There are two reasons you might need a transformation in sales. The first is that you are not meeting your sales goals. Even though this is the most common reason a transformation is necessary, most sales leaders will try to make a small number of changes that are unlikely to produce better results.
The second reason you might transform your sales force is because how you sell hasn’t changed in a decade or longer. When your sales approach no longer creates value for your clients, you need to adopt a new sales methodology to get better results.
Preparing to Burn the Boats
Much of the time, you can address sales problems without having to transform your sales force. When you have a problem that can be improved by making a few changes or by addressing only a few salespeople, you may not need a transformation. But if you need a transformation, you must make several significant changes, including some that will be unpopular.
What can be difficult at the beginning of a sales transformation is that some part of your sales force will believe they should not have to participate. Despite this, a transformation requires everyone to change. If you allow two people to opt out, in less than 24 hours, that number will multiply. Once you start, everyone must be all in. You can’t make exceptions.
The risk with a transformation is that members of your sales team may decide to leave your team. Those members, however, would not have contributed to the transformation. You are often better off replacing them with new salespeople who will support your sales force’s transformation.
Avoiding the Risks of a Sales Transformation
There are several threats to your transformation, starting with managerial will. Managerial will means you will refuse to allow anyone to wait you out (someone will definitely try) or disrupt your transformation.
A more difficult challenge comes from the strong pull of habit. When your team has done something the same way for a long time, it can be difficult for them to make the behavioral changes necessary to truly transform and reach the better results you need. When there are no behavioral changes, you and your sales force will not increase sales effectiveness, which is the heart of a transformation.
During a transformation, you don’t want to do anything else. Your sales transformation will struggle if you decide to install a new CRM or tackle some other initiative. Limit your change to the transformation, and worry about what comes next only after you complete it.
A Few Rules for Sales Leaders Transforming Their Teams
Most sales leaders who want to pursue a transformation will need to follow the first rule: You go first. If you don’t change, your team may follow your lead. You must make changes in how you engage and communicate with your sales force. If sales leaders and sales managers are not participating in the transformation, including in the training, exercises, role-plays and any other important change their teams will need to make.
You would also do well to spend a great deal of time supporting change. You improve your odds of success if you explain why the transformation is important and what it will mean to the sales force, the company, and your clients. You will need to answer the question as to why the change is necessary many times and every time it is asked or challenged.
To help your team succeed, you will almost certainly have to install new beliefs. When a person has sold the same way with some success, it can be difficult for them to believe they should change.
In my experience with major transformations, it can be difficult to adopt a new belief. In one major transformation, the sales force had trouble believing they would do better by starting a conversation with an executive briefing instead of a presentation about their company, clients, and solutions. Eventually, as more sales managers required the briefing approach, they increased their sales effectiveness and the better results followed.
Focus on Progress
Some team members will change faster than others. While one person may have adopted the behavioral changes and new beliefs, others may not be at the same place. You are not looking for perfection in a sales transformation; you are looking for progress.
A transformation takes time. To succeed, you need to give your sales reps the time they need to make the changes that will lead to better results. It’s also important not to end the transformation before you have the results you need.
A Few Words about Methodologies
For many sales organizations, the most important transformation replaces a legacy approach with a modern sales approach that is built on creating value in the sales conversation. The changes in buyer behaviors require new methodologies and sales strategies. Those who believe nothing has changed have fallen behind and are losing to competitors who use a more effective sales methodology. If you haven’t made this shift, you will benefit from a transformation.
Revolutionize Your Sales Team: A Leader’s Guide to Transformation
Many sales organizations need to transform their sales force to find the improvement they need. Some must make major changes that can be difficult to manage, but if what you are doing now is not working, then you must act and make the changes that ensure you produce your results.
For more on sales transformations, see Leading Growth: The Proven Formula for Consistently Increasing Revenue. This book is a manual for sales leaders and sales managers who want to improve their ability to generate net new revenue. If you need help with a transformation from legacy to modern, you can contact us here.
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