There's an interesting paper in the September 2006 Harvard Business Review, The New Science of Sales Force Productivity, that talks about focusing on sales force productivity to boost the performance of sales people.
The authors describe 4 levers that can increase sales performance, boost sales and improve performance of top reps while having the greatest impact on moving laggard sales people toward the middle of the curve.
Briefly, the 4 levers described by the authors to boost sales force productivity are:
1) Target offerings
Tailor offerings to the needs of target markets and make sure your sales reps are selling the right way to the right prospects.
2) Optimize automation tools and procedures
Bolster technology and productivity tools while bringing discipline and careful monitoring and review to a clearly-defined sales process.
3) Performance management
Incorporate metrics, skills development and incentives while properly and fairly rewarding high-performing reps in a differentiated way.
4) Sales force deployment
Strategically distribute sales reps and organize sales assets according to customer needs and the requirments of complex sales rather than simply by geography.
The days of "putting more feet on the street" to reach ever-increasing sales goals are over. Managers no longer can simply take a sales goal increase and evenly spread it across products and/or sales reps. They must evaluate how and where they can get the greatest gains.
This is a good paper that focuses on improving the performance of your existing sales force. I especially like this approach as it focuses on investing in your brand by investing in those who present your brand to the outside world. The paper also advocates seeking out new customers rather than focusing on selling more to existing customers. Although the authors do not specifically call this what it is, they are prescribing a fresh approach to expanding brands beyond traditional target markets by focusing on investments in the sales force.
The approach also injects more science into sales.
I champion the effort to label marketing a science with a relatively small portion of it being art. Since sales is part of the marketing function, doesn't it make sense that the scientific approach should trickle down to the sales force?
This paper is good reading for anyone interested in more effectively utilizing their sales force to help increase the value of their brands and increase sales. As we all know, branding should also live outside the walls of the marketing department.
Copyright 2006, Dave Dolak. All rights reserved.
