Is your value proposition really aligned with your data?

Most companies will tell you that they know their value proposition and where it best applies. After all, deals have been closed, revenue booked, and profits counted, therefore the value proposition is working. However, it is not uncommon, especially in larger organizations, to find out that your data is telling a different story.

Sales teams by definition are always forward looking. The next deal, the next conversation, the next step in progressing the pipeline. This can, at times, create a bias against looking back. Looking back means answering questions, filling out more fields in a CRM, and generally not working on the next deal that will create a paycheck. This means that sales teams can be susceptible to not understanding where their clients are coming from - or where the next best prospect will be. The more successful the team, the more likely this problem exists.

But wait, how can this be? A successful team means the value proposition is working right? What may be true for today doesn’t always stay true for tomorrow. Market need shifts at a higher velocity than ever before. Buyer needs can shift because of legislation, the political climate, the economy, or a host of other micro or macro influences. Your sales data, mixed with current market prospecting data, can help you uncover where you are actually having successes - and why. Maybe you don’t need to be aiming for those handful of big deals each year - big deals that bog down your resources, have a longer sales cycle, and are more sensitive to current events. Or maybe you are using up your limited sales resources on small deals that won’t ever be enough to meet the growth targets of your company this year.

Understanding how your value proposition has worked in the past, coupled with where it might work in the future, helps your sales team spend their limited time each day starting conversations with the best prospects possible. Align your value propositions correctly and your team will sell more - and that means more success all around.