Is your sales funnel bloated? Do you need to shed those ungainly suspects that are weighing you down? It’s a common dilemma. There’s a certain level of satisfaction when your sales funnel is full. However, filling your pipeline with empty and unqualified opportunities leads to an unhealthy outlook.
The solution is an intense cleansing process to get your funnel in ship shape. Let’s examine the TOP Line Accounts™ that may be lodged in your CRM. (TOP Line Accounts™ are defined as your biggest and best opportunities and are generally worth at least 5x your average prospect size.)
These large and complex opportunities can languish in your pipeline causing a ‘Clog’ without rigorous focus and attention. To get your TOP Line Account™ metabolism moving, we’ve developed a Four Point ‘Get in shape’ program that guarantees momentum and results.
Point One: Score your TOP Line Accounts™. Select key criteria such as financial value, strategic value, fit and resources needed to determine if the potential contract warrants the necessary time and attention of the account based selling team. Scoring will also give you a steady diet of prioritized large opportunities.
Point Two: Determine the Account Leader. The regiment needed to develop and close TOP Line Accounts™ can only occur when a strong account leader is at the helm.
Point Three: Do the account strategy work. There’s no substitute for diving in and doing the hard work. The account based team must develop the customer strategy, relationship plans, Win Themes™, and competitive blocks. The team should plan on breaking a sweat to attain the goal.
Point Four: Celebrate. The account based selling team successfully unblocked the funnel by moving one or more TOP Line Accounts™ through to closure. They were unstoppable. Feed the team by celebrating!
Feed the Funnel with a High Quality Diet
Common close ratio: 25%
Add pre-call planning: +20%
Add account strategy work: +10 – 20%
Add Win Themes™: +10%
Add competitive blocking: +10%
NEW CLOSE RATIO: 75 – 85%
Congratulations! You’ve gone from bloated to fit and fabulous. You (and the sales pipeline) look great as you ‘Ring the bell’ with your TOP Line Account™ wins.
How to Gain an Executive Sponsor:
The TOP Seller Advantage: Powerful Strategies to Build Long-Term Executive Relationships includes proven strategies to ensure sellers develop long lasting executive access
The C-suite executive perspectives at the end of each chapter reveal exactly how senior leaders view sales encounters and what would cause them to keep the door open for follow up meetings. Check it out at http://amzn.to/2hdas8J
About Lisa Magnuson:
Lisa Magnuson is an expert in corporate strategic sales and TOP Line Account™ revenue building. As a respected sales consultant and author, Lisa works with clients to build successful strategic sales programs that drive revenue from large new accounts and enable growth from existing high value customers. Learn more at www.toplinesales.com.
