Sales Management Strategies to Grow Revenue During a Recession

As stay home orders were instituted across the country businesses were forced to rapidly adapt to changing market conditions. Employees began working remotely and sales functions went virtual to meet business and consumer audiences where they were.

While some industries surged with revenue growth overnight, other industries abruptly saw these business operation changes create barriers to meeting revenue projections. Businesses that previously relied on face-to-face and in-person interactions to sell were left scratching their heads as they tried to figure out how they could leverage their strengths to conduct sales in a new way.

Topics: Sales B2B Sales Strategic Revenue Growth Revenue Generation Management Referrals Revenue Development Action Plan Change Management

Business in Crisis: How to Restart and Move Forward

We are currently in a recession that is being felt across all industries. An April McKinsey & Company survey indicates, “Consumers are feeling the impact of COVID-19, with about 34 percent noting that either their income or ability to work has been negatively impacted.” Rising unemployment and consumer economic uncertainty are rippling through organizations in both B2B and B2C arenas.  

However, consumers and businesses are still spending. How and what they are consuming is changing. Those changes will likely stick around after the pandemic is over. The same survey indicates, “The next normal has started emerging, with consumers indicating that they will adopt long-term behavioral changes that will last beyond the current situation. Consumers who have switched to new brands or retailers largely intend to stick with them, with almost two-thirds of consumers indicating an intent to continue.”

Businesses are following suit – making purchasing changes based on supply chain availability and selling changes based on necessity. Additional survey data on B2B sales indicates that “Almost 90 percent of sales have moved to a video conferencing(VC)/phone/web sales model, and while some skepticism remains, more than half believe this is equally or more effective than sales models used before COVID-19.”

Do you know how to move forward in a restart? Ask yourself these questions:

  • Do you know how to control your spending without thwarting growth?
  • What will you do to preserve essential customer relationships?
  • Are you equipped to find revenue in new ways?
  • Do you understand where new revenue opportunities exist?
  • Can you change your way of thinking to adapt?

In a recent webinar Paul Single, Managing Director at City National Rochdale, explained the forecasted economic curve as being shaped like a Nike swish – with a sudden drop-off and a slow but continuous upward swoop. While the economic rebound will almost certainly happen slowly, your business needs to be poised for revenue growth now to capitalize on opportunities as they arise.

Topics: Profitability B2B Sales Strategic Revenue Growth Action Plan B2B SMART Revenue Revenue Generation Innovation Planning Revenue Development Action Plan Change Management

How to Identify Quality Sales Leads

Your best client might be those that purchase your most expensive products or services. Or not.

Either way, you need to know who your ideal client is. Who are they, where are they, what motivates them to buy, when do they buy, why do they buy, how do they buy? (For help begin with the Resultist Ideal Client Persona Worksheet.)

After identifying your best current client and creating your ideal client persona, the next step is to evaluate your prospects as compared to your ideal client. This will ensure that your sales team is investing in the “right” opportunities. Our team uses the  Sales Qualification Matrix.

Topics: Sales B2B Sales Evaluation Planning Persona

A Simpler Approach to Create Your Ideal Client Persona

To grow profitable revenue, I recommend that you do more of what’s working and less of what’s not. A key to achieving this state is knowing the characteristics of your ideal client. Actually, not just the characteristics, but also their demographics, psychographics, and purchasing patterns. In other words – their persona.

Topics: Sales B2B Sales Persona

Market Research - Evaluating Who in Your Target Audience Will Become Your Best Clients

Have you ever been presented with a product or service that made you think the person who created it was reading your mind? It was almost as if they had followed you around, understood what made you tick, and knew exactly what buttons to push to get the desired reaction.

While they probably didn't trail you through rush hour traffic or tap your phone, this isn't far from the truth. The most successful marketers have developed the ability to find out what their target audience is thinking and then provide them with solutions to their biggest issues at just the right moment.

Topics: B2B Sales Brand Management CRM

Sales and Account Development: How to Build Profitable Client Relationships

Account development is the smartest path an organization can take to increase profitability. This approach utilizes existing clients as assets to generate revenue, rather than requiring marketing teams to generate more leads or sales teams to convert more leads. The result is a viable roadmap for long-term growth rather than a short-term surge.

However, like any other business endeavor, internal and external barriers can stymie the success of any account development plan. Recognizing these obstacles upfront gives an organization a chance to sidestep their effects before they can impede effective implementation and execution.

Topics: B2B Sales Strategy

Types of Sales Distribution Models & Capitalizing on Missed Opportunities

The bottom line success of your business hinges on its ability to execute the sales that will generate revenue. Developing a reliable means of reaching clients is a challenge for many sales and marketing managers. The way that you choose to communicate with clients and sell your products or services is reflected in your choice of sales distribution model. Unfortunately, picking the wrong strategy could impact your bottom line, requiring that you re-assess those missed opportunities for the sake of your long-term survival.

Topics: B2B Sales Strategy

Using Project Management for Successful Client Development

It's no longer enough to simply target your chosen customers and hope for the best in this competitive environment. Any B2B enterprise that wants to grow and remain a going concern has likely woken up to the reality that the landscape has shifted. To stay ahead of the competition, you not only need to create distinctive value and experiences for your clients, but you also have to approach everything you do in the most pre-planned way possible. This is where using project management for client development can put you ahead of the curve.

Topics: B2B Sales Strategy