Scaling Sales: Wisdom from Seasoned Sales Experts

Step into the dynamic world of sales, where every strategy is a piece of a puzzle, and success is an ever-shifting landscape. This article is not just a playbook; it is a collection of narratives from sales luminaries who have navigated the complexities of the market with finesse.

Get ready for an insider's view into the strategies that have set these leaders apart in the competitive sales arena.?

When asked what strategies our expert guests use to optimise their salespeople and sales operations, here's what they said:??

Jon Nicholson prioritises customer care as the guiding principle to outshine competitors in a challenging market. Recognising the pivotal role of salespersons in client relationships,???

Tetiana Gorbunova regularly participates in profile training to enhance communication skills and business writing. Gorbunova also underscores the critical need for in-depth product knowledge, fostering collaboration through joint Knowledge Sharing meetings between development and sales teams.??

David Bentham 's emphasis on competency development ensures that the team collectively fulfils all business needs.??

Carole Mahoney tackles mindset barriers that hinder authentic buyer interactions.??

Lauren Bailey emphasising continuous onboarding, training, and follow-ups ensures the learning experience remains dynamic and relevant.??

Gina Stracuzzi recognises the value of salespeople as evangelists within companies and encourages them to share experiences through various channels, fostering a culture of knowledge dissemination and collaboration.??

Roheel Ahmad focuses on adding the most value in specialised areas and avoiding distractions with administrative tasks. Ahmad optimises the team's efficiency and effectiveness by ensuring a targeted approach.??

John Ashton stresses the importance of consistency and alignment in business perspectives, critical for delivering sustainable growth and scale.??

Debbie Allen shares the importance of setting a clear goal and action plan for each engagement and ensures purposeful communication aligned with sales objectives.??

Dr.Jeremy Noad FRSA , emphasises continuous evolution through benchmarking and replicating successful strategies. This iterative approach ensures ongoing improvement by identifying and adopting practices that prove effective over time.??

Julie Thomas aligns training and methodology across revenue teams to guide the company in delivering value and optimising the customer experience. This approach ensures a cohesive and synchronised effort throughout the organisation.??

Alyson B. outlines the importance of returning to basics for optimisation. This includes understanding KPIs, operating cadence, and performance goals and providing a foundation for building effective strategies.??

To what extent does customer experience impact sales???

Carole Mahoney asserts that the customer experience begins with the buyer's journey. She argues that getting the buying process right is crucial, as a wrong first impression is challenging to rectify post-sale.??

Julie Thomas points to miscommunication post-sale, stressing the need for consistent training for everyone, not just frontline sales reps, to ensure promises made during the sales process are fulfilled.??

Alyson B. shares a company motto of "delivering happiness," illustrating how this focus resonates across teams and positively impacts customer interactions. The shared goal creates a seamless customer journey, making selling easier.??

Jon Nicholson emphasises that customer experience is critical, noting that positive customer interactions can elevate the organisation's reputation and foster customer loyalty, leading to word-of-mouth promotion.??

Gina Stracuzzi agrees that word of mouth is a powerful sales driver. Positive customer experiences, reflected in industry testimonials, are crucial in attracting potential customers and solidifying the company's reputation.??

Tetiana Gorbunova highlights how customer experience impacts budget allocations, pricing decisions, and the likelihood of securing additional projects. Analysing cases of negative experiences is crucial for continuous improvement.??

David Bentham underscores the profound impact of customer experience, linking it directly to the likability factor in sales. He emphasises the importance of a medium to long-term view in interactions, recognising the influence of positive experiences on customers' returning to the pipeline.??

Debbie Allen illustrates how customers invest in the overall experience, highlighting the significance of creating memorable and positive interactions.??

Tara Ryan, CPC approaches the issue from a different angle, obsessed with how the product or service makes people feel and recognises the pivotal role of customer experience in shaping perceptions and fostering positive emotions.??

John Ashton echoes the sentiment, emphasising that a smooth and value-centric customer experience is critical for success in a highly competitive market. 'Differentiating through execution' becomes vital when features are on par, highlighting the impact on sales.??

Dr.Jeremy Noad FRSA discusses the long-term impact of customer experience on retention, add-on sales, and re-contracting. Continuous positive interactions contribute to sustained customer relationships and ongoing revenue.??

Lauren Bailey predicts the increasing influence of Customer Experience Specialists (CXS) in the sales landscape, highlighting their role in the long tail of revenue. The focus on CXS will profoundly impact sales in the coming years.??

Roheel Ahmad sees the customer experience as pivotal in building an authentic client base and sustaining business growth. As a bootstrapped business, Ahmad emphasises relying on customer success for continued expansion.??

??

How can organisations develop buyer and customer-centricity???

Jon Nicholson employs third-box thinking. The focus is building trust at the doorstep and working backwards through the entire value chain, ensuring a frictionless experience for both high-volume senders and recipients.??

Tetiana Gorbunova recognises the sales team as the voice of the system, understanding client needs to maximise value. Regular customer surveys and cross-team collaboration help address pains and improve the product experience.??

Tara Ryan, CPC advocates for customer obsession, encouraging sellers to empathise with clients by understanding their pain points, desires, and dreams. This involves using various tools like interviews, surveys, and feedback loops to enhance the customer-centric approach continuously.??

Dr.Jeremy Noad FRSA introduces new channels for customer engagement, aligns the selling process with the buying process, and emphasises the importance of procurement training in sales onboarding.??

David Bentham adopts a hyper-focused approach, training sales development representatives (SDRs) on the pains, challenges, and goals of the ideal customer profile (ICP) before product onboarding. Multi-channel strategies ensure effective communication tailored to customer preferences.??

Julie Thomas emphasises the multifaceted value of salespeople, extending beyond product sales to encompass the entire customer experience. As trusted advisors, salespeople contribute innovative ideas, demonstrate empathy, and help executives examine their thinking through impactful questions.??

Lauren Bailey follows the SWIIFT methodology, focusing on "so what's in it for them." This approach tailors the sales process to meet customers where they are, emphasising value and rejecting scripted interactions.??

John Ashton underscores the value of collaboration with the Customer Success team, viewing them as critical enablers for customers. This collaboration enhances Knowledge and understanding of end-users' challenges, opportunities, and goals.??

Roheel Ahmad employs a process like the Airbnb 6-star model, aiming for a 7-star process in their industry. This involves constant improvement and a personalised approach, ensuring customers experience the best-run processes.??

Alyson B. advocates for challenging current processes, sharing best practices, and focusing on adoption, utilisation, and implementation after the sale. Being a thought leader and offering new perspectives contribute to a customer-centric approach.??

??

What practical strategy could you offer that has enabled buyers and scaled Sales???

Carole Mahoney advocates for collaboration, leveraging the IKEA Effect to co-create value with buyers. Sequential open-ended questions help buyers share thoughts and opinions, fostering a more profound connection in the sales process.??

Tara Ryan, CPC underscores making the buying process about the buyer. Choosing curiosity over judgment, actively listening, and focusing on the present realities rather than hypothetical scenarios can enhance the customer-centric approach.??

John Ashton emphasises coaching buyers on the purchasing process, helping them navigate the steps required to effectively advocate for the solution or service. Sharing considerations and resolving mutual tasks contribute to maintaining momentum.??

Roheel Ahmad acknowledges the unique challenge of having two sets of customers and emphasises the importance of understanding one's own story first. Positioning in the market, marketing strategies and competitive advantages are crucial before engaging with customers.??

Jon Nicholson emphasises the importance of retaining the human element in sales despite the trend towards technology, AI, and automation. He challenges the notion of a "rep-free" experience, suggesting that being better humans in the sales process will contribute to better outcomes. He also argues against sacrificing genuine relationships and empathy for scaling outreach.??

Gina Stracuzzi emphasises understanding salespeople's challenges and addressing their needs to empower and value them in scaling.??

Tetiana Gorbunova shares the strategy of splitting the team into two dedicated parts: a salesforce exclusively focused on attracting new customers and a Customer Success dedicated to ensuring customer success and happiness. This division allows for concentrated work, identifying bottlenecks, and finding optimal solutions, leading to increased revenue.??

Debbie Allen stresses the significance of paying attention to prospect feedback and listening for buying clues or potential objections. Learning how to manage objections professionally can contribute to successful sales.??

Dr.Jeremy Noad FRSA suggests being clear about sales leaders' roles and purposes, emphasising leadership's importance in effectively scaling sales.??

Lauren Bailey highlights the potential failure at the manager level during organisational scaling. Ensuring effective management, rather than just focusing on hiring, enablement, and tools, is crucial for success.??

Alyson B. advises simplifying and removing barriers in the approval process. Clearly defining what AEs can approve without external authorisation and establishing a process for higher-level approvals ensures scalability.??

David Bentham advises building predictable systems before attempting to scale. He highlights the importance of predicting the team's output and suggests building processes with the medium term in mind.??

Julie Thomas recommends letting go of "no-decision" opportunities to avoid a pipeline filled with unqualified leads, which can be a barrier to meeting sales goals.??

?

As we conclude this journey with our Scale Your Sales Podcast guest trailblazers, their wisdom underscores the power of relationships amidst the tech-driven sales landscape. These are not just strategies but stories of resilience, innovation, and triumph.

By embracing the insights these seasoned experts share, organisations can scale their sales effectively and craft narratives that resonate with their customers. The sales adventure continues, and with these guides, teams can chart a course to success in the ever-evolving sales world.?

?

Thank you to all Scale Your Sales Podcast guests who generously shared their insights and experiences.?

Please take a moment to listen to the full?Scale Your Sales podcast ?interviews with each guest and connect with the experts on LinkedIn.?

Which of the guest responses most challenged your thinking? We look forward to your comments.?

Jon Nicholson

Tetiana Gorbunova

David Bentham

Carole Mahoney

Lauren Bailey

Gina Stracuzzi

Roheel Ahmad

John Ashton

Debbie Allen

Dr.Jeremy Noad FRSA

Julie Thomas

Alyson B.

Tara Ryan, CPC ?

About Us?

Learn more to extend the conversation:?

1. Subscribe to this free newsletter called Revenue Growth Revved-Up so that you will receive the subsequent editions! Find the subscribe button above ?? or?here. ?

2. Connect with (me)?Janice B Gordon .?

3. Check out Janice B Gordon's speaker website ?and message for speaking opportunities.?

Janice B Gordon, The Customer Growth Expert, founded Scale Your Sales Podcast and Framework, which helps sellers grow revenue through customer excellence and sales—listed as LinkedIn Sales 15 Innovating Sales Influencers to Follow. Janice B Gordon is a Consultant, International Speaker, Educator and Facilitator, author of Business Evolution: Creating Growth in a Rapidly Changing World and co-author of Heels to Deals: How Women are Dominating Business to Business Sales.?

?4. We focus on helping you SCALE your customer opportunities by evaluating and closing the gaps in your people, process, and profits. Scale Your Sales enables you to understand what your buyers want and allows you to create the best sales environment to deliver excellent buyer experiences that will retain and build your strategic relationships and sales revenues. For more insights, check out?Scale Your Sales .??

?

#scaleyoursales #customergrowthexpert #CustomerCentricSales #SalesTrailblazers?