Thursday, February 19, 2009

Sales Pipeline And Sales Performance Management Tips

By Kathy Scottman

Sales pipeline management is vital to business success. Your sales pipeline should include goals and metrics, including pipeline ratio, sales orders and conversions, cancelled order count, a list of active and inactive customers, etc. Without a clear sales plan, your team simply won't be successful. Prospects will fall through the cracks, team members will fail to meet their goals, and you will find yourself at the end of your rope.

The sales funnel also known and the sales pipeline, a metaphor that is commonly used because it effectively illustrates the fact that many unqualified prospects drop off during the different stages of the sales process. You've undoubtedly encountered this metaphor before in your sales training, and have probably also heard others stress the importance of tracking your sales pipeline for the above reasons and for many others as well. Once the sales process is determined and their is history it is just a matter of calculating the numbers to help estimate sales from the pipeline. Of course, this is a task that is often easier said then done, but the good news is that there are tools that exist that can help you.

The sales pipeline is one of the best items to help forecast future sales, and management of the pipeline is vital to business success. When measuring your sales pipeline you should include goals and metrics, including pipeline ratio, sales orders and conversions, canceled order count, a list of active and inactive customers, etc. Without a clear sales plan and forecast, your team and company simply won't be successful. Prospects will fall through the cracks, team members will fail to meet their goals, and you will find yourself at the end of your rope.

Sales pipeline management software is designed to help you manage your sales team and your sales pipeline effectively by creating a visible, rather than metaphorical pipeline and providing real time tips to help you prioritize. Some sales management pipeline software can also generate reports comparing the types of leads generated over a specified period. Having all of the information in front of you in an easy-to-read format will help you to visualize your goals and create a more effective sales team.

Being receptive to new ideas is one of the character traits that distinguish a great sales person from a lackluster one. You should never be afraid to try new methods to improve your sales process. Remember, the best sales approach for someone else is not necessarily the best one for you and vice versa. - 2364

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