Blog

While keeping the wheel of new customer generation turning is vital, developing long-term relationships must not be underrated. In fact, nurturing clients for the long term is proven to be eight to ten times more cost effective than simply securing quick wins.

As I go about consulting and training with clients, I often hear the (usually) rather tired and frustrated words “we work in silos”. Even though splitting a company into divisions allows expertise in different areas, operating in silos usually explain why parts of the business are not communicating effectively, or don’t work together.

"Regaining momentum takes three times as much energy as sustaining momentum,” according to US business author, Dan Pink. So, what does ‘momentum’ look like in your sales team? Incoming phone calls from prospects, emails from satisfied clients and recommendations on social channels would be a good place to start.

Processes, systems, and re-engineering are very familiar concepts to most organisations. For example, if you think of the manufacturing industry; defined and structured procedures ensure profitable operations in plants or warehouses - nothing is left to chance. It is all the more surprising that 70% of UK businesses still don’t have a professional approach for their salesforce. Given that sales are a critical driver for business success, relying on the luck of individual sales reps and their managers shouldn’t be an option.