Winning sales teams, even those from different industries, have one thing in common: They use a repeatable sales process. As a result, they’re consistent, they follow best practices, and they replicate the habits of their A-players.
The data backs this up. The Brooks Group’s research shows that sticking with a sales process correlates with success. Sales teams that don’t follow their sales process find it difficult to meet sales goals.
We surveyed 155 B2B sales leaders across multiple industries at organizations with revenue greater than $50M. Data from the Best Practices of High-Performing Sales Teams report shows:
- 95% of teams that met or exceeded revenue goals follow their sales process all or most of the time.
- Only 69% of underperforming teams follow their sales process.
In today’s competitive selling environment, having a consistent sales process is critical for driving revenue growth. Here’s why organizations that start following a sales process see remarkable performance improvements.
6 Top Benefits of a Sales Process
1. Drive Consistent Sales Performance
Without a defined process, sales professionals are left to their own ad hoc approaches, which can lead to inconsistent results. A proven methodology ensures everyone follows the same best practices for pipeline management, opportunity qualification, discovery, presenting, negotiating, and closing. This levels the playing field and makes sales cycles and revenue more predictable.
2. Increase Sales Effectiveness and Efficiency
An established sales process eliminates wasted time and effort by providing a roadmap for sellers to follow. They know exactly which selling activities to prioritize at each stage, allowing them to progress deals forward methodically. This results in higher velocity through the funnel and increased sales effectiveness.
3. Align the Entire Sales Team
When everyone follows the same overarching process, it promotes unity, communication, and collaboration across the sales force. Team members speak the same language, can strategize together more seamlessly, and can even hand off opportunities between each other smoothly if needed.
4. Provide Framework for Coaching and Accountability
With a defined sales process, sales leaders have a benchmark for evaluating performance, identifying skill gaps, and coaching them to improve adherence in areas such as discovery, presentations, or negotiating.
5. Accelerate New Hire Onboarding
Rather than colleagues passing along inconsistent advice or institutional knowledge, new hires get immersed in the company’s standard selling methodology and toolset from day one. This ramps them up to full productivity faster.
6. Improve Customer Experience
Customers appreciate a professional, consultative sales approach. Having a process centered on asking the right questions, truly understanding needs, and providing tailored solutions enhances the buying experience. This positions the salesperson as a trusted advisor rather than a one-time vendor.
Training a sales team on a repeatable sales process—and reinforcing the process with ongoing sales coaching—injects discipline, skill, and confidence into your selling approach.
Forecasts are more reliable, revenues more predictable, and customers more satisfied. It’s foundational to effective sales leadership.
Unlock Your Sales Team’s Full Revenue Potential
A sales training program will take the guesswork out of sales and equip your team to control the sales process from start to finish.
Whether you have a team of seasoned pros or new talent in need of guidance, IMPACT Selling® provides the foundation for consistent, high-performing sales teams.
Contact us to see how our award-winning sales process improves sales performance.
