The Single Most Neglected Element in Selling Today

In today’s professional selling environment, STRATEGY is a prerequisite to tactical success.  Tactics refers to the techniques you use when you’re actually face to face with a prospect and includes all the tools of the trade such as questioning techniques, overcoming objections, presentation skills, trial closes, etc. 

Strategy, on the other hand, describes the process you use to position yourself with the potential customer before the sales call even begins.  Good strategy, like good tactics, can be learned.  It’s ironic then that strategy is the single most neglected element in selling today.

Integrating strategy into the sales process requires a conscious, planned system that is visible, logical and repeatable.  Creating and defining a sales process eliminates the phenomenon of individuals reinventing the wheel and creating something that’s unsustainable. 

An organization’s sales strategy needs to be based on best practices and includes a logical sequence including the following steps:

1)     Conduct a situation analysis.

2)     Define goals & objectives.

3)     Isolate critical success factors & barriers.

4)     Identify strategies & create an action plan.

5)     Create a feedback loop for monitoring, measuring and reporting.

6)     Meet on a regular basis to review, reassess, adapt & train.