November 2006
Dashboard: The Missing Link to a No-Excuse™ Sales Culture
If you don’t know the mileage on your dashboard at the beginning of a trip, you won’t know
how far you’ve traveled … or how much further you have to go. And, if you need more time
to reach your destination, how will you adjust the rest of your travel plans?
The dashboard has become a metaphor for measurement in the world of sales. Think of it like
this: destination=goal; travel time=sales cycle; additional time required=shortfall; and
plan=itinerary. As a set of defined metrics that assesses sales performance against plan,
the dashboard is the most critical element of a No-Excuse™ Sales Culture.
With accountability as the cornerstone of a No-Excuse™ Sales Culture, how can sales people
be held accountable without measurement standards? And if not held accountable, how
does a sales force generate predictable revenue to meet goals?
In a perfect world—where all sales people are equally excellent, skillfully coached and self-
motivated—maybe. But, in our real world, no way. Learn how to identify and correct
accountability issues and create a No-Excuse Sales Culture. Find out how one local company
used dashboard measurements to break through its revenue ceiling – see SGS helps EPCO
on our Articles page.
Activity-based metrics also help determine coaching needs. (See “Coaching for Dollars” on
our Articles page.) They indicate where on the route the sales person is faltering:
* dial conversion to conversation with decision-maker
* conversation conversion to appointment
* appointment conversion to proposal
* proposal conversion to revenue
If any of these areas pale against goal, then the stumbling blocks that need help become
apparent.
The easiest way to keep tabs on metrics is with an automated tracking system, widely
known as CRM. Don’t gasp. While a good number of CRM implementations have not met
expectations, they can be revitalized or successfully implemented by customizing them to fit
the organization’s culture/sales environment. CRM solutions need to be embedded into
business processes to foster adoption and consistent use. For examples of successful
implementations, visit Home Reside Buss and
http://www.ds6.net/article.php.
If you’re thinking for investing in a new CRM system, visit One Bundle.
And, if you’re frustrated because you aren’t getting the value out of your CRM system
or you’d like to learn about how to use it to help you create a No Excuse Sales Culture in
2007, call me.
