Sales Consulting Firm

Focused exclusively on Sales Force Effectiveness

Leverages the benchmarking method to generate client results

Sales ProcessAssessment

Findings

Sales Process Problem Statement Can the sales cycle be reduced to 210 days?

Yes, evidence includes:

• Customer Survey indicates 180-210 days

• Shortest Duration of Close Won opportunities = 225 days

Sales Cycle Length Root Cause Sales Cycle and Buying Cycle out of alignment

• Sales Cycle Exit Criteria not aligned with Buying Cycle exits

• Lack of Consultative selling that supports Buyer’s process

• Initial Discussion focused on fact finding

• Early stage assumptions on Buyer’s commitment

• Lack of Risk discussion

Buying Cycle

Sales Cycle

CatalystNeeds

RecognitionExplore Options

Resolve Concerns

Purchase

ProspectingOpportunity

Identified

Determining Differentiated

Problems

Confirming Vision Match

Confirming Value and

Power

Finalizing Mutual Plan

Negotiating Closed

First Meeting Pain, Timeline,

Decision

Criteria, SOE

Discovery,

Schedule

Demo

Demo,

Summary of

Findings

Reference

Called,

Activant

Preferred,

Proposal Review

Close Call

Complete,

Ask Order

Recognize

Problem

Clear Vision of Solution Preferred Solution

Identified

Risks Considered Issue Order

Sal

es E

xit

Cri

teri

aB

uye

r E

xit

Cri

teri

a

Sales Process:Misaligned Exit Criteria

Worst Case Duration

ProspectingOpportunity

Identified

Determining Differentiated

Problems

Confirming Vision Match

Confirming Value and

Power

Finalizing Mutual Plan

Negotiating Final State Total Duration

Closed - No Decision 75 126 86 87 51 61 30 40 556

Closed - Lost 116 187 106 75 57 35 15 15 606

Closed - Won 44 90 97 84 43 42 16 13 429

* Note: Duration for a Stage is the days from Previous Stage to current stage plus days from next stage back to current stage

--- Includes Stage Reversal ---

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

200

Prospecting Opportunity Identified

Determining Differentiated

Problems

Confirming Vision Match

Confirming Vision and Power

Finalizing Mutual Plan

Negotiating Final State

Closed-No Decision

Closed-Lost

Closed-Won

Sales Cycle Length

2X Best Case duration until Negotiating Stage

Worst Case Stage Duration

Best Case Duration

ProspectingOpportunity

Identified

Determining Differentiated

Problems

Confirming Vision Match

Confirming Value and

Power

Finalizing Mutual Plan

Negotiating Final State Total Duration

Closed - No Decision 50 47 36 22 19 30 40 244

Closed - Lost 89 30 40 25 15 15 15 229

Closed - Won 85 32 32 24 23 16 13 225

* Note: Duration for a stage is the days from previous stage to current stage.

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Prospecting Opportunity Identified

Determining Differentiated

Problems

Confirming Vision Match

Confirming Vision and Power

Finalizing Mutual Plan

Negotiating Final State

Closed-No Decision

Closed-Lost

Closed-Won

Sales Cycle Length

Best Case Stage Duration

Sales Cycle Length Root Cause Lack of Visibility

• Stage regression is key contributor

• Managers focused on forecast

• Late stage opps, not early stage trends

• No visibility to stage duration or stage regression

Sales Cycle Length Root Cause Managers unable to correct

• Lack of visibility

• Lack of tools embedded in process to test and proactively avoid delays

• Corrective action focused on selling activity vs. buyer needs

• Coaching focused on what not how

Sales Process Recommendation Align Sales Cycle with Buy Cycle

• Activities mirror and support buyer as they progress through stages

• Customer Driven Exit criteria = Proof of buyer’s position

• Critical decision points in cycle are proactively addressed

Sales Process Recommendation Align Sales Cycle with Buy Cycle

• Align Stage Exit Criteria

• Modify Stages

• Job Aides support & accelerate exits

• Sponsor Letter

• Opportunity Assessment

• Call Plans

• Evaluation Guide

• Prospect Risk Planner

Sales Process Recommendation Implement Sales Performance Management

• Move Sales Managers what to how

• Sales Management becomes proactive

• Improves Forecast Accuracy

“Reps forecast based on hope and needversus reality… 35% accuracy at best.”

- Manager

Sales Process Recommendation Adopt Talent Management for Managers

• Supports adoption and adherence to sales process

• Mgrs report on the business rather than affect it

• Reps engage prospects as business consultants

“No one asked about strategic objectives, but would have shared with the final vendors.”

- Customer

Next Steps

Next StepsSales Process

• Modify Sales Process to align with Buying Process

• Reduce Stage Count

• New Exit Criteria

• Job Aides

• Training

• Implement SPM

• Talent Management directed at Sales Managers

About Sales Benchmark Index

Sales Benchmark Index provides sales consulting services to leading organizations across the private and public sectors. These companies are seeking to increase their rate of revenue growth. Unlike traditional sales improvement approaches, such as software implementations or skills training, we offer superior value because we rely on the benchmarking method to deliver results. This method of sales consulting allows for results to be delivered quickly with little organizational disruption. This is accomplished through the use of best-in-class diagnostic tools and solutions that are supported with verifiable truth. Each project is executed by the most experienced team of advisors in the industry.

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