Hey there, I am back! As a Sales Dino i have experienced a problematic shift over the last 15 years in Enterprise selling. As large tech firms promised more and more gowth to the market, the growth models became very much based on a model which has been called the ‘numbers-Game’. It is a methodology purely based on a top down model which starts with an aspiration; X % growth means X ARR(ACV) growth, means X Sellers with X quota based on a sales effectiveness benchmark of X.
In order to support these models technology and KPI’s where created in order to drive mostly activities.
All of this seemed to work as SAAS, PAAS and AI where creating a ‘Pull’ in the market. Now that these new innovations are becoming common, the sales community is left with AE’s which can generate activities and Sales Leadership which can Manage on these activities and KPI’s.
My question now is…
- Is 3.5X coverage to quota the magic number to get to quota, or is this based on a realtity which does not exsist anymore?
- Does X HVA’s still give you Y new leads and opportunities, or is this based purely on a reality which does not exsist anymore?
What does these KPI’s mean anyway, if you do not truly understand your customer?
In my opinion (and this is tricky to say these days) you will find that there are some older (45+ years) sellers which are killing it, and a lot of younger sellers strugling. This has nothing to do with age, this has to de with the period in which you where educucated on what Enterprise Sales truly entails.
Why don’t we acknowledge we took a wrong turn somewhere and have the oldies help the younger generation about strategic selling. Making them understand that after the pre-requesites (follow the money, find the propensity to buy and the right stakeholders), you need to understand the people’s landscape you are entering. What are the formal lines of communication and decisions, but more important, what are the informal lines? who likes who, who resents who, who is a climber who is a consolidator?
When are we going to see true selling return ?