Are You Solving the Wrong Sales Problem?

Could you be solving the wrong sales problem?

In other words, is the culprit behind a lack of sales the real issue or an easy “scapegoat,” which is masking the real problem? If this is occurring in your business, or any business for the matter, it could spell trouble. Trying to “fix” something that isn’t broken only to have the real problem go unaddressed is a recipe for disaster.

The truth is, when faced with a sales problem, most executives automatically assume there’s an issue with closing. There are actually a few areas that need a close assessment.

Solving the Wrong Sales Problem? 3 Areas That Need Closer Assessment

1. Your Market

Take a look at your market. You need to take a close (and honest) look at your market and ensure it’s big enough to sustain your growth. If it isn’t, then even a team with the top closers in the world can only go so far.

2. Visibility

How visible is your sales team, your customers, and how visible are your customers to your sales team? The truth is, without your brand being visible to your prospects and vice versa, creating sales growth is going to be an uphill battle.

3. Closing Ratios

Don’t get me wrong. Your closing ratios are, of course, important. So, I want to be very clear in saying if your sales aren’t clicking, there could very well still be something wrong with your closing ratios that needs a closer look.

However, more often than not, visibility tends to be the issue that leads to the most sales problems. That is, your sellers simply don’t have enough prospects in the pipeline to close a sufficient amount of sales to hit their goals. A lack of visibility is generally caused by either the sales team not doing a good enough job in creating new opportunities, or a lack of noise being created by the company itself via marketing and other client attracting methods.

Here’s the bottom line: if you’re encountering problems with your sales results, don’t make assumptions on the root of the problem. Do your due diligence in assessing each level of your sales process. Find the right sales problem so that you can find the right solution.