals can evaluate the effectiveness of their preparation and optimize their strategies accordingly.

We also stress the importance of continuous optimization, as goals and market conditions are constantly evolving. Exceptional negative experiences should not be allowed to influence our strategy. Instead, we should maintain confidence in the "power of one" and understand the various efforts and moving parts involved in achieving a single outcome, such as the number of prospects needed to secure a sale.

Moreover, having an adequate number of prospects is crucial, and adjustments may be necessary in the pipeline or targeting the right audience. Sales professionals are encouraged to embrace change and adapt their strategies to the new business landscape, as everything has evolved since March 2020.

Tune in to this episode to gain valuable insights into the "power of one" and learn how understanding this concept can transform your sales approach and drive success in today's dynamic market.

In this episode, we dive into the role of a sales manager and how to approach it in a way that focuses on problem-solving. I apologize for initially underestimating the complexity of describing the salesperson's role, but I want to shift your perspective. Instead of solely focusing on achieving sales goals, I want you to see your role as a problem solver.

To start, I encourage you to create a playbook outlining the steps and actions necessary for a successful career in sales. Throughout the year, you will undoubtedly learn from your experiences, make mistakes, and face both triumphs and challenges. But by the end, you should be able to outline the most effective approach for achieving sales.

Another analogy to help you view your role is that of a person in a new territory looking for easy sales. You need to discover the best methods for connecting with people, whether it's through emails, phone calls, events, or other means. The key here is to position your role as one that solves problems.

I also want to assure you that you were chosen for this role because of your strengths, abilities, and personality. We have every confidence in your potential to successfully meet the challenges that come with this position. By presenting the job in this way, I'm giving you a mission and have great expectations for your success.

During coaching sessions, I stress the importance of problem-solving and ensuring that our team is always focused on finding solutions. I emphasize that making mistakes is part of the learning process, but not taking any action is what truly hinders progress.

To provide a practical framework for managers, I suggest holding three meetings each week. The first meeting is a pipeline review where any changes are discussed, and tasks are identified. This allows for a clearer understanding of the current sales landscape. The second meeting is a preparation session where challenging prospects and strategies are discussed to ensure everyone is prepared for upcoming opportunities. Finally, an insights meeting is crucial for analyzing data and tracking progress.

By implementing these regular meetings, managers can cultivate a strong sales culture, foster continuous improvement, and be seen as a valuable leader by their team. The goal is to motivate and inspire, much like spymasters do in spy movies, recruiting agents through excitement and personal appeal.

With this approach, I believe you can lead your team to success, build a problem-solving mindset, and create a dynamic and thriving sales environment.

0:00:59 Manager's Role: Aligning Salesperson's Understanding of Their Role
0:05:00 The Role as Problem Solving and Personal Strengths
0:07:14 Manager's Job: Putting Salespeople on a Mission
0:10:08 Importance of Preparation Meetings for Sales Team
0:11:45 The Role of Pipelining and Insights Meetings in Sales Management

In today's episode, we discuss the sales maturity model, a tool that any SMB can use to determine its level of sales capability and what will be need to reach its growth and scaling targets. 

The four stages of the sales maturity model we explored were sales survival, sales personality, sales architecture, and the unstoppable stage. In the sales survival stage, the owner or founder is responsible for selling to cover costs and building the business.

Salespeople are hired in the sales personality stage based on their personality, and the sales operation follows the belief and interpretive approach of individual salespeople.

The sales architecture stage is a top-down approach developed and supported by senior management, requiring forecasting discipline overseen and reported at the senior leadership team level. The standard of measurement is one's ability to forecast future income at salary bet level across the sales team.

As we explored how to scale businesses, it became clear that we need to have a predictable and safer way of doing it than relying on individuals. Governance-level monitoring done by senior leadership to provide an auditor of sales can help in this regard, while sales leadership can offer detailed sales management and KPI tracking.

Scaling a business involves sales management more than salespeople. One competent sales manager with two or three sellers will do in three years what five or six salespeople will take ten years to do. We need a sales architecture stage with sales leadership that creates weekly meetings as a strategic tool for building sales capability. Additionally, we need to create a learning infrastructure covering domain knowledge, business acumen, and specific selling skills that equips our sellers to create a quality dialogue and develops them into strategic product features.

Finally, we explored the unstoppable stage, at which salespeople become incredibly effective and the team becomes a source of innovation. Continual improvement comes from the sales team, and sellers become dedicated to personal bests, with the company benefiting from their drive to improve. Reaching this stage requires investing in building stage three sales architecture, while the unstoppable phase is bottom-up with continuous improvement coming from the sales team. 

In this episode, we discuss the challenges that sales managers and salespeople face in hitting their targets and achieving their goals. Despite being qualified on paper, many sales teams fail. This is due to a lack of defined roles, which makes it difficult for businesses to specify their expectations and identify the necessary skills for success. By defining the role of the sales team, we can provide targeted training and coaching, helping salespeople to maximize their potential.

To coach a sales team effectively, it's important to establish their role and ensure that training aligns with that role. Salespeople tend to learn through observation, but this can lead to mimicry of less successful behaviors.

A sales manager needs to utilize negative thinking to identify potential problems, such as ineffective messaging, lacking sales strategy, poor prospecting, ineffective selling and negotiation, and missed sales opportunities. By focusing on these aspects, a sales team can ensure they are maximizing their potential and covering the necessary aspects of their role.

It's important to clarify the role of the sales team. By doing so, we can provide appropriate training and coaching and ensure that the team is meeting their sales goals. Messaging needs to be specific, providing a clear framework for the sales team to work within.

A special meeting can be called to communicate expectations and outline the goals for the team. The overall message should be focused on constant improvement and teamwork. Failure to define the role of the sales team will lead to missed opportunities.

Episode 17 - Sales Roles are Misunderstood | Sales Virtual