With the NFL playoffs in full swing, we realized that having an unstoppable and effective process in place rings true for not only sales, but to football as well. The need to move quickly and efficiently with the sales process is greater than ever with increased competition and shorter purchasing cycles. The concept is simple: you wouldn’t draft someone into the NFL who has never played football before; the same goes for sales. You wouldn’t let a sales rep on the phone without first outlining the sales process. True sales acceleration builds an effective sales strategy with a balance of both enhanced speed and control, for an unstoppable process.
I’ve outlined the most quintessential parts of a winning strategy for both sales and football into the six most valuable “Ps” (MVPs).
1. Prospecting: Do not go into the game blind. Make sure to stay ahead of the competition by doing research before the game. Be sure to not only target top ranked players (blog accounts), but to also look for up and coming players (growth opportunities), as it is important to have a mix of both. Prospecting is imperative to the sales process as it sales reps are a top lead generator, coming in at 47 percent of the total leads created.
2. Promptness: Get there before your opponent gets there. Getting your play call in quickly will catch the competition off guard, giving you the upper hand. By getting your call in quickly, the competition will automatically be at a disadvantage. By following up with a lead promptly, conversion rates can be nearly doubled. In fact, a call within two minutes of receiving a lead to increase the conversion rate by 160 percent.
3. Prioritization: Make sure your best players (prospects) are on the field, while lower performers remain on the bench. However, remember that performance is constantly fluctuating, and this should be constantly assessed. By utilizing automated prioritization, you can achieve a 97 percent higher conversion rate.
4. Persistence: Do not give up. One bad game doesn’t mean a player should be traded or benched. Similarly, you cannot always connect with a prospect on the first try. While following up can be exhausting, building relationships takes time and consistency. By remaining persistent, you can increase conversion rates by 39 percent.
5. Performance: Evaluate your players. Putting the ball in the right hands can determine the outcome of the game, so be sure to focus on the right players and not to run them down. Keeping a steady rotation in your lineup will keep the players on the field fresh. Ensuring that leads are left unattended no more than 15 minutes can help maximize overall performance.
6. Process: You do not get to the championship with a victory here and there. It takes consistent, consecutive wins to make it to the big game. However, once you nail down a winning strategy, stick to it, while always looking for ways to improve. Successful teams use multiple data sources and tools as part of their performance-tracking process. Leverage two or more sales acceleration tools to achieve optimal results.
Check out the six MVPs shown in this infographic for a game-winning strategy for both sales and football. While speed is important, it is nearly useless without control. Be sure to have a well thought-out plan to achieving that championship ring.
