The small details matter in sales

when processes are loose, Issues Show up on the revenue line

This morning, I took on a small home project before my family woke up. It was a quiet task, requiring just an adjustment tool, and it made our household operations run a bit smoother.

Simply tightening the handle screws on all the door knobs on the main floor improved their functionality. Though this wasn't a momentous achievement, and likely went unnoticed by my family, the doors now close more easily, latch more securely (reducing drafts), and avoid scratching the paint by staying in place.

Similarly, businesses can greatly benefit from tightening their sales processes. While a loose sales process might sometimes foster creativity and help salespeople meet clients' needs, certain areas—like value additions, payment schedule negotiations, and discretionary incentives—require clear parameters and guidelines.

Too often, sales managers have to explain to a rep why there's no commission on a large sale due to excessive margin concessions, too many included enhancements, or the lack of a revenue recognition step, resulting in breakeven or negative margin outcomes. To maintain profit and deliver value, we must instill discipline in our sales processes and qualifying criteria.

The foundational elements of a sales process, akin to the tightened screws in door handles, are essential for consistent performance. These elements form the backbone of an organization's sales strategy. In my November 2023 blog post, "The Art of Sales Leadership," I outlined the core steps necessary to complete a sales process and the aspects that can be adapted to different sales styles and prospects.

A loose process leads to problems. B2B sales leaders and business owners often find themselves frustrated with their teams not focusing on the right prospects, deals stalling, or a lack of new deals entering the pipeline. The root cause is usually a lack of process discipline.

Common issues include proposing solutions too early, repeatedly calling on the same responsive contacts, emailing quotes without presenting them first or without an agreed next step, not preparing for potential objections, having no clear goals for meetings, and skipping critical qualification steps.

If you're nodding in agreement, you're not alone. Many of us have made these mistakes in our sales careers. While not a badge of honor, these issues are avoidable and can be addressed through a well-defined sales process that is both trainable and measurable.

Tight processes are reliable. In manufacturing, machining, accounting, software development, and engineering, precise processes and tolerances are followed to produce quality outputs.

Sales, however, are often notorious for lacking such discipline. The reputation is deserved—93% of SMBs struggle with Sales Methodology, including Territory Design, Sales Coverage, Processes, and CRM use. Consequently, many businesses fail to follow a consistent sales process.

You may have encountered businesses struggling with their sales process: slow follow-up after inquiries, proposals sent without follow-up, pricing changes due to insufficient initial questions, or multiple follow-ups from different salespeople on the same day. As consumers, these issues hurt their reputation, our perception of them, and our likelihood to buy.

As a business owner or sales leader, fixing, enhancing, or upgrading your sales process should be a top priority. A well-defined process is easy to establish, follow, and measure against a standard.

By tightening your sales process, you can ensure consistent performance and improve your business operations. Just as tightening the screws on door handles made a noticeable difference in my home, refining your sales process will lead to better results, greater efficiency, and increased profitability.

“Prioritize process discipline, train your team, and measure adherence to establish a reliable and effective sales strategy.”

If you are in the 93% of business owners who struggle with sales processes, CRM adoption, territory design, comp[ plans, or key metrics, contact me for a confidential discussion about how we might turn that around for you, quickly.