Sales - sales force effectiveness ken wilson

Wmg logo

P.O. Box 859

Wayzata, MN 55391-0859

Phone: 763.476.2216

FAX: 763.475.8275

Email: contact@wmg-mn.com

Web: wmg-mn.com

How Effective is your Sales and Marketing Organization

- A Self Assessment -

	Segment Definition and Targeting	Rate your company on a scale from: 5 (strong) to 1 (weak)
1.	Customer segments are identified and clearly defined and profiled.
2.	Customer segments are prioritized for revenue potential.
3.	Customer segments are prioritized for sales coverage.
4.	We understand how customers want to buy and their key buying criteria.
5.	We know our current revenue for each segment.
6.	We know the revenue potential for each segment.
	Subtotal (30 pts. max)

	Sales Strategy
1.	We know the percent of our revenue we retain from accounts year-to-year.
2.	We know what percent of our growth comes from existing customers.
3.	We know what percent of our sales come from new account growth.
4.	We can identify the components of growth by customer segment.
5.	Action plans are in place to meet sales objectives within target segments.
6.	We use Key Account Plans for major accounts.
	Subtotal (30 pts. max)

	Channel Design and Selection
1.	The channels that provide the best access to our target segments are identified.
2.	We regularly review each channel’s ROIs and the respective channel strategy.
3.	Metrics and tools are in place to measure ongoing channel performance on a regular basis.
4.	Rules of engagement for channel members are clear and conflict is minimal.
5.	A strong correlation exists between compensation to channel partners and their value-add.
	Subtotal (25 pts. max)

	Organization
1.	Our sales and service coverage matches our business and marketing strategy.
2.	We align the appropriate direct sales resource with the appropriate accounts and target segments.
3.	Sales, service, and marketing jobs are clearly defined and understood.
4.	We understand each job’s role as to customer access, persuasion, and fulfillment.
5.	Our reporting structure makes sense.
	Subtotal (25 pts. max)

	Resource Utilization
1.	We have deployed sales resources to optimally cover each markets potential.
2.	Sales management has tools to determine headcount based on existing and prospect accounts.
3.	We generally have the right resource working on the right opportunity.
	Subtotal (15 pts. max)

	Performance Metrics and Tools
1.	We employ a set of tools to track performance to sales plan.
2.	Our performance metrics provide accurate and useful information.
3.	We can distinguish our growth components between existing business and new business.
4.	Sales rep sales time vs. non-sales time is measured.
	Subtotal (20 pts. max)

	Goals and Compensation
1.	Sales goals are established based on top-down business goals and bottoms-up customer revenue opportunity.
2.	Sales managers do a good job in setting sales representative’s quota.
3.	70% of sales representatives exceed quota annually.
4.	Our compensation plan is directing sales reps to our desired behaviors.
5.	Our compensation plans support our business objectives and sales strategy.
	Subtotal (25 pts. max)

	Employee Management
1.	We consistently attract the top sales talent in our industry.
2.	Sales management is satisfied with recruiting efforts across the organization.
3.	Sales management has a more influential recruiting role than HR.
4.	We provide a clear an attractive career path for our sales representatives.
5.	We identify staffing challenges early in a person's career.
6.	Our training programs provide the appropriate mix of standardization and customization sales and product training based on the needs of individual sales representatives.
	Subtotal (30 pts. max)

	Grand Total (200 points)

If your Grand Total is

Over 175 points             - you have an effective marketing and sales organization

Between 150 and 174     - there are areas that can be improved

Less than 150                 - your have a problem with your marketing and sales

About the Author

Ken Wilson, founder and CEO of Wilson Marketing Group Inc., has over 31 years of practical consulting experience in business-to-business management and marketing. member of the Institute of Management Consultants, Ken has earned the prestigious CMC (Certified Management Consultant) designation, a globally recognized certification of professional achievement. Prior to founding the firm, Ken held executive positions with Honeywell, IBM and Nortel. He has also been a member of the adjunct faculty at the Graduate School of Business at the University of St. Thomas for over two decades, teaching courses in strategy, product management, and marketing, and has lectured on planning and strategy at the University of Minnesota, Carlson School of Management. Ken has written numerous articles on planning, strategy and marketing and has authored two books: Strategic Marketing Planning and Product Marketing Management. Ken has a Bachelor of Science degree in business from the University of Minnesota and an M.B.A. from Queens University.

For more information on improving your marketing and sales, contact us:

Wilson Marketing Group, Inc.

P.O. Box 859

Wayzata, MN 55391-0859

763.476.2216

Ken@wmg-mn.com