Tag: sales pipeline

Pipeline or Perish

Posted on | by Sienna

The mantra “Pipeline or Perish” takes centre stage in the realm of Sales and Business.

For companies navigating the competitive sales industry, your Sales Pipeline isn’t just a tool; it’s a lifeline, determining the fate of your business in a world where adaptability and efficiency reign supreme.

So, if you want to thrive in Sales, why is it important to leverage your Sales Pipeline? The first step is to understand the Pipeline.

Sales Pipeline Funnel

Understanding the Sales Pipeline

A sales pipeline is an organised and visual way of keeping track of potential buyers as they progress through the purchasing process.

The sales pipeline is a strategic roadmap that guides your team from prospecting to closing deals. It’s a dynamic system that demands attention, proactive management, and a keen understanding of your customer’s journey.

The stages of a Sales Pipeline

1. Prospecting and Lead Generation

The sales journey begins with identifying potential customers.

An effective sales pipeline starts with a robust lead generation strategy, ensuring a steady influx of prospects.

Without a consistent flow of leads, your pipeline may run dry.

2. Qualification and Engagement

Once leads are in the pipeline, they need to be qualified. This involves:

  • Understanding their needs
  • Uncovering their challenges
  • Assessing their fit with your products or services

Engaging prospects at this stage is crucial for building relationships and moving them through the pipeline.

5 reasons why you should qualify your customers.

3. Proposal and Closing

The proposal stage is where you present tailored solutions to your prospects.

A well-nurtured pipeline positions your team to confidently make proposals that resonate with the prospect’s needs. Closing the deal is the culmination of a successful journey through the pipeline.

4. Post-Sale Relationship Building

The sales pipeline doesn’t end at closing. Post-sale relationship building ensures customer satisfaction, encourages repeat business, and sets the stage for referrals.

Neglecting this aspect can lead to churn and missed opportunities for growth.

Pipeline or Perish

Why use your Sales Pipeline?

Predictability

Your sales pipeline provides a clear view of potential revenue and allows for accurate forecasting. Without utilising this tool, businesses operate “in the dark”, unable to predict or plan for future success.

Resource Allocation

A well-managed pipeline enables efficient allocation of resources. It helps you identify areas of strength and weakness in your sales process, allowing for targeted improvements and optimisation of resources.

Customer-Centricity

By understanding where each prospect stands in the pipeline, you can tailor your interactions to meet their specific needs, ensuring a positive and personalised customer experience.

Meme about providing an excellent customer experience.

Competitive Edge

Typically in sales, speed and efficiency are paramount. Using your sales pipeline allows you to respond quickly to opportunities and challenges, giving you a competitive edge over those who neglect this crucial aspect.

In the relentless pursuit of success, businesses must recognise that “Pipeline or Perish” is more than a cautionary phrase—it’s a call to action.

Your sales pipeline is the key to navigating the complexities of the modern marketplace, ensuring not only survival but sustained growth and prosperity. Embrace the power of your sales pipeline, and let it be the driving force that propels your business forward in the face of challenges and uncertainties.

Contact KONA today to discuss tailored Sales Pipeline Training for your Sales Team!

Call 1300 611 288 or email info@kona.com.au

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3 Reasons Why October And November Are The Most Important Months In Sales

Posted on | by Sienna

wooden cubes with 2021 changing over to 2022 for sales techniques

Three Proven Sales Techniques to Smash Target

Two of the most important months of the year in Sales happen to be October and November.

However too many Salespeople and Sales Managers are either unaware of this or simply choose not to do anything during these critical months of activity. Many Salespeople fall into the trap of “easing off” at the bottom end of the year.

But this is the time you need to be stepping it up!

So many Salespeople don’t change their pace during October and November and then roll into Christmas and January and wonder why they miss their target. Worse still, they start Q1 of the new calendar year playing catch up.

Crucial Sales Techniques need to be put in place now to maintain pipeline strength at the start of the new year.

Why are October and November so important to Sales?

Whenever we ask a B2B client how your December and January were, the reply from many is “not that good”. There are more organisations open for business and back to work in January than ever before. And no more so than now.

After nigh on two years of on-again-off-again lockdowns, businesses are over shutting their doors. Many might in fact slow down but nowadays fewer companies shut down.

sales techniques funnel
 

Your Sales Pipeline

How prepared are you for October and November? Is your team implementing the key Sales Pipeline principle of Managing the Lead Time between Sales Activity and Sales Results? Your Salespeople should be filling their 2022 Pipeline now. Why?

Because it takes an average of 2 to 3 months to convert a new opportunity or win a new client. Therefore – 2 to 3 months prior to January is October and November.

So are your Salespeople active right now or are they sitting back saying “January has always been quiet for us”? A slow start to the new calendar year is hard to claw back from, both in target numbers and morale. With that in mind, here are Three Proven Sales Techniques to Smash Targets.

1. Start Implementing Weekly or Fortnightly Power Hours

Power Hour / Overview

In a tailored Strategic Sales Training workshop a few years back in November, we generated a massive ROI for a client with a solid Power Hour session. We gathered all their 36 Salespeople, Sales Support and Sales Managers into a room. Prior to the session, each participant had to arrive with a target list of 50 contacts – existing, lapsed, and prospects. We then ran 2 hours of Power Hour Training. Then, everyone had to put the training immediately into practice.

Outcome: the group BOOKED 546 FACE TO FACE MEETINGS IN ONE HOUR. That is more than 15 appointments per person! Their conversion ratio at that time was 34% of meetings to orders, and they had a HUGE January and start to the New Year.

2. Do Your Research

If you search “CEO of KONA Group” you are guaranteed you’ll come up with an image and blurb of Garret Norris. Search “John Wright KONA Group” and you will see information about the Group’s Melbourne Sales Coach. Research your prospects! That is how you will connect with them.

Next, using the information you have researched about your prospect, you then:

A) figure out the best way to address their pain point, then

B) how you will get past the gatekeeper.

By the time you get to the decision-maker, you must know enough to give them insights into their own business. 77% of buyers say they won’t engage with a Salesperson if they don’t do the homework first*. So get Googling. (*LinkedIn State of Sales Report, 2017).

27 Content Distribution Ideas to Promote Primary Research - Hinge Marketing

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3.Work Out Your Why!

Your Salespeople should all be good communicators. But – there’s always an opportunity to train and upskill their pitching and selling processes. That is, there are always opportunities to sharpen the axe and move your Salespeople from good communicators to skilled effective communicators. That means, they should be able to identify and articulate ways they can add value to potential customers. But to do this, your Salespeople need to work out their Why. Do your Salespeople know how to work out their Why Statement and company value proposition?

Why Statement for Sales Techniques image

Knowing your Why will help you to move targets through the Sales pipeline and advance to the more critical stages. That is the part in the pipeline where you secure the Sale. Make sure you have a strong Why Statement ready and that you are confident communicating your organisation’s value proposition.

To Book Your Team’s Tailored Sales Pipeline Workshop

Call us at KONA on 1300 611 288 for a conversation, or email info@kona.com.au anytime.

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LAURETTE WITH HOPE IS NOT A STRATEGY ON IT FOR KONA GROUP SALES TRAINING SALES HEALTH CHECK

HOW TO RESET YOUR BUSINESS AND PEOPLE POST-COVID

Posted on | by Sienna
We cannot ignore the fact that COVID-19 has had a serious impact on the Australian economy. This has resulted in many business leaders enduring sleepless nights and scratching their heads over the current and future impact of this pandemic on their business. But it is important to remember that the situation is entirely out of our control – everyone’s in the same boat. What is in your control however, as a Leader, is:
  • How your business recovers
  • What actions you take
  • How you get your team back on target
  • What outlook you hold
  • What strategic plans you have in place
  • What you are going to do to increase momentum

HAVE YOU THOUGHT OF HITTING THE RESET BUTTON ON YOUR BUSINESS?

For many of us, we may have issues about “coming back to the office”, or getting back on target, or concerns about our people being out of the physical hunt for results for too long, or simply – achieving ROI. Soon the pace of pre-COVID days will return, do you have actions in place for when we all can come together again? Have you considered:
  • How you are going to build a culture of performance?
  • How you will instil a mindset of positive thinking?
  • How to get results from your team?
  • How to re-frame your team’s conversations around the future?
  • How to React, Restore, Reset your business and people?

To find out more contact the KONA Group 1300 611 288 | info@kona.com.au

Have you considered a positive movement of encouragement and support for your team on their return – recognition of coming together when we can come together? But how? How, as a forward-thinking Leader, do I encourage and support the return of my staff? The strongest way to support your staff and show them self-worth with a definite ROI, is through instilling a positive mindset – that is the gift that keeps on giving. At the KONA Group we know the value and the power of Motivational Speaking. We can assist you in any capacity to harness positive thinking, spread its powers and skyrocket productivity as a direct result. All our exceptional Motivational Speakers have great stories behind them, their teachings come from walking the pavement of life, the words come from experiences not textbooks. Come on a journey with one of our team. Here is a snippet of one of our Senior team and the founder of the KONA Group. 10 years ago this week the 60-year-old inspiration climbed into the boxing ring with ex-Heavyweight Boxing Champion of Australia John Hopoate all in the name of raising funds for very worthy Breast Cancer patients. Glenn also ran across the Sahara Dessert for the same cause, AND – completed the Hawaiian Ironman in KONA. Oh, and did we mention earlier this year he became the world’s oldest CAGE FIGHTER?! His physical stamina is nothing compared to his mental strength – Glenn has built an outstanding reputation as a Personal Mentor, helping individuals of all ages to achieve goals they never thought possible. He is a specialist Business, Health and Sport Mentor.

To find out more contact the KONA Group 1300 611 288 | info@kona.com.au

And there are many more like Glenn for you to meet: kona.com.au/meet-the-team/ Everyone has a story and every story can be transformed to lead to positive outcomes. Hit the reset button on your business, engage one of our modern Motivational Speakers and bring out the best in your team and business. We did. To learn how to RESET YOUR BUSINESS or book in your team’s MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER, contact KONA: 1300 611 288 | info@kona.com.au for a confidential conversation today.

You Need to Create a Pipeline NOW

Posted on | by Sienna

sales pipeline kona training

These are strange times. While medical professionals are striving to maintain COVID-19, businesses around the world are struggling with the disruption of the day-to-day. It’s a confusing time for everyone. Many of us don’t know what the next steps are. However, the smart leaders are looking at and focusing on their sales pipeline. They will be asking:
  • Does my sales team know how to build a new pipeline post COVID?
  • Does my sales team know how to manage the key principles of Sales Pipeline Management?
  • Am I confident that myself and my salespeople will hit the target that we NEED to hit in the next 12 months?
  • How much time do my salespeople spend in the field with customers and how will they make up for lost time in the field?
  • How many new customers / proposals do my salespeople need in their pipeline to achieve target?
  • What are the key activities that will drive their results?
  • How do our salespeople manage the average lead time from identifying a new opportunity to invoicing it?
  • What is the historic fall out rate from our existing accounts?

To find out more contact the KONA Group 1300 611 288 | info@kona.com.au

You should be considering a sales strategy “re-set” conference NOW with your leaders, salespeople and any other departments who will assist in you hitting the targets. This I would suggest be facilitated where teams share strategies that commercial teams can use to build a pipeline of high-intent leads now during a time of crisis. This is a new world for us. And we all need to find new ways to better our marketing and sales efforts. Just to put the notion of acting now into perspective – THE WORLD HAS CHANGED. Here’s a look at St. Patrick’s Day in 2019 outside of Temple Bar in the centre of Dublin.

And, here’s a look at that same location in 2020. Events and public gatherings of all kinds have been put on hold as we move into this new normal. And B2B selling has and is going to see further impacts on how we do business over the coming months. A 2019 Events Marketing Benchmarks and Trends report interviewed 1000+ senior marketers at companies managing over $738 million in event spend a year from the software, services, and media industries. Here are a few highlights from that report that stood out to us:
  • 30% organise events to support lead generation + sales acceleration
  • 41% see live events as the most critical marketing channel in achieving business outcomes
  • 63% plan to increase their budget by 22% in 2020
As you can see, events play a significant role in marketers and sales teams’ lives. Businesses depend on events to generate sales.

To find out more contact the KONA Group 1300 611 288 | info@kona.com.au

SUMMARY

A sales pipeline can be compared to the beating heart of your business. That’s why its importance and value can hardly be overestimated. This means that if you don’t manage your pipeline successfully, then you risk losing out on new customers and your business could suffer. With more than 60% of sales managers saying that their company does a poor job of managing their sales pipeline, chances are you need to improve the way yours works, too. The best practices and methodologies we have developed over the past 20 years will help you keep your sales pipeline beating at a healthy pace, make your work more organised and structured, shorten and speed up your sales cycles, and reach your sales targets quicker, all the while bringing growth and profit for your business.

HOW DO YOU MANAGE YOUR SALES PIPELINE?

For a confidential assessment of your business and sales pipeline in a post-COVID world,

contact KONA: 1300 611 288 | info@kona.com.au