Below is a list of questions to ask when evaluating your Go to Market Strategy.
- Is my sales force optimally configured to grow revenues?
- How do we become more efficient without jeopardizing our revenue stream?
How many times did you answer ‘No’? Take each ‘No’ and determine how it is impacting your organization. Every question above can have multiple downstream effects on your sales force.
For example, a study by the Sales Executive Council found that in 2010 the median span of control for a sales manager was 8 (the average was a little higher at 9.84, basically at 1:10). In 2008, the median was again 8. In 2007, the median span of control was a little lower at 7.4.
This evolution is understandable considering the economic conditions during that period. Organizations naturally tried to become more efficient during the economic decline and Sales Managers were tasked with leading larger teams. How many of these sales organizations have looked at recalibrating their Sales Manager responsibilities to become more effective? How does an increased span of control affect their ability to effectively hire, train, coach, and develop their direct reports?
Once you determine where the gaps exist in your Go to Market Strategy, ask yourself, can I afford to ignore this problem? Is the problem related to hitting our revenue goal? If you want more information on how to correct your organization’s gaps please let me know. Address the holes in your sales force structure to enhance your Go to Market Strategy.
