What are high-value sales behaviours?

Sales success is driven by performing the right sales behaviours at the right time. Unfortunately, these are hard to monitor and CRM systems alone are unable to track or drive them. All they can do is record simple sales activity like, for example, logging when an email is sent.

However, tracing volume of activity is not enough to predict or influence meaningful sales outcomes. Having visibility into high-value sales behaviours is.

In the CRM world a ‘sales activity’ translates as the recording of a simple action undertaken by a rep, no matter of the actual benefit on the final outcome.

So, for example, placing 80 sales calls in a day would be considered a positive achievement. Even if 70% of those calls ended up being conversations with answering machines.

On the other hand, a sales behaviour takes into account more meaningful elements like cadence, intent and sequence. Providing a clearer indication of the impact on our targets.

For example, focusing on behaviours can tell us, of those 80 calls our rep made, which lasted for more than 10 minutes? And did they manage to speak to a C-Level? Was the call relevant to an opportunity closing this quarter?

These are the sort of high-value sales behaviours that drive success. And if we can track them, we can motivate more of them.

Gain better visibility into the intricate behaviours surrounding your sales process with CloudApps. Below, we show you the level of insight you could get from each stage.

***Please note that this is a purely fictitious sales process. The CloudApps solution is flexible and easy to modify to match your unique requirements.

Stage 1: Research and planning
(in this stage we are looking to perform basic account research and preparation)

Some of the high-value sales behaviours you might expect to see at this stage include:

• Account research completed (on prospective buyer’s company, industry, competitors)
• Stakeholder mapping in progress
• Lead review and assessment

Stage 2: Identify and qualify
(we are seeking to perform lead generation and qualification during this stage)

Some of the high-value sales behaviours you might expect to see at this stage include:

• Lead qualified by sales (SQL)
• Initial competitor analysis completed
• SWOT analysis conducted
• Buyer mapping in process
• Selling strategy/plan developed
• Opportunity vetted with key internal stakeholders (Finance/Legal)
• Go/no-go decision made
• Initial contact made with the buyer’s organisation

Stage 3: Needs Assessment
(at this point we are into opportunity profiling and assessment)

Some of the high-value sales behaviours you might expect to see at this stage include:

• Decision makers and roles identified
• Stakeholder mapping
• Revised sales strategy and plan
• Budget allocated by the buyer
• Estimated value and close date
• Buyer needs assessed and verified

Stage 4: Solution presentation and value proposition

Some of the high-value sales behaviours you might expect to see at this stage include:

• Purchasing process and timeline identified
• Financially quantified value proposition and solution developed and presented
• Business case provided (with relevant case studies)
• Meetings held with Decision Maker and Economic Buyer

Stage 5: Negotiation/Handling Objections

Some of the high-value sales behaviours you might expect to see at this stage include:

• Negotiate price, delivery schedule and contract terms
• Objections addressed

Stage 6: Closing

Some of the high-value sales behaviours you might expect to see at this stage include:

• Purchasing contract signed

Lots of sales processes stop at this point but we like to think the customer journey is just starting – so we will insert the first of what should really be a number of additional steps for the modern customer-centric organisation.

Stage 7: Delivery and ongoing customer success

Some of the high-value sales behaviours you might expect to see at this stage include:

• Product implementation completed
• Buyer and seller post sale review
• Up-sell and cross-sell opportunities identified
• Testimonials and referrals agreed