The sales systems in 70% of SMEs in France deserve to be modernized. It is observed that 70% of customers prefer remote or self-service interactions. To overcome this problem, companies will have to implement various solutions by modernizing them in their sales organizations. 

Key step 1: Define a clear business strategy

Since the Tapie era, the role of the sales director has changed enormously. At that time, sales directors were considered sergeants, in the logic of enforcing defined elements. In 2022, this role is over. The number of actors and parameters has increased, a sales director will be considered as a conductor nowadays than an officer who enforces a defined policy. 4 components have changed significantly: customer segmentation and the level of response to the offer, variable resources, acquisition and interaction channels as well as the roles on the customer cycle. There is therefore a real evolution to take into account all the components as well as an evolution of the role of the manager.

2nd key: Develop and manage teams

To develop and manage your teams, you need to know how to coach them well. Everyone needs a coach, even the best. There are 3 types of field support in a sales organization. First, there's coaching to integrate a new employee and show them how to progress, coaching to help an employee progress, and finally, coaching to help an employee succeed with a project. The time allocated for coaching by a manager should represent 70% of their monthly time to develop their teams.

3rd key: Generate leads

How to generate leads in 2022? The usual methods work, but new ones exist. You should spend 20% of your time exploring and testing new components to generate leads. It is therefore necessary to define the areas of exploration by analyzing the pipeline and focus on the areas that work best. Collaboration between the marketing and sales departments must take place in order to generate and convert leads. 

4th key: Convert leads

To properly convert leads, you need a sales organization with clearly defined roles. You need to evolve the shape of your pipeline: sort and maximize! Working on the GO / NO GO will allow you to achieve your objectives. If the percentage of deals that are stopped is minimal, then the GO / NO GO process does not allow for real decisions to be made. 

5th key: Structuring information and providing support 

To structure your information and support your sales organization, you must first have a multi-channel process. This process is accompanied by continuous digital interaction: LinkedIn, Email, webinars, groups, blogs, etc. A CRM is also an essential tool for proper information structuring. One problem: the CRM is not directly linked to the tool; you need to know how to enrich it and get it running. However, 43% of companies observe a lack of investment from managers, and 65% of sales organizations admit that information is poorly entered by its users. Therefore, choosing and using a CRM requires careful consideration beforehand to maximize its use. To structure your sales organization, you can also use sales enablers, which are very relevant depending on the actions you want to implement.

6th key: Offer a unique customer experience 

Customer experience is a key point; the customer uses all their senses to be able to live a unique experience. 3 points should be taken into account: the personae, the journey, and the expectations and needs.