Only
63% of sales reps met quota in 2012, according to the 19th annual CSO Insights
Sales Performance Optimization study.
Almost
50% the surveyed firms reported that improving lead generation is their top
initiative.
Unfortunately,
many marketing departments focus simply on providing leads…any lead regardless
of how qualified they may be. Their success metrics are based on how many leads
they can generate per month. But this is the wrong metric. Anyone who has attended effective inside sales training will tell you that the number of leads
that actually convert into real sales is what counts.
To
increase the percent of your sales reps that meet or exceed quota, start by:
- Identifying your target clients in terms of geography, size, industry, title, situation and pain points.
- Determining which leads turn into qualified opportunities. Sales and marketing needs to look beyond the current campaign and the month-by-month lead numbers they deliver to sales. They should be watching leads all the way through to successful sales and refine their messaging to attract leads that fit your company’s target market and strengths.
- Taking a look at the pipeline together. What deals do you expect to close and how could a campaign be altered to help close more? Look ahead at future selling periods and tweak messaging to support sales efforts.
