​Sales is a complex and dynamic process that requires a lot of planning, research, and communication. To achieve success in sales, salespeople need to have a deep understanding of their customers' needs, preferences, and expectations.

SInce the 1970's, sales has evolved from a product/service based focus to one that is centred around the client and their specific painpoints/needs. Consultative selling is an approach to sales that involves building relationships with customers by providing them with tailored solutions to their problems. In this blog post, we will outline and compare some of the main consultative sales theories.

1. SPIN Selling
SPIN Selling was developed by Neil Rackham in the late 1980s and is one of the most well-known consultative selling models. The acronym SPIN stands for Situation, Problem, Implication, and Need-Payoff, which represent the four types of questions that salespeople should ask to uncover a customer's needs.
Situation questions are used to gather basic information about the customer's current situation, while Problem questions are used to identify pain points or problems that the customer is experiencing. Implication questions help the salesperson understand the consequences of those problems, and Need-Payoff questions help the salesperson present a solution that addresses those consequences.
One of the key principles of SPIN Selling is that the salesperson should focus on asking questions rather than making statements. By asking the right questions, the salesperson can uncover the customer's needs and demonstrate how their product or service can solve those needs.

2. Solution Selling
Solution selling is a sales strategy focused on addressing a customer's specific needs with a tailored solution rather than simply pushing a product. It involves understanding the customer's challenges, goals, and pain points, then presenting a comprehensive solution that solves their problems and adds value to their business. This approach requires in-depth knowledge of the customer's industry, competition, and trends. Sales professionals engaging in solution selling typically act as consultants, guiding the customer through the buying process by offering insights, recommendations, and support. By emphasizing the benefits and outcomes of the solution rather than just the features of the product, solution selling aims to build trust, credibility, and long-term relationships with customers. This approach can lead to higher customer satisfaction, increased loyalty, and ultimately, greater sales success.

3. Challenger Selling
Challenger Selling was developed by Brent Adamson and Matthew Dixon of the CEB Sales Leadership Council and is based on research that identified five different types of salespeople: the Relationship Builder, the Hard Worker, the Lone Wolf, the Reactive Problem Solver, and the Challenger.
According to the research, Challengers are the most effective salespeople, as they have a deep understanding of their customer's business and can offer new insights and ideas that the customer may not have considered.
Challenger Selling is based on three key principles: teach, tailor, and take control. The salesperson should teach the customer something new or challenge their existing beliefs, tailor their approach to the customer's specific needs, and take control of the sales conversation by leading with insights rather than features and benefits.

4. Customer-Centric Selling
Customer-Centric Selling was developed by Michael Bosworth and John Holland in the late 1990s and is based on the idea that the customer's needs should be at the center of the sales process. The focus is on understanding the customer's pain points, challenges, and goals, and using this information to provide personalized solutions that meet their specific needs.
The Customer-Centric Selling process consists of seven stages, including prospecting, qualifying, discovery, demonstrating capability, proving value, negotiating, and closing. Each stage is designed to help the salesperson build a relationship with the customer and uncover their needs.

This approach requires a deep understanding of the customer, which can be gained through research, active listening, and asking the right questions. It also requires a willingness to collaborate with the customer to find the best solution, rather than simply pushing a particular product or service.

Customer-centric selling can help build trust and loyalty with customers, as they feel that their needs are being prioritized and that they are being treated as individuals rather than just another sale. It can also lead to better long-term business relationships and increased sales, as customers are more likely to return and recommend the company to others.

Some of the other more popular Consultative Sales Methodologies include; Value Selling, Conceptual Selling and NEAT. Sales Methodologies provide sales teams with a common framework/language that allow Repeatability and Scale. The choice as to which one to use for your sales team depends in part on your existing Sales processes, the complexity of your business and the typical sale size.

Fifth Executive is a specialist Sales Recruitment Agency that identifies and sources top sales talent.

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​​Psychometric tests are widely used in the recruitment process as a means of evaluating a candidate's abilities, skills, personality traits, and cognitive abilities. These tests are designed to provide objective data that can help employers make informed decisions about which candidates are the best fit for a particular role. However, the reliability of psychometric tests in a recruitment setting can vary depending on several factors.

One of the key factors that affect the reliability of psychometric tests is the quality of the test itself. Not all psychometric tests are created equal, and some tests are more reliable than others. Tests that have been thoroughly researched and validated are generally more reliable than those that have not undergone rigorous testing. Additionally, tests that are administered and scored consistently and accurately are also more reliable.

Another factor that can affect the reliability of psychometric tests in a recruitment setting is the characteristics of the candidate being tested. For example, if a candidate is experiencing a high level of stress or anxiety during the test, their performance may not accurately reflect their true abilities. Similarly, candidates who are not native speakers of the language in which the test is administered may have difficulty understanding the questions or responding accurately, which can affect the reliability of the results.

The administration and scoring procedures used can also have an impact on the reliability of psychometric tests. If the test is not administered or scored consistently across all candidates, this can lead to inconsistent results and reduce the overall reliability of the test. It is therefore important for recruiters to follow standardized procedures for administering and scoring tests to ensure that the results are as reliable as possible.

Despite these potential sources of variability, psychometric tests can be highly reliable when used appropriately. In fact, research has consistently shown that well-designed psychometric tests can be highly predictive of job performance, particularly for cognitive abilities and personality traits.

For example, one study found that cognitive ability tests also known as General Mental Ability (GMA) tests were the best predictor of job performance, with a correlation coefficient of 0.53. This means that the test results were highly correlated with job performance. In their seminal research on the subject  Schmidt and Hunter (1998) found that when the GMA test is combined with one other selection procedure,  such as an Integrity test or a structured interview, the correlation coefficient rose to .63

Personality tests can also be reliable predictors of job performance, although their reliability can vary depending on the specific traits being measured. Some traits, such as conscientiousness and emotional stability, have been found to be highly predictive of job performance, while other traits, such as extraversion, may be less reliable predictors.

In addition to their reliability, psychometric tests also offer several other benefits in a recruitment setting. For example, they can help reduce the risk of bias in the hiring process by providing objective data that can be used to make hiring decisions. They can also help identify candidates who may be a good fit for the company culture, which is an important consideration when making hiring decisions.

However, it is important to note that psychometric tests should not be used as the sole basis for hiring decisions. Other factors, such as a candidate's experience, education, and fit with the company culture, should also be considered.

It is also possible these days to find tests that assess competencies based on specific professions. For example Sales Candidate specific tests, seek to evaluate factors such as, interpersonal and negotiation skills,  analytical ability and numeracy skills.

In conclusion, psychometric tests can be highly reliable in a recruitment setting when used appropriately. The reliability of these tests can be affected by several factors, including the quality of the test itself, the characteristics of the candidate being tested, and the administration and scoring procedures used.

Despite these potential sources of variability, well-designed psychometric tests can be highly predictive of job performance and offer several benefits in the recruitment process. However, it is important to use these tests as part of a larger assessment strategy that takes into account a range of factors that are relevant to the job, the candidates skills and experience and the candidate's potential fit with the organisation.

 Fifth Executive is a boutique recruitment agency specialising in the recruitment of top sales talent.

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​Boomerang employees, or former employees who return to work for a company, are becoming more common in today's tight labour market. Companies are increasingly recognizing the value of these employees, who already have knowledge of the organisation and its culture, as well as relationships with colleagues and customers. However, there are both pros and cons to hiring boomerang staff, which should be carefully considered before making a decision.

Pros of hiring boomerang staff:

1.     Familiarity with the organization:
Boomerang employees already know the ins and outs of the organisation, its policies, and its culture. This can save time and money on training, and make it easier for them to hit the ground running when they return to work. This familiarity also means that they are more likely to fit in with the company culture and contribute to its success.
2.     Existing relationships with colleagues and customers:
Boomerang employees have already established relationships with colleagues and customers, which can be valuable when they return to work. These relationships can help to build trust and rapport, and make it easier for them to collaborate with others and get things done.
3.     Increased engagement and loyalty:
Boomerang employees are often more engaged and loyal than new hires, as they have already demonstrated a commitment to the organization by returning to work there. This increased engagement and loyalty can translate into improved job performance, higher levels of productivity, and reduced turnover.
4.     Cost-effective recruitment:
Hiring boomerang staff can be more cost-effective than recruiting new employees. This is because the organization already has a relationship with the employee, which means that there is no need to spend money on advertising or recruitment fees. Additionally, because boomerang employees already know the organisation, they require less training and are more likely to be productive from day one.

Cons of hiring boomerang staff:

1.     Limited fresh perspective:
Boomerang employees may have limited fresh perspective, as they are already familiar with the organization's culture and practices. This can make it difficult for them to bring new ideas and approaches to the organisation, which could limit innovation and growth.
2.     Potential for past conflicts:
Boomerang employees may have had conflicts with colleagues or managers in the past, which could resurface when they return to work. These conflicts can be disruptive to the workplace and may negatively impact team dynamics.
3.     Resistance to change:
Boomerang employees may be resistant to change, particularly if they are returning to a role that they previously held. This resistance to change can make it difficult to implement new processes or technologies, which could limit the organisation's ability to adapt and innovate.
4.     Limited diversity of thought:
Boomerang employees may have limited diversity of thought, particularly if they are returning to a role that they previously held. This can make it difficult for the organization to benefit from fresh perspectives and ideas, which could limit innovation and growth.

In looking at bringing back a previous employee, it is important to examine the reasons why the employee originally left; whether a redundancy or lay off or whether the employee left voluntarily.  Consideration should also be given to what the employee has been doing in the interim; Has their career progressed? Have they acquired new skills/experience, which the organisation will benefit from?  It may be tempting to fill a difficult recruitment in this tight labour market with a former employee, given the upfront cost and time savings, but what are the hidden costs/opportunity costs?

In conclusion, while there are both pros and cons to hiring boomerang staff, there are several factors that organisations should consider before making a decision. If the organisation is looking to save time and money on training, build on existing relationships with colleagues and customers, and improve employee engagement and loyalty, then hiring boomerang staff may be a good option. However, if the organisation is looking for fresh perspectives and ideas, or if there were past conflicts with the employee, then hiring a new employee may be a better option.

Regardless of the decision, it is important for the organisation to communicate effectively with the employee throughout the recruitment process. This communication should be transparent, honest, and open, and should include an assessment of the employee's skills and abilities, as well as any potential challenges or concerns that may arise. By doing so, the organisation can ensure that it makes the best decision for its needs.

 Fifth Executive is a boutique recruitment agency specialising in the recruitment of top sales talent.

There has been much written about writing an impactful CV, so we are not going to rehash any of that here.  What we would like to do though, is to look at those things that we think should be a part of every salesperson’s CV.  Our Top 5 as follows;
 
1. Numbers
It sounds obvious right? Sales people live and die by their numbers (sales targets) and yet we see so many CVs every week that make no reference to the numbers.  Now when we say numbers, we are not talking about listing the actual sales target/s for each role but what we as recruiters and what our clients are looking for is a salesperson's ability to consistently hit their targets.  Rather than list the actual target and result, express your results as a percentage of target achieved (per quarter/per annum). 
 
You may also want to show by how much you grew sales over successive periods. Again this can be expressed as a percentage rather than listing actuals. If you were at an organisation for say 4 years then be sure to include achievements for each of the four years.
 
As salespeople, we are also measured on the number of outbound activities we perform each week; telephone calls, emails, meetings, social media posts etc.  Top salespeople are disciplined and time block each day to perform these essential tasks. Let your prospective employer know that you are comfortable doing this and give them an idea of your work rate by including some of these numbers also.
 
2. Sales Training
Top salespeople share a number of innate behavioural traits in common. Following a recognised sales methodology and a set of sales processes however makes sales success repeatable.  Include the Sales Training you have done in your CV, whether formal (through certified trainers) or informal (in-house training). Aside from the skills that you have picked up from the training, this also shows your prospective employer a commitment to continuous learning and self-improvement.
 
3. Sales Tech
Sales Tech, or the use of digital tools to help improve productivity and sales conversion rates, is an ever increasingly important part of a modern sales persons kitbag.  Most salespeople will have used a few CRM systems in their career. If you are just starting out in sales and have limited experience or have only used one system then we would suggest downloading a free trial of another to widen your experience.
 
While the CRM is the building block of any Sales Stack, there are a number of other tools that modern sales people are using to improve their productivity and success rates. These tools align to each stage of the sales process. Include a list of those that you have experience with.
 
 
4. Client Names
Even though this is a list of essential things to include in your CV - this is actually one thing that we recommend to leave out.  Avoid using past client names.  Unless you have the clients express permission to include it in your CV then it’s a breach of confidentiality. It’s perfectly acceptable instead to write something like  “ … a top 10 Global Mining Company”
 
 
5. Ability to write well and under time pressure. 
Turning around a well-written and crafted proposal/email response that addresses specific client concerns is an important skill of the modern B2B sales person. Being able to do this within tight deadlines is an extremely valuable skill.
Clients want to understand how your solutions are going to help create value and/or manage their risk and so this requires a degree of written originality, given that no two clients are identical.  
 
We would suggest including this ability in a Personal Profile section of your CV where you are including your skills that are relevant to the role in question.
Your CV however should not have been written under any time pressure and so spelling mistakes and poor grammar is inexcusable.
 
 
 
Fifth Executive is a specialist sales recruitment agency, owned and operated by its two Principals who have over 50 years sales and sales management experience in Australia and Internationally.

The latest Unemployment figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that the Unemployment rate for August 2022 was 3.5% (seasonally adjusted).  A slight increase from a low of 3.4% in July 2022 but well below the high of 7.5% some 12 months ago.
 
For the same reporting period, the Australian, National Skills Commission’s, “Recruitment Difficulty Rate” eased slightly by 1% over the previous month of July to 74% but at that level, remains at the second highest rate ever recorded for this series. These statistics only back up what employers already know and that is; It’s become increasingly harder to recruit in this market.
 
In this article we will explore the top 5 challenges that employers face when recruiting in a tight labour market.
 
1. Labour/Talent Shortage.
At the risk of stating the obvious, the current record low levels of unemployment and corresponding level of near full employment means that there is a shortage of available talent for each role.  As a specialist Sales recruiter, our focus is on Sales Talent and the data shows that the availability of experienced Sales staff is even more acute as advertised sales roles continue to be experiencing strong growth amongst all job categories. (see following)
 
2. Fewer people are looking for jobs
Anyone who has recently tried to advertise a vacant role on one of the Job Boards will have experienced underwhelming responses to their job ads. According to SEEK, Applications per Job Ad across all sectors has improved slightly between July 22 and August 22 but remain down 20% over a 12 month period and down 50% over a 24 month period. Sales Job Ads were up 5% for the month of August 22 , which puts further pressure on Applications per Ad for Sales roles.
 
One of our clients recently shared with us that they had only 3 applicants for a recently advertised mid level sales role. By comparison, similar roles they advertised 12 months ago had received 30- 40 applications.  In response, employers are rightly turning their focus to Passive Recruitment activity (i.e., headhunting), which was once only a recruitment strategy considered for senior Executive level roles. Passive Recruitment is not without its own set of challenges though, chief of which is its heavy time-resource requirement.
 
3. Good Candidates are getting multiple offers
As one might expect, good candidates in this market are getting multiple job offers each week. Candidates know that the “balance of relative power” has swung in their favour and so they can be very selective in which approaches they choose to respond to. While remuneration is still a major driver for salespeople, Company growth strategy, clearly defined pathways for candidate success and departmental culture are factors that are strongly considered by sales people and therefore need to be addressed in any communication.
 
On the issue of remuneration, this should be discussed early in the discussions with candidates to help avoid a bidding war down the track.
 
4. Getting the candidates attention
Being an attractive proposition to a candidate starts well before the placement of a job ad. Your organisation’s website, employee feedback on forums such as Glassdoor, organisational profile on Social platforms are the first places that prospective candidates will look to when weighing up their decision to move.
 
Also, in this current climate, once you have a candidate’s attention, you need to keep it. Communication with candidates should be regular, even if decisions have not yet been made. Don’t keep them waiting to hear as they now have options.
 
 
5. Always Be Recruiting.
A mantra for salespeople, as immortalised by Alec Baldwin’s character in the 1992 film, Glengarry Glen Ross is, Always Be Closing (ABC).  The current mantra for Organisations needing to recruit should be- Always Be Recruiting!
 
In times of higher unemployment, the recruitment process from start to finish (offer of employment) would ordinarily take 6 – 8 weeks. (Longer for more senior roles).  In today’s market, where Passive Recruitment strategies are more at the forefront, the recruitment process can take several months.  This means that organisations need to take a longer-term view of their recruitment process and see recruitment as an ongoing activity and its associated costs built into the budgetary process.
 
In Summary
1. Passive Recruitment (Headhunting) activity is becoming increasingly important in the recruitment process for roles of all levels and not just Executive level roles
2. Beyond remuneration, organisations need to sell themselves to candidates.
3. Follow up with candidates. Don’t leave them waiting.
4. Remuneration should be discussed early in the process
5. Recruitment needs to be ongoing and built in to the budget process.
 
 
 
Fifth Executive is a specialist Sales Recruitment agency.

WHAT IS SOCIAL SELLING?
Social selling is the modern day sales practice of using social media channels to communicate with prospective clients by building meaningful business connections as a way to help support and drive the sales process.
 
Social selling is a form of modern client relationship building, a new way to establish and strengthen B2B relationships. Through social selling, companies and individuals are actively connecting with potential customers on social media, which can help raise a seller’s brand profile.

What Social Selling is not
Social selling is not just about adding new contacts to your list or simply building the largest network possible. It’s a chance for the seller to present themselves as subject matter experts and provide real value to prospects even before a sale is made. By providing value up front, the seller is more likely to build trust and confidence. In other words, it’s all about building credibility. Social Selling provides the opportunity to transform the buyer/seller relationship into one of subject matter expert/interested party.
 
Social selling is also not a substitute for other traditional methods of reaching out to prospective clients, i.e., Email, Telephone. It should be seen as another tool in the salespersons toolbox and used in combination with those traditional methods.
 
Unlike a standard “one size fits all” sales and marketing approach, Social Selling allows for a more personalised client engagement.  In order to make and develop these social connections, the Social Seller will provide “content” or information of value, which is designed to show up on the news feeds of their specific targets/prospects. The aim then is to leverage those individual relationships (often more than one per target organisation) into sales.
 
Social Selling also isn’t always about closing. You’ve no doubt heard the sales mantra “Always Be Closing” made famous in the 1992 David Mamet film, Glengarry Glen Ross”. Well Social Selling has created a new mantra and that is “ Always Be Connecting”. It’s the connection that leads to the conversation that ultimately is helping the buyer to buy, which is all about getting them to a close.
 
Finally, Social selling is certainly not about bombarding strangers with unsolicited Tweets and DMs. That’s spam. Don’t do it.
 
Why should your business care about Social Selling? 
Social Selling is not new. Its now well established and thriving. The benefits are proven, and you can bet that your competitors are already utilising Social Selling!
 
1. Shorten the Sales Cycle
Customers who are already actively engaged in conversations on social platforms will potentially be more informed and further down the decision-making path than those who are not. Utilising social selling allows your sales reps to go a step further and identify leads that are already talking about your business, your competitors or your industry.

Through social selling, you have the opportunity to establish yourself as a recognised expert and give your brand tangible value and upfront credibility. This often results in less “persuading” during sales process, thereby shortening the entire sales cycle and increasing the probability of success. Online networks such as Google has made the entire pre-purchase research faster and easier for buyers.
 
A study by CEB (2011) reported that of the 1500 key decision makers polled, on average they were 57% of the way through their decision making process before even meeting a salesperson. In some cases this was as high as 90%!
 
2. Gain customer insights, uncover sales opportunities
Social Selling gives you deeper insights into the interests and needs of interested buyers. It also provides the seller with an opportunity to address common misconceptions and misunderstandings at a very early stage of the sales process, which if left unresolved could scupper a sale before it’s even begun. Additionally it’s an efficient method for lead generation activity and qualifying targets. According to the business network LinkedIn, 65% of B2B members accept messages from salespeople with whom they are connected or have connections in common.
 
According to LinkedIn Sales Solutions’ internal data:

• Businesses that are leaders in the social selling space create 45% more sales opportunities than brands with a low social selling index.
• Businesses that prioritise social selling are 51% more likely to reach their sales quotas.
• 78% of businesses that use social selling outsell businesses that don’t use social media.

 
3. Build Up a Competence Profile, Influence Buying Decisions
As Social Selling and the use of social platforms to connect with potential buyers becomes more commonplace, it will be essential to build strong client relationships. One recent study reported that over 70% of all B2B buyers conduct extensive online research to assist them in making any purchasing decisions. A vendor’s online content and reputation played a crucial part in regards to influencing the final decision to purchase. A 2021 Hubspot report found that around 50% of buyers on average look at 3 to 5 copies of content before contacting a sales person.

4. Managing your online business image and credibility 
One of the greatest advantages that Social Selling provides is the opportunity it provides to manage businesses image and credibility online. Online reviews/ customer feedback forums can have a significant impact (positive and negative) on buyers’ decision to buy a particular product or service. Building and managing a positive reputation among social media prospects can help draw more interested people to your business.
 
The benefits include;
·      Raising brand awareness
·      Establishing Trust
·      Monitoring competitor activities and positioning.
·      Address concerns/negative feedback at an early stage.
 
In Summary

• Social Selling is a modern day sales practice of connecting with potential buyers on social platforms, building business relationships and driving sales.
• Social Selling is not a substitute for other methods to reach out to customers. It should be seen as another tool in the sales persons toolbox.
• Providing value (valuable content) upfront is essential to establish trust and credibility in order to make online business connections.
• 78% of businesses that use social selling outsell those that are not engaged on social platforms.

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Japan is consistently one of the most difficult countries to hire in for foreign companies.  In the latest Manpower Group Survey (Q3, 2021) 76% of employers in Japan responded that they are having difficulty in filling roles. Though an improvement over last year’s survey results (88%), Japan has ranked in the top 3 over the last several years.  In this article we will explore some of the challenges that are unique to recruiting in Japan.
 
Available Talent Pool
Successive years of low birth rates have led to an ageing population. At just under 49 years, Japan has the second highest median age, only second to Monaco according to a 2021 report by Statista.
 
With an overall labour force that is stagnating, the country has one of the lowest Jobs to Applications ratios. Currently there are around 160 positions for every 100 applicants. This, when coupled with limited English language education in Japanese schools, further limits the talent pool available to foreign organisations. 
 
Additionally, of the 42.5Million workers in Japan, only half a million work for foreign companies.
 
Employee Mobility
As a general rule (and we’re not ones that like to generalise too much), Japanese employees on average work for only one or two companies across their entire working life.  Job-hopping (the practice of holding a number of jobs in a short time period) has traditionally been frowned upon in Japanese society, where loyalty and dependability are revered character traits.
 
We have seen an increase in this phenomenon in countries like Australia and the US, particularly amongst younger workers who are changing jobs every 12 – 18 months. This also seems also to be slowly changing in Japan, particularly amongst the younger workforce.
 
Competition
As a function of the smaller talent pool, workers typically receive around 10 -15 unsolicited job offers each day.  The majority of which will be ignored given those discussed traits of loyalty and dependability. Against this competitive and cultural framework, an offer therefore, must be truly compelling for an employee to want to consider moving.  Job Safety, Company Brand and Reliability and a good work/life balance are high on the list for Japanese employees.
 
For candidates that do respond to an outside offer, one should also expect a competitive counter offer from the existing employer.
 
 Job Boards and traditional recruitment methods
There are 4 or 5 main Job Boards in Japan and all listings are predominantly written in Japanese Language. So if going down this route, the ad needs to be written by a native speaker. It is also quite a bit more expensive than advertising in Australia. Depending upon the type of Job Advertisement, the cost could be up to 5 times more expensive for a single ad. In our experience, this method can produce results of significant variability.
 
LinkedIn is also not as widely used as it is here in Australia. Again things are changing, particularly with workers between 25yrs – 34yrs, however the take up significantly lags other advanced economies. As of January 2021 there were around 2.9Million registered LI users. Assuming (a generous) 25% are active users, that equates to only around 1.7% of the entire workforce.  Other Social Media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter are more widely used but usually not for job hunting.

Here at Fifth Executive, we’ve worked with many organisations to help increase the effectiveness of their Sales teams. Once we have established that they have the right people in place with the requisite skills, experience and values, we look at the things they are doing on a day- to-day basis– the Sales Operations.
 
Sales Operations
Sales Operations is the set of processes and activities that help the sales organisation work efficiently and in alignment with the Company’s overall business strategy. It covers areas such as Sales Team Structure, Sales Processes, Sales Training and Development, Sales Analytics and Sales Goals/Incentives. Each of these topics deserves a deep dive discussion on their own, which we hope to address in future articles.  One thing however that we see time and time again when reviewing Sales Team Effectiveness, is some degree of disconnect between the sales organisation and the rest of the Company.  This is where the sales team, in the worst of cases, is operating almost in a silo.

​As an example; We were asked to consult to a company with 20 frontline sales staff who were making an average of 4 meaningful meetings per week ie., 80 Client meetings/week. That same company were receiving 10 x that number of telephone calls into it operations/service centre from clients over the same period and none of that data was being systematically channelled back to the Sales team. These calls contained sales rich data about the company’s clients, their locations, experiences and business issues.
 
Another example of a disconnect was a client whose marketing teams engaged in Lead Generation/Top of the Funnel/Middle of Funnel activity with minimal input from the sales teams.  In this case the processes, methodologies and tools employed by the marketing team were sound, however there was a misalignment between the two divisions regarding the Ideal Customer Profile.  It sounds impossible but this was the case for this global company with a $1B turnover.
 
We call this aspect, the “Wiring” of the organisation. In their own right, each division of the company can seem to be doing things in the right way and in alignment with the organisations overall business objectives, however they are not connected or wired to other parts of the organisation in a structured way.
Its often said in business that “Everyone is in sales” – A maxim often used but not borne out by the wiring of the company to support efficient sales and revenue growth. 
 
In the two examples provided above, we have three divisions of a company namely, Sales, Marketing and Operations all having client touch points and influence in customer experience and the delivery of revenue growth to the company.  In recent times there has been a growing recognition of the multiple touch points and the symbiotic nature of all three operational teams and therefore, the need to unify these three divisions under a single banner.

RevOps
The concept of Revenue Operations or “RevOps” has been around for several years now but has only become more widely accepted as a separate business function in the last couple of years.  In fact in the last 18 months, LinkedIn reports a growth of around 300% in jobs with RevOps/Revenue titles.
 
So what exactly is RevOps?
RevOps is a business function that aims to maximise Revenue Generation through the systematic convergence of Sales, Marketing and Operations (Service). It looks at the cross departmental organisation of a company and through effective ‘Wiring”, breaks down the walls that can have an impact on consistent customer experience and revenue. It aims to drive growth through the Customer Lifecycle by creating operational efficiencies and making all teams accountable for a shared single metric – Revenue.

RevOps further recognises that clients have multiple touch points with an organisation (not just Sales) and therefore there needs to be a unified and consistent approach. Having teams with disparate and/or misaligned metrics, objectives, reporting and even incentives, can have a negative impact on Customer Experience and therefore revenue.  There are a growing number of Sales Tech tools on the market now that can support these unified objectives.
 
Beyond Sales, Marketing and Ops
Depending on how a business is structured, other departments may also be involved and interact with customers. This would be especially true for businesses with recurring revenue streams.  Product divisions, finance, legal can all impact the customer experience and potential revenue of the company. In such cases we would recommend a functional reporting line to RevOps with consistent and shared metrics and goals.

RevOps – Cross-departmental organisation. Breaking down walls that impact company revenue.
Sales Ops – Creating operational efficiencies in the Sales Organisation alone.

​Organisational Wiring: Shared Intent
Intrinsic to RevOps is the concept of Shared Intent - a key Pillar in the execution of any successful business strategy.  We often challenge our clients by asking them how their senior executive team are supporting the Revenue Growth agenda.  Amongst the C –suite what is each person doing to leverage their positions and contacts. How many are attending Sales calls? Is there a documented metric for this? Is it tied to their incentive?

Sales Stack (or Sales Technology Stack)
There has been quite a lot written about Sales Tech over the past couple of years and as the industry continues its rapid growth, there is an increasing amount of product on the market now to choose from. In our experience, the articles either focus on particular (promoted) products or only cover part of the sales process. In this blog, we hope to provide a more general overview of the topic for both Sales and non- sales people alike.
 
What is it?
A Sales Stack is a collection of software tools (usually cloud based) that enable sales teams to spend less time on administrative tasks and more time selling by streamlining, organising, and automating the sales process. These products also cover analytics and reporting for Sales Managers who monitor the activity/productivity of the sales people they manage.
 
The number of tools used, can vary based on industry, the size of the sales team, and other factors, such as target audience. When done right, a sales tech stack helps the sales team find sales-qualified leads, automate tedious tasks, and track the most effective sales strategies so they can spend more time on revenue-generating tasks.
 
In essence, a Sales Stack lets sales people focus on selling instead of pushing paper.
 
Is our CRM part of the Sales Stack?
Yes a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) database is an essential piece of the sales stack.  The CRM is the single source of information about customers and leads/sales opportunities with those customers. Even though it is the most common of the sales tech tools it is also the one that most organisations struggle with in terms of making it work for them. Some CRMs have greater functionality enabling them to be used across many stages of the Sales process.
 
A good CRM requires customisation for it to be truly effective. That customisation though often comes at a cost and adds to the complexity for the user – hence the struggle.
 
The Four Pillars of Sales Stack that are used more than any others are;
 
1.CRM
2.Online Meetings
3.Lead List/database
4.E-Signatures
 
What other Sales Tech tools are there?
The list of available tool and categories is growing each year. At last count, there are currently over 1000 tools across over 50 different categories. It can be quite daunting when faced with so much choice however not all tools are applicable to all businesses as we mentioned above. (Eg., Automated Dialling platforms for companies with large outbound phone sales activity)
 
The available Sales Tech tools can roughly be grouped into the following broad categories;

• Lead Generation and Prospecting
• Engagement and Outreach
• Sales Enablement
• Analytics and Automation
• Documentation

 
Lead Generation and Prospecting
As the term suggests, the activities that drives what happens at the earliest stages of the Sales pipeline/Top-of–Funnel.   The process involves finding buyers that match your company’s Ideal Customer Profile with some level of pre-qualification.
Example Sales Tech Tools: LinkedIn Sales Navigator, Zoominfo .
 
Engagement and Outreach
Refers to the interactions and exchanges that occur between sales reps and their prospects/customers in order to build long-term relationships. It revolves around how they communicate, (phone, email, web conference, live chat), the frequency of that interaction and the substance. This is the area that sales tech can better support integration between the sales and marketing teams.
Example Sales Tech tools: Mailshake, Brainshark, Marketo
 
Sales Enablement
Sales Enablement is the process and tools that enable the sales force with the right content at the right time, to help engage and nurture the prospect through the buying journey.
Example Sales Tech Tools: Highspot, Seismic.
 
Analytics and Automation
Tools in this area are about analysing sales data and translating that into some kind of action.  For Sales Managers this could include tools that monitor individual and/or team sales performance (Sales Performance Dashboards) or tools that offer predictive or forecasting capability. The company’s existing CRM may also offer support in this area depending on the version purchased and/or customisation.
Sales teams however are more focused on areas such as customer satisfaction and target attainment and/or automating existing processes.
Example Sales Tech Tools:  Salesforce, Google Sheets, Zapier
 
Documentation
Creating proposal documentation that can be personalised, building contracts and getting documents signed and approved is all part of the day-to-day work of a sales team.
Example Sales Tech tools: Proposify, Hellosign

​How many tools should I have in my Sales Stack?
A recent study by the MillerHeiman group found that on average an organisation uses 10 tools and has plans to add around 4 more. In our view the best Sales Stacks are actually built around the Sales processes that the teams are already using. It is very important that before deciding to add more tools that you should confirm that they are capable of integration with your existing CRM.
 
Another way to look at this may be to use a framework that;

• Automates repetitive but necessary tasks.
• Accelerates the Sales Cycle.
• Assists the Sales Team in the buying Cycle
• Eliminates low value work

 
 
In Summary

• Sales Tech is an increasingly growing area with over 1000 products on the market today across 50 different categories.
• A Sales Stack should be built around the Sales Processes that teams are already using.
• Any Sales Tech tools should be able to integrate with your existing CRM which should be the foundation of your Stack
• Before purchasing additional tech investigate the functionality of your existing CRM and sales tools. Tools often have more than one use.
• Any Sales tool being considered should either increase value or decrease time. Preferably both.

 
 
Fifth Executive has not been paid by any of the companies mentioned in this blog and does not recommend or warrant any of their products. They are provided as examples only