The Key Sales Tactics Needed to Tackle Top Sales Priorities

BY Jessica Helinski
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The midyear point is a perfect time to revisit sales priorities and focus on key sales tactics to ensure you reach your goals. A recent survey by RAIN Group identified current top priorities among sellers. Erica Schultz discusses the top 10, as well as how what reps can do to achieve these priorities. Below are the top three:

  1. Improve ability to communicate value
  2. Improve productivity
  3. Increase business with existing accounts

How do your own priorities align? Consider using this list as an influence when planning for the remainder of the year. As Schultz writes, “Whether you’re a seller or sales leader, use this list to set your own priorities, plan your next sales kickoff, rethink your sales process, and strategize for the future.”

Key sales tactics to tackle each priority

The top priority named by sellers is improving their ability to communicate value. Above all, they recognize that value is key to successful sales. And research backs this up. SalesFuel reported on previous RAIN surveys that reveal top performers are more likely to:

  • Prioritize the development of sellers to be as valuable as possible to buyers (66% vs. 39%).
  • Work collaboratively with strategic accounts to co-​create value in new, innovative ways (47% vs. 21%).

There are so many ways that sellers can demonstrate value throughout the entire sales process. You’ll set the tone for the relationship. Our past articles can give guidance for sharing value each step of the way (and even after the sale). Check out just a sampling of our tips for communicating value at each touchpoint:

Improve productivity

Boosting productivity is a major priority for sellers, and for good reason. Research shows that top-​selling reps score higher than their counterparts when it comes to nine productivity behaviors. As Denise Gibson, director of AdMall sales, notes, "In sales, time is literally money! Anything that you can do to be more efficient with your time will pay off dividends."

Time management is a key sales tactic that sellers must adopt to be productive. And, as Schultz explains, sellers must be conscious of how they are spending time. “If you can identify how much time you spend chasing unqualified leads or working through tasks that can be automated or delegated, you can free up more time for impactful sales activities.”

SalesFuel’s collection of advice offers many solutions for improving time management skills, ranging from applying the TIME technique to overcoming common time-​related challenges.

Increase business with existing accounts

The third top priority that sellers want to focus on is growing business from current clients. Opportunities to earn revenue don’t end when a sale is made; there are many ways that sellers can continue to provide relevant and lucrative offerings post-​sale. But salespeople are having a tough time making it happen. “Existing accounts are a largely untapped opportunity—83% of companies don’t believe they have effective training for driving account growth,” Schultz points out. SalesFuel’s Voice of the Sales Rep study also found that for 70% of sellers, upselling existing accounts isn’t getting any easier. In fact, 25% say it’s getting harder.

Reps need to proactively engage in cross-​selling and upselling, two key sales tactics for increasing revenue from clients. Just make sure that what you offer to add on is both relevant and complementary to their current purchase. “Don’t think that upselling and cross-​selling merely involves throwing any product or service at a buyer,” I wrote in a previous SalesFuel post. “Each suggestion must be relevant and valuable to them. Otherwise, they will get frustrated and doubt that you even know them or their business at all. Active listening will be how you are able to determine just what to offer.”

Finish this year strong and keep going

Take a moment to study these and the other five priorities that your colleagues are focusing on in order to stay competitive and finish the year strong. Being proactive and engaging in specific key sales tactics will ensure success now and in the future.

Photo by Kyle Glenn


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