Sales Engagement

Chapter 1The State of Modern Sales

The modern Sales organization is under unbelievable pressure. Quotas are higher than ever. Resources are the leanest they’ve ever been. So of course the modern Sales org is a well-oiled machine, running on all cylinders to create the maximum output possible, right?

Wrong.

In fact, the level of efficiency in the modern Sales org is startlingly bleak. According to the CMO Council, lost productivity and poorly managed leads cost companies at least $1 trillion every year.¹ Yes, that’s trillion with a t.

What accounts for this chasm? How can there be such low efficiency when expectations are so high? Surely Sales leaders are motivated to create the highest-functioning orgs possible, considering it is their necks on the line? Indeed, they are. But Sales leaders are not to blame.

Instead, an unholy trifecta hobbles even the most motivated, high-achieving Sales org into a no-win situation. Together with changing consumer behavior, business practices, and sales technologies, these factors help define the modern sales floor. They portray a chaotic landscape replete with shifting priorities, changing roles, formidable challenges, and emerging imperatives. However, this new reality offers scant clues on how Sales organizations should navigate the new terrain and come out undisputed as winners. If you are a sales professional today, you simply aren’t set up for success.

Common Factors Holding Your Sales Org Back

1. Overwhelming administrative work
2. Lack ...