12 Ways to Measure the Success of Your Sales Initiatives

This post originally appeared on the Force Management Blog. To read more content like this, visit the blog here.

Measuring success is a key component to any sales transformation initiative. If you begin a sales initiative without setting organizational priorities and accountability, you’ll struggle to create lasting impact.

Ensure measurable results.

Develop an organizational mindset that influences the design, development, delivery and reinforcement of your sales initiative.

Here are twelve ways to set your sales organization up for sales initiative success and drive true transformation.

Initiative Prioritization

1. Executive participation in workshops and status meeting

Executive leadership sets the priority of the initiative. Their participation up-front is critical. 

2. Key resources freed up to participate in work sessions

If your work sessions are comprised of people who are constantly pulled into other things, your workshops will be time wasted. Make sure everyone involved has the time carved out to actively participate.

3. Timely review and approval of deliverables

You don’t want lax deadlines to delay a major initiative. Set deadlines and make sure your people stick to them.

4. Timely completion of milestones

Milestones are set for a reason. See number 3.

Leadership Reinforcement

5. Managers inspect and coach behaviors learned during training

Reinforcement is critical to driving lasting change. Make sure your managers are equipped to reinforce and inspect new methodologies. 

6. Managers communicate success stories

Sharing best practices will inspire others to follow course.

7. Managers use the language of the methodology

Speaking the same language drives consistency and reinforces new ideas.

8. Managers lead from the front

Leaders need to drive the initiative. You can’t delegate leadership. Actively participate in the initiative. Lead from the front, not the rear.

Measurement

9. Expectations are strongly communicated

Make sure your teams are clear on what you expect. Define the “Ask” and then make sure it’s effectively communicated.

10. Desired behaviors are built into talent management practices

Define the behaviors that will drive the initiative’s success. Then, inspect them and build them into your reviews. 

11. Mechanisms are established to measure desired vs. actual results

Anecdotal success stories are effective in motivating your team, but hard numbers will help you determine if you are driving true transformation. Set up scorecards that help you benchmark actual results. 

12. Success measures are reported during Quarterly Business Reviews

If you want to drive lasting results, you need to actively measure success. Define measures to add into your QBRs.