Changing your sales model

We often work with companies to help them change their sales model, usually the desired direction is moving from a transactional model, to a consultative one.

If this is on your current agenda, here are four things to consider:

1. It usually takes longer than expected. Depending on the size and geographical span of your salesforce, two years is a normal timeframe.
2. There is no “silver bullet”. More a question of working with people and processes. Not one single action will deliver in isolation.
3. You can’t hire your way to the desired sales model (though some hiring may be required). It takes a long time to get new sellers up to speed, by which time they have usually adopted the existing model. If you want new hires to be the agents of change, you’ll need to support them throughout.
4. Perhaps most importantly, you can’t improve sellers without also improving sales management. Sales management is a key leverage point because of its role in aligning sales activity with strategic direction. If your existing sales management has been promoted through the ranks of your salesforce, you may find that their natural selling style (and the model that they coach to) reflects the one that you are trying to move away from.

Well, no one said it was going to be easy!