Less than 10% of strategies effectively formulated are effectively executed. So what can sales leaders do to enhance sales strategy implementation?
- To obtain broad-based inputs and participation at the implementation stage to ensure strategies are in sync with sales people’s perceived opportunities.
- To assess in advance the potential obstacles to implementation and be open about them.
- Make early and decisive moves allocating resources and defining relevant structures.
- Selling the strategy to your internal clients.
- Be flexible to fine-tune aspects of the strategy that may not work as originally planned.
- Align the strategy implementation process with performance measures and the right incentives.
- Finally, if you want to know whether your sales force understand the strategy do not ask, is the strategy clear? People will almost always say yes. Instead ask, what will you do on Monday morning to make the strategy work in your current position?
Our work in this area is critical to achieving successful sales leadership program for individuals and organisations looking to achieve higher levels of strategic leadership. For the past twenty years, Cranfield has pioneered the development of Sales and Key Account Management research in Europe through the KAM and Strategic Sales Best Practice Research Club. Working with world leading businesses to adopt new frameworks to fully leverage sales strategies. This new frontier knowledge is continually integrated into our Sales Directors' Programme.
Blog produced by: Dr Javier Marcos, Programme Director of the Sales Directors’ Programme, Cranfield School of Management.
Read more:
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Executive Insight – Managing and Measuring Sales Performance
- Sales Leadership Paradoxes
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5 minutes with Rob Molyneux: My Sales Directors’ Programme Experience
