Sales Operations or sales enablement is expanding rapidly, helping companies reach their goals with efficiency and insight. Yet, this fast-growing field still gets caught in some common pitfalls. Here are 5 Sales Operations mistakes for you to avoid:
1. Sales and marketing teams aren’t aligned.
Did you know that up to 60% of marketing materials aren’t used by the sales team? (source) When teams aren’t aligned, neither has the resources they need. Creating a culture where both sales and marketing work together toward a common goal fixes that problem. When sales and marketing are aligned, it equals a 27% increase in conversions.
2. Spending too much time on admin tasks.
Sales professionals report that email, entering data, internal meetings, scheduling, and other tasks unrelated to sales are the focus of their workday. Salespersons report only spending 35% of their time on customer engagement. (source) The streamlining and support offered through Sales Operations allows your team to focus where it matters most.
3. Messy data.
If your data is not properly managed or processed, chances are your team won’t trust it. Inaccurate data forces the sales team to take their focus off the customer and search for the answers they need. Building an effective sales operations strategy must start with accurate data. Any outdated or incorrect information needs to be removed before it even reaches your sales team.
4. Not identifying the root cause of lead loss.
Identifying the root reason for lead loss can be difficult. Hiring more team members or increasing your spend won’t necessarily fix the problem. Instead, institute regular reviews of your customer journey and sales processes. Look for ways to optimize and tighten any gaps. Address and fix any issues proactively, and you will create confidence for future planning.
5. Ineffective coaching and training.
Without quality training, your sales team will feel neglected and underprepared, feelings which lead directly to high turnover rates. Yet, planning and presenting such training requires a significant investment of time. Rather than reinvent the wheel, utilize an LMS (learning management system) and sales playbooks to train your teams. Take advantage of platform programs such as Salesforce’s Trailhead.
Sales Operations is a fast-growing skill in today’s job market. Our Sales Operations program will teach you the latest in real-world sales enablement technologies. Are you ready to start your career in Sales Operations? If so, click below to get started.
