How to Get Sales Operations Right in 2015

 

sales_opsIndustry experts are talking about Sales Operations. Kellogg’s School of Management Professor Emeritus, Andris A. Zoltners, says “sales operations or ‘sales ops’ has become widely accepted as essential for effective sales management.” Seattle-based agency Heinz Marketing says “Sales operations may very well be THE most important and unsung hero for sales teams.”

Why has sales ops become so critical in the eyes of so many?

Much of it lies in the growing importance of technology enablement. Sales teams today rely on many types of technology solutions to provide data analytics, mobile capabilities and lead management. Sales ops professionals are charged with spearheading and supporting these types of initiatives.

But that’s not where their responsibilities stop. They are still burdened with traditional operational tasks like reporting, contract support, and administrative functions. Their job description has become so varied that Zoltners astutely poses the question, “Can one person really handle all this?”

The obvious answer is no. So what to do? Sales ops managers must hire and develop a team of people with both varied and specialized skill sets. The jobs they do as well as their ultimate career paths will be fundamentally different. Managers should also look to outsourced resources to fill in missing competencies.

Ultimately, the key to keeping this diversely talented group in sync is leadership. Scott Shimamoto, Principals at ZS Associates, says, “The best sales ops teams have a clearly articulated mission statement.” Sales operations leaders must create a clear road map for success.

What should be included in that road map? For a great overview, we recommend Selling Power Magazine’s recent article, “Understanding the Role of Sales Operations“.

 

 

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Creating and Connecting the Dots with Brian Tracy

 

20141215_133131-1_resized_1On my way to have lunch with Brian Tracy, I took a moment to consider the conversation that would unfold. On one hand, I was about to sit down with one of the best known speaker-author-entrepreneurs in the world when it comes to optimizing human and organizational performance and results. On the other hand, it was also just a chance to sit down with a neighbor and friend whom I have known for over seven years.

Perspective

In the slim chance that you don’t know who Brian is, hit this link to learn more: http://www.briantracy.com/about. In short, Brian has worked in 80 countries and delivered his programs to over 5,000,000 million people in a 45 year career. He has authored 65 books that have been translated into many languages.

It was refreshing to hear Brian say that when it comes to sales, customer and buyer behavior is the same 80% of the time anywhere that he has worked or traveled. What is different, is the 20% of the equation that is attributed to cultural adaptation, languages and localization as buyers reflect the nuances of the areas in which they live.

Creating and Connecting the Dots

In our conversation, Brian referenced the speech that Steve Jobs delivered at the Stanford Commencement in 2005, saying that the key to success in business or in life is connecting the dots. The dots are the true opportunities that you pursue in your life, sometimes those that are off the beaten path of what “success” looks like. But before you connect the dots, you must be continually creating dots.

In that capacity, Brian is currently focused on a strategic planning program for organizations and individuals that he calls Idealization. This program takes into consideration all of the critical components that organizations and individuals must balance to account for family, careers, health and finances.

He is also working with business leaders throughout the world on Business Model Innovation, and has developed a nine-step process on how to stay ahead in business. The speed at which new technology is being introduced, coupled with the rapid globalization of commerce, both contribute to the demise of business models more quickly than ever before. To stay ahead, business leaders must innovate and Brian is addressing this need with his services.

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On the Road Again – Ringing in the New Year

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John is back in the new year with his first “On the Road Again” video of 2015. Here he is, literally on the road in his hometown of San Diego, CA, talking to us about what we have to look forward to in this month’s Flannery Sales Systems newsletter. Features include an interview with Brian Tracy, one of the world’s leading experts on personal and organizational performance and results, as well as an article on the growing importance of Sales Operations as sellers increase their reliance on technology to interact with today’s more sophisticated buyers.

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Meet Up with John in Australia

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I will be in Sydney, Australia next week as part of a global rollout out of the sales process implementation plan for one of our customers. If you are in or around the city or near Bondi and Manly beaches, come meet for coffee or a meal. We can discuss your priorities for 2015, and share ideas on what we see as critical for a fast start to the new year.

Email me if interested at john@drive-revenue.com. Good on ya!

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Flannery Sales Systems in Barcelona

 

ET_header_567x140Happy 2015! This year, John Flannery has been invited to lead a workshop as part of European Language Industry Association’s (ELIA) Expert Training event in Barcelona, Spain.

We hope you consider joining John for this exciting learning opportunity. The event will focus on business-critical topics such as sales, creativity and conflict management.

John’s workshop is entitled “How to Win Business from New and Existing Customers”, and in it, he will work with attendees to help them differentiate themselves through the conversations they have during the sales process.

For more about the ELIA expert training, take a look at their event page. We hope to see you in Barcelona!

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