This document provides an overview of the sales technology stack and considerations for implementing a sales tech stack. It begins with defining the scope as focusing on improving sales performance, not customer retention or marketing. It then discusses how the sales tech stack has grown significantly in recent years. The document outlines a 6-step process for implementing a sales tech stack and provides a framework organized around the sales process. It gives examples of business problems that can be solved at each stage of the sales process and what technologies could address them. It concludes by encouraging focusing on the business problems rather than specific vendors or categories.
3. 3
Scope
• Focus is on the act of selling and improving sales performance
• Out of scope:
• Customer retention, customer service
• Martech stack
• CRM & marketing automation
• Framework/blueprint—not an exhaustive list of logos
4. 4
Are You Ready?
Martech Stack grew from 150 companies in 2011 to ~4000 in 2016!
The Sales Tech Stack Isn’t Far Behind
High-performing sales teams are 3.5 times more likely to
use sales analytics.
– Salesforce, State of Sales Report, 2015
On average, high-growth sales development teams have 5
applications in their technology stack.
- Topo “The Sales Development Technology Report”
High-performing sales teams use nearly 3x more sales
tech than underperforming teams.
- Salesforce, State of Sales Report, 2015
5. 5
6 Simple Steps to Implementing Your Sales Stack
Define
• What’s the
business
pain?
Align
• Who are key
stakeholders?
Prioritize
• What are
must haves?
Evaluate
• Evaluate
technologies
Deploy
• Have a plan,
kick it off in
style
Promote
• Ongoing
promotions
weeks after
launch
6. 6
Sales Tech Stack Framework
The Sales Process
Administrative SupportPeople Development Business
Intelligence
& Analytics
• Forecasting
• Quota management
• Comp/Incentives
• Territory
Gather Information
• Contact information
• Lead augmentation /
enrichment data
What you do to sell
• Presentation tools
• Sharing tools
• What should you say and
share?
• Content management
What you do to close
• CPQ
• Contract & signing
Decide who to contact
• Lead prioritization /
predictive lead scoring –
(who to call &when)
• Account based selling
• Pipeline management
• Account planning
• Email automation
• Phone/dialer automation
• Social selling
• Scheduling tools
• Online meeting tools
How you contact
• Onboarding & training
• Coaching
7. 7
Solving Business Problems by Stage
Do I have enough prospects?
Do I know who to contact?
Do I have contact information?
Is my data up to date?
What is my prospective customer profile?
What’s the buyer’s “family tree” at my prospect?
8. 8
Solving Business Problems by Stage
How do I increase lead to opportunity conversion?
Who do I contact? When is the best time?
Which lead is priority?
How do I manage the entire buyer’s family?
I do I get more efficient in my communication?
9. 9
Solving Business Problems by Stage
What content should I share? Where is it?
How is my prospect engaging with my content?
Do I have the latest content?
What do I say?
10. 10
Solving Business Problems by Stage
How do I quickly get from quote to cash?
How do I make sure proposals and quotes are being
done correctly?
How does my salesforce quote with my extremely
complex product portfolio?
How do I get the contract signed quickly … by the end
of the quarter … etc?
11. 11
Solving Business Problems by Stage
How do I increase lead to opportunity conversion?
Who do I contact? When is the best time?
Which lead is priority?
How do I manage the entire buyer’s family?
I do I get more efficient in my communication?
12. 12
Solving Business Problems by Stage
How do I onboard quickly and effectively so reps are
hitting quota as soon as possible?
How do I keep my reps maintaining high performance
in a dynamic, competitive landscape?
How do I educate on new product launches and get
reps selling the latest vs legacy products?
How do I provide regular, individualized coaching?
13. 13
Solving Business Problems by Stage
How do we get more accurate forecasts?
How do I set and manage quota?
What the right territory split and which territories have
the most promise?
How do I provide my sales force with the compensation
and incentives?
14. 14
Solving Business Problems by Stage
How do I draw actionable insights from all of my sales
related data?
How efficient is my entire sales process? Where are
my inefficiencies?
One GM wants this view of the data, the other GM
wants that view of the data …
How do I make sense of the multiple databases I have?
16. 16
Parting Thought
• Solve a business problem: limiting yourself to industry categories might give you more or less than
what you really need …
• Vendors cross category boundaries
• Vendors solve the save problems in a variety of different ways
• For instance, you don’t need an LMS or ECM, you need a better way to:
• Onboard …
• Train …
• Manage content …
• Find content …
• Plan!