A sales team that struggles to put out consistent numbers may not be working in the best possible way. This could be because there are hidden barriers in the sales process. It's difficult to identify and remove these barriers by yourself, which is why it's important to learn how to overcome them with others. You want your team to hit their quota or better every single time they go out on a call, but it takes different approaches and perspectives to do so. Getting outside of your own head and seeing things from another perspective can make all the difference in boosting productivity.
The following tips will help you remove any hidden barriers that might be holding your cybersecurity sales team back from hitting their numbers.
Why are Cybersecurity sales teams struggling?
Cybersecurity Sales teams can struggle to meet quotas, which can seem like a daunting task. But it's important to learn how to overcome these barriers so as not to set your team up for failure.
There are many reasons why sales teams may be struggling with this goal. One of the most common is that sellers think they're doing their job correctly, but there are hidden barriers in their process that stop them from hitting quota consistently. This is why it's crucial to identify and remove those barriers and work as a team on this issue.
Identifying the hidden barriers
Hidden barriers are often the most difficult to identify. Some of these barriers might be obvious, but others might seem insignificant. Regardless of their size, each obstacle can create a hurdle that prevents your team from generating revenue. To identify these hidden barriers, it's important to take into consideration all aspects of the cybersecurity sales process.
Look at your current process and break it down into steps. For example,
- What are the first steps you take when you walk in?
- Are there any long-term projects or unsolved issues on your desk?
- Are you able to make an immediate connection with the customer?
- Do they have time to hear what you have to say?
- Is there anything that makes them uncomfortable or hesitant about working with you?
These are just a few questions that can help identify any hidden barriers in your process. The more detailed you are, the better chance you have of finding areas for improvement.
The power of outside perspectives
It's beneficial to get an outside perspective on your sales process. This will help you identify any hidden barriers that are slowing your team down, and it can also help you see things in a new way. You may be so inside of your own head that you're unable to see the hidden problems in the system.
Take, for example, a company with an aggressive quota that is struggling to hit its numbers. The person in charge of the team might blame the employees, or lack of resources to get the job done. But one way to improve productivity would be to get an outside perspective to to bring in someone from another department, like IT. An IT specialist might point out that there are too many distractions at their desks, which prevents them from focusing on their work and hitting quotas. If they were able to clear off their desktops and turn off notifications when not working, they would be more productive.
Ways to overcome hidden barriers
1. Discover what your team is up against.
2. Map out barriers and make them visible.
3. Gather the right people to overcome these barriers together.
4. Seek outside help when needed.
5. Implement solutions for removing the hidden barriers in your sales process.
Conclusion
Cybersecurity sales professionals are in the business of selling, but many times, they struggle with selling themselves. It can be difficult to make changes when you don’t know what you’re missing. We encourage you to take a step back and examine your business through an outside perspective to identify the hidden barriers that are holding you back. That way, you can start to break down these barriers and work towards unlocking your full potential.