Can you pinpoint your exact sales priorities? It can be easy for salespeople to get in the zone of “sell, sell, sell” without any direction. If you’re not sure where to begin with priority-​setting, consider what other industry professionals are doing to be more successful. RAIN Group surveyed sales leaders and found that the following are top priorities for their teams: 

• Improving the ability to communicate value
• Driving productivity
• Increasing business with existing accounts
• Boosting retention, repeat business, renewals
• Improving sales approach and planning
• Honing the ability to inspire with ideas
• Winning more against competitors
• Optimizing sales process

Are any of those areas in which you can (or should) improve? Likely, there are at least one or two on that list. Sit down and take an honest look at your current strategy. Pinpoint specific priorities that should be tackled first, as some may need more immediate attention than others. For example, RAIN Group explains the importance of the following two priorities:

Improving retention

This is vital in sales, and there’s definitely opportunity out there. But, there’s also a major potential to lose a customer to competitors. RAIN Group reports that 49% of people who are very satisfied with a product/​service would still consider switching to a different provider! Because of this lingering threat, it’s important to focus on your own retention strategies. Also, RAIN points out that client satisfaction also improves when clients are introduced to a new opportunity. 

 Approaching sales opportunities differently

“Sellers often treat their pipeline opportunities the same,” RAIN Group explains. “They define need, qualify, propose, present, and wait for a win or loss.” While it may end in a win, not all do. And, those that do, aren’t always a good fit. They suggest using the “CARE” mnemonic device to approach a potential sale, which will help qualify each prospect:

• Competitive position
• Attractiveness
• Relationship strength
• Effort to win

To read more about how to implement CARE, as well as other insights to top priorities, check out their extensive data-​filled infographic. Even if you’ve sat own in the past to identify top priorities, the list could like use a refresher, especially after reading the insights from RAIN Group.