Managing The Sales Pipeline

SalesChannel

Europe

Managing

The

Sales

Pipeline

Presented by

SalesChannel

Europe

Conventional

Wisdom

• ABC ‐> ABP

• C comes before P ‐> P comes before C

• Top Sales Performers are great closers ‐> great openers

SalesChannel Europe

Exposure

Hit

Rate

x

SALES

T

HE

S

ALES

S

UCCESS

F

ORMULA

=

SalesChannel

Europe

3 Won’t

Buy 3 WillBuy

4

Undecided

10

Opportunities

Where do you spend your time?

SalesChannel

Europe

Managing

The

Sales

Pipeline

• Rule 1: only pick those opportunities that you can close

• Rule 2: don’t work on opportunities that won’t close Opportunity Qualification

SalesChannel

Europe

Managing

The

Sales

Pipeline

1. Competition:

• Who

• Why

• When

• How

2. No decision – Operators & New Media Customers

• Budget

• Need

• Authority

• Access to Decision Maker

3. Know your personal success metrics

• A ‐> P ‐> S

• ABP. Always Be Prospecting

• Getting referrals is key Reasons why deals that won’t close.

SalesChannel

Europe

Managing

The

Sales

Pipeline

• Driving Mechanism

• Urgency

• Broad awareness of requirement/procurement 

• Clear Decision/Selection Process with timelines

• Identified DM and Sponsor

• Direct contact/established relationship with DM

• Openness and transparency

• You are considered as a member of client organisation

• You are included in decision making process

• Established privileged relationships across the organisation:

– Personal goals, values, worldview, etc.

– Family, personal situation, hobbies, etc. Indicators that the deal won’t close:

SalesChannel

Europe

Managing

The

Sales

Pipeline

SalesChannel

Europe

Managing

The

Sales

Pipeline

A

P

9 Appointments or Initial Contact

9 Prospect = someone who agrees to go through the sales process 

with you.

9 Sales = signed contracts

• If your closing rate is 5‐to‐1, then every sales you make must be 

replenished by five new prospects – not one – if your prospect base is to 

remain full. 

• Prospect daily and follow the Law of Replacement by replenishing your 

prospect base with a number that reflects your actual closing ratio. (That 

number will be more than one!)

• Analyze your numbers. Know your selling cycle. Avoid wasting time and 

energy on prospects who have gone well beyond that selling cycle 

without buying.

SalesChannel

Europe

Prospect

Management

System

Closed Prospect

FA/IC Opportunity

SalesChannel

Europe

3 (90%) 2 (50%)

1 (25%)

Prospect

Management

System

SalesChannel

Europe

Prospect

Management

System

Closed 3 (90%) 2 (50%) 1 (25%) FA/IC Opportunity 1st_{Active Prospect}  Column:

9People who are in the 

process with us

9Have committed to the 

step 

9Past FA/IC, working with 

you but not at 50% stage

2nd_{Active Prospect} 

Column

9Talking to the right person 

about our proposal and our 

proposal makes sense

9person is DM

9Right deal

9Right budget

9Right timetable

9Have a clear next step with 

DM

3rd_{Active Prospect} 

Column:

9Verbal agreement to buy

99 out 10 prospects should 

turn into business for you Opportunity:

9People whom you have not 

yet made initial contact with 

9No relationship –Candidates –Suspects –Leads –Referrals First Appointment/ Initial Contact:

9DMs whom you have 

scheduled an appointment for 

a specific date and time.

9DMs with whom you have 

had at least 2 good 

conversations with.

Closed:

9This is for customers

9Formal commitment to use 

what your organisation offers

SalesChannel

Europe

3 (90%) 2 (50%)

1 (25%)

Prospect

Management

System

SalesChannel

Europe

3 (90%) 2 (50%)

1 (25%)

Prospect

Management

System

SalesChannel

Europe

3 (90%) 2 (50%)

1 (25%)

Prospect

Management

System

SalesChannel

Europe

3 (90%) 2 (50%)

1 (25%)

Prospect

Management

System

SalesChannel Europe + 5% + 5% + 5% - 5% Qualified Opportunities Win rate Deal Size Sales Cycle Time = 22% Performance Improvement in Sales Effectiveness

Sales Effectiveness Improvement:

SalesChannel

Europe

Sales

Management

Wisdom

• Top sales performers = construction workers

• Sustainable performance in sales = 

building a Sales Pipeline

• Building a Sales Pipeline = 

Prospecting

• Key to Effective Prospecting = a Prospect Management System

Managing

The

Sales

Pipeline

SalesChannel

Europe

Questions

&

Answers

SalesChannel

Europe

Contact

Information

:

David R Ednie

President & CEO

SalesChannel Europe SARL

Ph:  +33 676 600 925 Fax: +1 501 639 0126

Email: david@saleschannel‐europe.com

Blog: http://saleschannel.blogspot.com

Website: www.saleschannel‐europe.com