Delivering Sales Velocity in Today's Market

Summary: Commercial productivity has been steadily declining, and it’s not simply a result of macroeconomic conditions. Consensus requirements have never been higher and buying behaviors have never been more conservative. Most sellers are not equipped for it. This is the stark reality that underlies today’s commercial environment, and it undercuts hopes that deal velocity will accelerate when market conditions stabilize. The upshot is that some sellers are seeing continued success, and the conditions driving their success are transferable. The bad news is that most sellers and sales managers are taking the wrong approach.

The typical seller has no shortage of tools and guidance available to them. But our experience finds that they’ll rely on tested approaches that have been successful for them, whether that’s the result of guidance from their direct manager or strict adherence to a leadership-endorsed sales playbook. Regardless of the source, repetition and habit are the bedrock of a seller’s ability to manage a territory and pipeline that might otherwise feel unmanageable. Our research has uncovered four distinct sales approaches:

1. The Narrowing approach involves driving buyer urgency.
2. The Provoking approach involves driving reconsideration.
3. The Translating approach involves gaining buyer acceptance.
4. The Anticipating approach involves maintaining momentum.
   

Download resource

Alongside an analysis on the findings of our 2023 Seller Skills Survey, which can be found in the above link, we are also publishing a companion PPT deck that highlights the insights we uncovered.