The Chief Sales Leader Framework™

A methodology used by sales teams to execute with precision – – effectively, efficiently & predictably

We Use The Chief Sales Leader Framework™

To make it easy for you to understand and manage the three (3) strategic and twelve (12) operating sales processes that enable a sales team to execute with precision – – effectively, efficiently, and predictably

The Genesis of The Chief Sales Leader Framework™

For nearly 30-years we searched for a management solution for building sustainable revenue growth year-after-year.  We found a framework in an unlikely place – – a college textbook that had set on my bookshelf for 30-years – – The Principles of Strategic Management.

The basic concept is that for a company, and its leaders, to achieve success year-after-year they need to proactively manage three strategic processes and twelve operating processes:

  1. Strategy – forecasting, planning, organization structure, and culture
  2. Execution – process, people, technology, and information
  3. Evaluation – tracking, analyzing, reporting, and process improvement
If the Principles of Strategic Management are the foundation for building company success shouldn’t the sales profession – – Chief Sales Executives, Sales Managers, and Salespeople – – use them to achieve revenue growth success year-after-year?

Part 1 – Formulate Sales Strategy

Sales Pipeline Funnel

 Sales Forecasting

  1. Revenue forecast including recurring/renewals and new customer acquisition
  2. Sales pipeline activity forecast
  3. Sales productivity forecast
  4. Sales staffing forecast
  5. Selling expense forecast

Sales Planning

  1. Market/Industry plans
  2. Product and Service plans
  3. Pricing plans
  4. Customer plans
  5. Competitor plans
  6. Staffing plan
  7. Facilitating management plan
  8. Computer hardware plan
  9. Fleet management plan
Sales Planning

Sales Organization Structure

  1. Sales channel structure
  2. Job structure and descriptions
  3. Sub-department structure
  4. Sales territory design
  5. Management span of control
  6. Decision-making authority

Sales Culture

  1. Alignment with company values and purpose
  2. Behaviors, beliefs, and assumptions
  3. Company history understanding
  4. Office environment
  5. Camaraderie
  6. Celebrations
  7. Community involvement
  8. Decision-making consistency
  9. Communication
  10. Commitment

Part 2 – Execute Sales Strategy

Sales Procedures

  1. New Customer Acquisition
  2. Renewing Customers
  3. Cross-Selling and Up-Selling
  4. Winning Back Past Customers
  5. Customer Service
  6. Channel Partner Sales

Sales Technology

  1. CRM system
  2. Marketing automation
  3. Customer service system
  4. Phone and auto-dialer systems
  5. Sales presentation library
  6. Knowledge management systems
  7. Productivity software
  8. Project management software
  9. Sales territory mapping
  10. Sales analysis and reporting software
  11. Human resource information system (HRIS)

Sales Content & Presentations

  1. Awareness building content i.e. blogs, white papers, checklists, etc.
  2. Evaluation content i.e. case studies, data sheets, comparisons, etc.
  3. Company information i.e. brochures, website
  4. Product and service demonstrations, FAQs, etc.
  5. Pricing and proposals
  6. Promotional materials
  7. Contracts, terms, and conditions
  8. Customer service information

Sales Management Procedures

  1. Hiring the right salespeople and managers
  2. Onboarding new salespeople and partners
  3. Coaching salespeople and managers
  4. Compensating, rewarding, and recognizing
  5. Evaluating performance
  6. Selling skill training
  7. Product, service and pricing training
  8. Succession planning

Part 3 – Evaluate Sales Strategy Execution

Sales Measurement

  1. Metrics tracked and definitions
  2. Performance goals and benchmarks
  3. Database structure for tracking
  4. Data recording
  5. Automation for tracking sales data

Sales Analysis

  1. Sales data storage and feeds
  2. Cleaning sales data
  3. Hypothesis testing
  4. Gap analysis
  5. Recommendation development

Sales Reporting

  1. Data gathering for reports
  2. Report preparation
  3. Presentation of report
  4. Meeting management

Sales Process Improvement

  1. Problem-solving facilitation
  2. Improvement prioritization
  3. Action planning for improvements
  4. Reporting on improvements
  5. Improvement meeting management