Are You Selling With One Hand Tied Behind Your Back?

Are you one of those unfortunate salespeople who is told to go out and sell, sell, sell - but with limited resources, support or tools? Do you ever find yourself having to apologize for late deliveries, poor quality products, lousy customer service or stagnant products? How about products that just plain miss the mark with your customers?

If that's the case, you need to understand that, unfortunately, you're not alone. I was recently consulting with a sales organization whose salespeople are never consulted on new product design, marketing strategies, sales aid development or anything else. When I asked one product manager how important sales force input was into projections, plans and products, his response was a straightforward, "minimal."

Instead, he relies on focus groups (a tested, proven tool that is being seriously questioned), data, demographics and statistics. I was sure glad he never has to get in front of live prospects!

The sales focus' morale? You guessed it. Very low and rapidly heading further south. Maybe not as far south as the Triad - but still heading south just the same! So are profits, stock value, market share and long term viability.

I'm going to suggest that sales forces do not (or at least, should not) exist in a vacuum. Successful selling requires active participation, cooperation and coordination from research and development, new product design, marketing, product management, customer service, sales management and finance.

This coordination is essential to guarantee that products or services are properly conceived, correctly designed, artfully crafted, brought to market in a timely manner, promoted, priced, serviced and supported.

All too often, salespeople have products dumped on them with little or no input into any of these issues, and are expected to "just go out and sell." Too little...too late. And it just doesn't work.

Clearly, products must not only be designed in ways that address customer needs but must also be in line with:

• Corporate or organizational strategy
• Marketplace demands
• Prevalent pricing guidelines
• Acceptable quality levels
• Competitive dynamics

Always remember this - simply because a product is released doesn't mean it's really ready for "prime time." It also doesn't mean that everyone "behind the scenes" - research, design, management, marketing, etc. - supports the product's success. Unfortunately, we all live or work in organizations that are driven by the dynamics of human interaction.  Personal agendas, business agendas and corporate politics still abound.

Bottom line - how do you handle this reality? What do you do to ensure you are hitting the streets with the full arsenal at your disposal?

Let's take a look at 3 specific strategies you can implement:

• Work hard at aligning yourself with your customer. But remember, there are both internal and external customers. Marketing people need to service sales...sales needs to service marketing - customer service needs to service customers - but also provide feedback to sales, delivery and operations to provide accurate data related to how products and personnel are performing in the marketplace.  
• Don't exist in a vacuum. Destroy silos that pop up between departments. Eliminate power plays, political games and pompous self indulgence.
• Build an organization that solicits information from people who regularly see, hear and work with your customers. Solicit their input and then design strategies that come from where the "tire hits the road"...not where it "hits the clouds."

Remember, there are lots of issues that come to play when a product or service is sold. These issues are generally colored by a person's own, personal agenda. But the big thing to remember? You guessed it...worry more about how everyone can serve customers - inside and outside of your organization - and you will be far better served. So will your customers.