Top 10 lists have to be the ultimate way to write for the web. This list is the result of a survey of sales professionals published at Customerthink.com.
- It is all about revenue
- Sales are working harder for the same or less return
- Dismal pipeline analysis/forecasting is demanding new accountability
- ”No decision” is more often the single biggest competitor
- Sales effectiveness is a key strategy for optimizing performance
- The quality of sales people is far higher than it was a few years ago.
- CSOs are reasserting themselves in their demands for activity and pipeline reporting and adherence to sales processes—improving process is gaining steam.
- The adoption of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) technology is again on the rise, though results of its use are mixed.
- The fourth part of the sales equation is becoming sales knowledge management. The idea of leveraging people, process, and technology has been bantered around for a decade or more now.
- The status quo is not an option. Selling like we did five or ten years ago will not meet the demands of the marketplace today.