Sales Skills in UK SMEs: Some Takeaways from Doqaru's Research

In today's economy, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face challenges managing costs, a thinning talent pool and ever-evolving market dynamics while striving to meet sales targets. At Doqaru Limited, we recently conducted research with UK SMEs, shedding light on sales skills in UK SMEs.

As part of our research, we interviewed twelve (12) business leaders with a combined experience of over 300 years in business. My team and I launched the 5,000-word report two weeks ago, revealing the need for a deeper understanding of the required skills in different sales roles. Hiring processes often prioritise likability and technical knowledge over essential selling skills, while many SMEs need more budgetary provisions for sales training. Here's a short summary that outlines a few of the key observations in the report

(Download report here --> The State of Sales Skills in UK SMEs).

Some Findings

1. Smaller SMEs (less than 250 people) need more internal training programs and a sales training budget.
2. Companies most reliant on sales teams to generate monthly revenues are also least likely to provide sales training.
3. Larger SMEs (more than 250 people) generally allocate an annual training budget of ￡500 to ￡5,000 per person, with an average of ￡1,000.
4. Many SMEs express concerns about hiring salespeople due to a limited understanding of sales compensation packages and fear of cultural misalignment.

A Few Actionable Insights

1. Implement a Structured Onboarding Process

• Establish a well-structured onboarding process to ensure a smooth transition for new sales hires.
• Provide new employees with the knowledge, tools, and resources to succeed.
• During onboarding, align new employees with the company's culture, values, and goals.
• A structured onboarding process enhances employee satisfaction, reduces turnover, and improves overall performance.

2. Invest in Team Development

• Increase investment in sales training and development initiatives to improve sales skills across the organisation.
• Allocate budgetary resources to enhance the capabilities of sales teams.
• Provide clarity on training programs' return on investment (ROI) to instil confidence in business and sales leaders.
• Investing in team development drives innovation, fosters collaboration, and enhances productivity, ultimately leading to better sales performance.

Conclusion

Doqaru Limited's research highlights the importance of identifying and nurturing sales skills in SMEs. To attract and retain talented salespeople, SMEs must focus on implementing a structured onboarding process and investing in team development. Businesses can improve employee satisfaction, drive performance, and achieve sustainable growth by doing so.

Download the research report?to understand better the challenges and opportunities in nurturing sales talent within SMEs.

About Doqaru

Established in 2018 by Sarah Downs and I, Doqaru Limited is Scotland’s first award-winning sales enablement consultancy based in the North East of Scotland. We work with technical sectors such as manufacturing, engineering, energy and IT. Named Small Business of the Year (Scotland & Northern Ireland) in 2022 at The Great British Entrepreneur Awards, we have developed expertise in enabling sales teams to achieve more predictive sales performance.

At Doqaru, we understand that sales roles are crucial to the growth of any company. Yet, research shows that the average tenure of a salesperson is less than 18 months, and most salespeople in SMEs need to receive adequate training and support. The company’s data-driven tools identify gaps in sales skills within teams by evaluating 21 core sales competencies.?

Some of the competencies we measure are:

• Ability to Prospect
• Account Management
• Consultative Selling
• Building Relationships?
• Reaching Decision-makers?
• Sales Process
• Social Selling?

The data provides detailed insight into the opportunities and gaps that require support, hiring new people, or revising sales strategy.

The benefits of evaluating sales competencies include:

· ? New sales hires are more likely to be top performers??

· ? You provide more relevant onboarding programmes

· ? Your salespeople get better, individualised support

· ? Sales managers know how to motivate salespeople

· ? You achieve more predictive sales performance

Think of Doqaru as your sales doctor, carrying out a full scan of your business before identifying which areas need attention. By assessing your team's sales competencies, you can ensure that your team is always up to date with the most effective sales methodologies and strategies. The results are more predictable sales performance and revenue growth.

To learn more about how we enable sales teams, email us at [email protected] or connect with me and I will be in touch.