If you are at any lake or swimming pool anywhere in the world on a hot summer’s day, you are likely to see at least one person dipping a toe in the water and then jumping back.
“It’s too cold!” they complain.
Their family and/or friends then start the timeworn ritual of coaxing them to get into the water.
“It’s not so bad when you get used to it!”
“It feels warm to me now.”
“Just jump in!”
And in nine cases out of ten, the person on the shore or the edge of the pool will eventually jump in and discover that, in truth, the water actually feels pretty good.
In just about any enterprise worth undertaking, the hardest part is getting started. Often our own fears keep up from “jumping in” and taking even a small risk.
In the sales ops, those fears might sound like this:
- “What if I can’t get management to buy-in?” You’ll probably have to sell a new sales ops initiative to management, but you shouldn’t let that intimidate you. We’ve done tons of research into what works (and what doesn’t) so you can take an approach that’s already proven successful for other folks were in exactly your situation. Check out Selling Your Sales Ops Initiative and Why Sales Ops Initiatives Fail.
- “What if I can’t get the sales team to change how they do things?” This is one of the most common fears—and deservedly so. The sales team probably doesn’t want to do things a different way. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to get them to change. For valuable tips that have helped other sales ops teams, see Neutralizing the Sales Team’s Go-To Excuses and Moving the “Meaty Middle”.
- “What if management doesn’t understand this data…or what we’re trying to accomplish?” We can almost guarantee that many management teams aren’t data experts…nor do they fully grasp the potential that the sales operations function has. The challenge is often in communication–ensuring you’re helping them make better decisions and articulating the impact and contribution of the sales ops function. For insight into doing exactly those things, take a look at Delivering Data to Decision-Makers and Demonstrating the Value of Sales Operations lots of tips on starting with a small-scale test.
Getting started can be scary. But SellingBrew is here to be your personal encouragement and support network.
And trust us, once you jump in, it feels great!
Selling Your Sales Ops Initiatives
Even when your company is willing to invest in improved capabilities and infrastructure, you still have to sell your approach. How should you craft, package, and pitch your initiative to get the go-ahead from management?
Why Sales Ops Initiatives Fail
Some sales ops initiatives just don’t work out as planned—they either struggle to produce worthwhile results or they fail outright. So, how do we avoid making the same mistakes that have derailed other initiatives?
Neutralizing the Sales Team's Go-To Excuses
When things don't turn out as expected or desired, it's just human nature to look for explanations beyond what might be perceived as a personal failing. Learn how Sales Ops can address the common "reasons" for poor sales performance.
Moving the "Meaty Middle"
The primary focus for Sales Ops should be on improving the performance of the middle-of-the-road salespeople who comprise the majority of the team. In this on-demand webinar, learn why it's so important and how to make it happen.
Delivering Data to Decision-Makers
Providing sales data to executives and other decision-makers is a core responsibility for most Sales Ops teams. In this session, learn what leading teams are doing to make their efforts in this area far more effective.
Demonstrating the Value of Sales Operations
As a relative newcomer on the corporate landscape, Sales Ops often struggles to secure resources and investment. In this on-demand webinar, learn about quantifying and communicating the impact and contribution of your Sales Operations team.
