Executive Leadership is the Key to a Lasting and Successful Sales Transformation

Last week I wrote this important article about how you can use sales process to increase revenue by 28%.

The article was incomplete because while it discussed which category of sales process you had, what a proper sales process must include, the importance of a predictive sales scorecard, and the benefits of both, it did not include anything about governance.

This is where executive leadership enters the picture.

Let’s make the assumption that you either have or are about to have a comprehensive custom, staged, milestone-centric, buyer-focused sales process with predictive sales scorecard.  To do justice to the process and scorecard, the following must also occur:

• 100% Commitment from Executive and Sales Leadership to the process – no wavering or exceptions.
• Integration of the sales process and scorecard into the company’s CRM application
• Formal introduction of the process and scorecard to the entire sales team
• Training the sales team to execute the sales process including consistent use of the scorecard
• The entire sales and sales leadership team communicates in the language of the sales process, especially when it comes to the question of “Where are we?”, “What are the next steps?” and Why?”
• Consistent sales coaching in the context of the sales process
• Hold salespeople accountable for:
  • Following the sales process
  • Entering progress in CRM in real time
  • Pipline Reviews and debriefs
  • YOY change in pipeline quantity
  • YOY change in pipeline quality
  • YOY change in sales cycle length
  • YOY change in conversion ratios from stage to stage of the sales process and/or pipeline
  • YOY change in average deal size
  • YOY change in win rate
• Hold sales managers accountable for:
  • Consistent sales coaching in context of sales process
  • Consistent pipeline reviews
  • Reporting on YOY changes in the previously mentioned metrics

If you want to reap the benefits of a proper sales process and scorecard, the following are non-negotiable requirements:

• Raise Expectations
• Share the Metrics to be Tracked
• Comprehensive Training on the new Sales Process
• Consistent Coaching by Sales Management
• Sales Team-wide Accountability for Execution of Sales Process and CRM
• Visibility into Sales Team Execution
• Visibility into Sales Leadership Coaching and Accountability

A customized and optimized sales process should be a tipping point but most companies screw up the opportunity by believing that after the introduction to the sales team they are done.  Unfortunately, it is only the beginning, not the end, and unless there is proper governance on required changes, nothing will actually change.

Sales Transformation occurs with Sales Process, but only when there is Governance on the associated requirements.

On May 6, 2025, at 3pm ET , I will be hosting a 30-minute event for CEOs and Presidents (only) where I will share the appropriate expectations that you should have of your senior sales leaders in order to achieve a significant sales transformation.  You can find more information and register here.

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