Has your business tried some of the most popular approaches to improving sales, only to keep hitting a brick wall? This can be incredibly frustrating, but solutions that serve one business well may not make sense for another company. Learning about the competition, innovating, cultivating value and marketing can only go so far. When your company’s efforts to improve sales do not get you the results you want, it may be time to enlist the help of a sales consulting firm. That doesn’t mean you’ve failed – it means you’re ready for your company to be the best it can be.
What Is A Sales Consulting Firm?
Some people think of sales consulting as being like getting therapy – you may be well aware of what is wrong in your organization, but you need some help seeing the forest for the trees, so to speak. In fact, many companies cite the desire for a fresh perspective as their main reason for taking this route.
A sales consulting firm can help you optimize your sales strategy for more profitable growth. A big part of this for many companies involves creating a sales roadmap that each member of your sales team can follow to raise their chances of success, giving everyone a clear plan of action to follow. Consultants will guide and support your business’s sales organization through all aspects of sales performance, using their skills and experience to suggest specific improvements that are likely to have a big impact.
Although many of their clients are companies that are not meeting their sales goals for various reasons, businesses that are performing well but want to grow to the next level also hire consultants.
Consultants use approaches such as live deal coaching sessions to demonstrate best practices and help salespeople develop their own coaching skills. Instructor-led and online training with live and simulated opportunities might also form part of the program. They can also take a look at your company’s sales culture and ensure it reflects your organization’s values.
According to Salesforce, sales professionals spend only 34 percent of their time selling as they get caught up in tasks that take them away from customers, such as data entry and quote generation. This means there is a lot of room for improvement when it comes to using salespeople’s time efficiently.
What To Look For When Hiring A Sales Consulting Firm
Once you’ve decided you’re ready to see what a sales consulting firm can do for you, you will be faced with yet another decision: which firm to choose. A sales consulting firm should be able to demonstrate a proven approach, but a strong track record is only part of the equation. The firm you choose should tailor its solutions to meet the needs of your specific business and industry.
Here is a look at some of the most important factors to consider when hiring a sales consulting firm.
Experience With Companies In Your Industry
Salespeople across different industries deal with different challenges and pressures. A sales consulting firm that has experience in your industry will have the knowledge needed to meet these unique challenges, and as an added bonus, they will also be aware of the approaches being used by your competition. Having experience across a broad range of other industries as well can provide even greater insight into strategies that get positive results.
Ability To Adapt Their Sales Consulting Solutions To Your Unique Industry
Sales training is not a one-size-fits-all undertaking. The basic tenets underlying sales training may be universal, but sales consulting solutions that are tailored to address the specific problems your business is experiencing while bolstering your existing strengths are far more effective.
Range Of Available Sales Consulting Services
The services that sales consultants can provide extend far beyond training, so it is wise to choose a firm that offers a holistic approach with a wide range of services. Some of the areas of expertise a good consulting firm will offer include sales aptitude testing, new business captures and sales compensation planning. Although training is very helpful, addressing the root causes of any shortcomings in your business can help make changes far more effective.
Their Use Of The ADDIE Model
The ADDIE model of instructional design is an effective approach for improving sales performance. It is a proven method for designing effective training programs. ADDIE is an acronym for the five stages in this methodology: Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation and Evaluation. Let’s take a look at each one.
- Analysis: In the Analysis stage, sales consultants will meet with sales management to analyze your sales team’s needs and requirements and see how well your sales process aligns with your goals.
- Design: In the Design stage, the sales consultants will design the structure, strategy and duration of the sales training course with your corporate culture in mind.
- Development: The Development stage sees this course come to life. In this stage, the presentation deck for sales training is completed and submitted for your review and approval.
- Implementation: In Implementation, the sales training is delivered to your sales team in a dynamic way that ensures participants can start applying what they’ve learned to their sales efforts right away.
- Evaluation: This is followed by Evaluation at set intervals to evaluate the efficacy of the training and ensure your salespeople are actually implementing what they learned.
Reach Out To An Experienced Sales Consulting Firm
Improving your company’s sales approach in a way that gets positive results is always worthwhile, and the expertise provided by sales consultants can be extremely valuable. The fresh perspective a sales consulting firm provides can help you identify weaker spots that those within your organization might have missed, so reach out to the experienced sales consulting firm at RCG Workgroup.
