Let’s start this conversation with a confession. I am one of the very few people who didn’t find David Letterman or his show… funny. Not sure why. I was, at the time, in the right age demographic, and my humor, as an adult male, is as juvenile as the rest of them. It just didn’t click. 

Having said that, Letterman did make something popular that the world seems to never get enough of: the ‘TOP TEN’ list. 

So as I set off to write a sales-oriented blog, I find myself using the Top Ten as a starting point. Let’s be clear from the outset: sales is about organization, consistency, and perseverance. There is no silver bullet, no shortcut, no magic phrase. It doesn’t exist, so get it out of your head.  

Below is my Top 10 list of questions I am going to ask any organization as I look to engage as a Fractional Leader. 

1. Do you understand, and can you articulate, ‘why’ your customers buy from you?
   Really, this is the starting point. How much do you truly understand about why your customer uses your product? Not the salesy stuff—the brass tacks. Do you facilitate their business? In what way? Have you put a value on that? Can you articulate that value to someone outside the industry in clear terms?

2. Do you have and use a CRM?
   It’s amazing how many business owners tell me they have one but don’t use it. You cannot… EVER… change what you do not measure. Period. Full stop.

3. Do you have a written sales process?
   This one is tricky for some. “Process” can be a scary word. Start with number one on your legal pad: What happens first? Who does it? When and how? What comes next? Is it dependent on anything?

4. Do you have a weekly sales meeting focused on activity?
   Seems like a no-brainer, right? Remember, salespeople can do extraordinary things, but they can also be the laziest group in your business. Hold them accountable in a fair way, and they will outperform your expectations.

5. Do you have a weekly sales/operations meeting?
   Think of this as the left and right hands knowing what the other is doing. Does operations understand the demand coming down the road from sales? Does sales need operational support? Are sales demands unreasonable?

6. Does any single customer make up more than 20% of your overall business?
   This is a huge business risk.

7. Have you segmented prospects/leads by sales channel?
   This is critical, depending on your industry and marketing sophistication. The sales message one channel needs to hear could be completely different from another. For instance, retail establishments are going to be concerned with product turn rates, supply chains, and, ultimately, cost. Wholesale/food service is going to focus on price, consistency of delivery, and capacity to grow or react.

8. Have you created written KPIs for activity, deal funnel, etc.?
   Using a CRM but not measuring key performance indicators (KPIs) is like working out without paying attention to how fast or far you’re running. Performance must be measured.

9. What role, if any, does marketing play in your sales efforts?
   Let me say this loud and clear for those in the cheap seats: sales is a function of marketing. Again, sales is a function of marketing. I probably need a whole post on this subject alone. I can definitively say that any organization I’ve engaged with as a turnaround professional or fractional sales leader has been deficient in this area.

10. How are you making targeting decisions? How does data (or lack of data) drive your efforts?
    CRM data is only as good as the discipline of the organization. The crux of this question is to find out how much thought leadership has put into its sales strategy and if that strategy is based on data or emotion. Often, it’s emotion: we want this or that segment of the market, or we want to be a leader over here, but our data says we should be over there. 

At this point, Letterman would throw his list over his shoulder and out the window. I hope that isn’t the case here. This list is by no means all-encompassing, but it is meant to start a conversation. If I’ve been successful, let’s chat: brent@wilksgrp.com.