Crunch Fitness’ Post

🔍 Fresh sales and GTM insights into how other companies in the tech space are performing in H2 2024 -- get ready for a wild ride! Salesforce's latest research, hot off the press from Q2 2024, brings together insights from over 5,000 sales professionals, companies, and executives. This isn’t just any data; it's a comprehensive snapshot of where we stand and where we're headed. 📈 Pipeline & Revenue Performance: - Enterprise segment: Despite aggressive goals, the market is at 60%-70% of pipe generation plans. - The Enterprise is at 85% of last year’s pace. - The average sales cycle has lengthened by 8%, now standing at 106 days, compared to 98 days in H2 2023. - The average pipeline velocity (the rate at which deals move through the sales pipeline) has slowed down by 5%, emphasizing the need for more efficient sales processes and stronger alignment between sales and marketing teams. - Strategic and Mid-Market segments: Holding the fort, performing better compared to the Enterprise. 📊 Conversion Rates: - The average win rate for sales teams in H2 2024 is hovering around 20.2%, a slight dip from 21.5% in H2 2023. While this might seem like a minor drop, it indicates a need for more effective sales strategies and better qualification processes. - Only 58% of sales reps are meeting their quotas, compared to 63% in the same period last year. This decline is raising eyebrows and forcing sales leaders to reevaluate their target-setting and performance management practices. 🌐 Strategic Shifts: - Simplifying prospecting processes. - Focusing on high-likelihood conversions. - Leveraging AI and automation for efficiency. The future might be unpredictable, but with the right strategies and a data-driven approach, we can navigate these choppy waters. https://lnkd.in/et-dRKPT #revops #sales #salesenablement #vpsales #CRO #salesops #salesoperations #saassales  #salesmanagement #revenuegrowth #salesstages #salesconsultant #salesconsulting #CFO #legalrequirements #secruityreview #dealdesk #salesforce #hubspot #finance #financeops #financeoperations #customersuccess #revenueoperations #ar #accountsreceivable #billing #customerbilling #salesenablement #worklifebalance #healthy #remotework #signals #map #signalbasedselling #salary #compensation #salescompensation #equalpay #peopleops #payrates #techsales #saassales #signalselling #signals #salesstrategy #salesleadership #vpsales #salesleadership #salesleader #salesteam #sellers #ae #salesrep #Sales #SalesStrategy #H2Insights #PipelineManagement #CustomerSuccess #DataDriven #SalesLeadership #MarketTrends

Unpacking the Value of a Sales Operations Specialist: Four Key Areas: A Sales Operations Specialist revolves around driving success in four primary areas: Strategy, Technology, Operations, and Performance (STOP). Here’s a deeper dive on how to add value in each category: 1. Strategy:   - Developing clear and effective methods to streamline the sales process and boost revenue.   - Initiating the process with strategic campaigns, engaging on social media, or attracting visitors through targeted content, such as YouTube videos.   - Managing inbound leads by nurturing them into opportunities, providing quotes, closing deals, and ensuring continuous support.   - Emphasizing the importance of a robust sales process to achieve goals through constant customer interaction and precise forecasting. 2. Technology:   - Leveraging advanced CRM features like Salesforce for better data management and customer insights.   - Utilizing comprehensive reports and dashboards to track progress and identify areas for improvement.   - Implementing integrations with various tools to create a seamless workflow across the sales, support, and marketing teams. 3. Operations:   - Facilitating collaboration among different teams through the integration of diverse tools.   - Ensuring all departments are aligned and working towards common goals, enhancing overall efficiency and effectiveness. 4. Performance:   - Gaining valuable insights into sales performance through detailed reports and dashboards.   - Using these insights to develop strategies that further improve sales and address any gaps in the process. By focusing on these four areas, a Sales Operations Specialist can significantly contribute to a company's success, ensuring that every step of the sales process is optimized for maximum efficiency and effectiveness. #SalesOperations #Strategy #Technology #Operations #Performance #CRM #Salesforce #CustomerEngagement #SalesStrategy #B2BSales #SalesExcellence

This post by one of the smartest in the revops landscape reminded me of a sales lesson I learned as a journalist - If you can't write it, you don't know it. Good sellers use the CRM like a journal, documenting facts, and updating it as they learn more and continually refine their understanding of their deal. Managers - if you're struggling with this, what doesn't work is the hard line "Do it because it's your job." That will work for a month or two, until you have to put your "I'm the boss" hat back on. Show reps how it makes them better. When you see discovery information isn't crisply articulated (or just not updated at all), instead of focusing on the lack of info - just interview the rep about the information. Their answer around the discovery information will typically be long-winded, vague, or revealing of some risk not otherwise discussed. Discipline w CRM means reps will realize for themselves this risk, without the manager interview. GenerativeAI is already doing an amazing job at auto-logging content to the CRM by automatically extracting topics. But even with access to this tech, I have no intention of phasing out rep expectations to update the CRM, because the point is to be in control of the information. If you can't write it, you don't know it.

CRM quality is a leading indicator for in the field sales performance. It might seem odd but some people genuinely do spend more time pretending they're working than actually working. I don't and never will understand where they get the energy but whatever... There is a period of time after a CRM has been deployed or a new person joins (and they have received appropriate instruction) that they are expected to just know and do their job. But all too often I've heard "they need more time, maybe you need to train them again". The last 20 x 1:1 sessions didn't seem to stick for more than a few weeks so why would it now? Sometimes some people just aren't fit for the role, and bending every single process and rule to make them fit doesn't work for the company. There is a line. And Admin isn't a dirty word or pointless activity. #salesops #crm #smebusiness

Salesforce provides a robust forecasting feature that empowers businesses to make informed decisions. Central to this functionality are "Forecast categories", which allow sales teams to classify and assess opportunities based on their likelihood to close. To read more please follow the link below. https://lnkd.in/gRE5x_up #salesforce #salesforcedevelopers #salesforcecommunity

↪ Why Database Management is Critical for B2B Sales Success ↩ In the fast-paced world of B2B sales, managing a comprehensive and up-to-date database is key to achieving success. A well-maintained database serves as the backbone of any sales operation, providing vital information and insights that empower sales teams to make informed decisions and close deals effectively. Here are reasons why effective database management is critical for B2B sales success: 1️⃣ Targeting Precision: A well-organized database helps sales teams target the right prospects by capturing accurate customer data. Personalization boosts engagement and increases conversion chances. 2️⃣ Efficient Lead Management: A managed database ensures no opportunities are missed. Sales teams can track leads, categorize them, and assign follow-ups, fostering collaboration and effective lead nurturing. 3️⃣ Data-Informed Decisions: Access to real-time, accurate sales data enables data-driven decisions, helping identify promising leads and optimize sales strategies. To ensure effective database management, consider the following best practices: ✅ Regularly update and clean your database.  ✅ Use automation tools for streamlined processes.  ✅ Do some training for data consistency.  ✅ Utilize analytics tools for useful insights.  ✅ Encourage collaboration between sales and marketing teams. Remember, your database is a valuable asset that can fuel your B2B sales success. By prioritizing effective database management, you can enhance your sales process, improve customer relationships, and drive revenue growth. #sales #insidesales #data #datacleaning #dataanalytics #dataanalysis #databasemanagement #databases

Who wants to do more admin? Any takers out there… Revenue leaders want to understand what causes deals to drop They want to better predict when a deal is at risk They want to understand their customers better So, they increase the number of data entry points in an opportunity or account in the CRM The more information they collect on closed lost reasons, pain points, stakeholders etc then the better equipped they will be to improve the buying journey Yet, I guarantee no sales rep has ever asked for there to be more admin tasks for them to do And it’s not down to laziness It’s because those admin tasks don’t create any tangible benefit to them. It’s just a time suck that takes away from their time to sell. We’re seeing more and more productivity tools that are removing such tasks for a rep, which is great But what’s really important is what is done with the data gathered Revenue leaders (sales, marketing and RevOps) need to be taking this information and translating it into tangible advice that helps reps focus their attention on: - Leads that will actually close - Activities that will progress an opportunity - Deals in pipe that are at risk You give a sales rep this level of information and suddenly the perceived value of keeping the CRM clean is changed entirely Just don’t expect too much data input Let them sell #crm #sales #data #infer

Efficiency within your salesforce is essential for winning valuable business and driving your organisation's top line. Without the correct tools to help guide your team to follow proper account and contact management processes, effective territory management and planning, execute lead management, set up successful pipeline management and nurture prospective tenders, how can you expect revenue to grow. In this case study, our Senior Consultant, Ben Jones, talks us through how he improved sales effectiveness and customer experience by rolling out an integrated enterprise CRM solution to a global medical device organisation. Read this one page case study to find out the key benefits in this particular case. ⬇️ To find out more about how Atlantic Cedar can help improve your sales effectiveness, click the link below. ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/e2ZYSBTj #atlanticcedar #saleseffectiveness #CRM #consulting #drivetopline

🚀 Enhancing Team Performance with Sales Tracking Do you agree?? Can you share your experience? 💬 📊 Importance of Sales Tracking: It lays the foundation for improved sales outcomes, offering insights into overall performance and customer trends. 🕒 Optimize Sales Cycles: Understand the length of sales cycles and streamline processes for better efficiency. 💡 Data-Driven Insights: Use sales data to analyze and refine sales strategies and training. 🎯 Set Goals & Track KPIs: Focus on metrics that align with your business objectives. 📈 Define Sales Process: Map out each phase from lead to sale to optimize the customer journey. ⚙️ CRM Integration: Centralize data with a CRM for comprehensive analysis and informed decisions. 🛠️ Customization: Tailor tracking to fit industry-specific goals and market dynamics. 🚀 Transform Data into Actions: Regularly review metrics to refine approaches and boost efficiency. 🤝 Cross-Team Insights: Share findings across departments to align and enhance overall strategies. I'm a SalesBlazer ⚡ and a dedicated Sales Operations professional committed to achieving sales excellence 🏆 . Join me every week on LinkedIn, where I share insights and experiences about my passion for sales. 🌐 #SalesProspecting #salesoperations #Salesstrategy #CRM #Sales #Salessuccess Source (photo): Salesforce