Where Sales and Operations Meet to Grow Your Business
The most productive business leaders look at their organizations holistically. Rather than viewing their departments and processes as independent entities, these leaders understand the interconnectivity that binds each aspect of their business.
The sales process of a business directly impacts its operations and development—and vice versa—in ways that may not always be readily apparent. In this piece, we outline how decisions made regarding one aspect of your business can impact the organization as a whole, and track the cross-sections between sales & operations.
The Impact of Sales
Just as your marketing team relies on your internal operations for language and communication, so too does your sales team rely on marketing professionals for insights into metrics, leads, and prospects.
A business’ growth relies heavily on the skills and effectiveness of its sales team. Closures are never guaranteed, but a unified and consistent sales process, leveraged by market insights and coaching from proven professionals can help growing businesses compete against top-level organizations within their industry.
Small to medium-sized businesses can flounder when general managers are spread too thin and are required to act as sales managers to fill a gap in the org chart. Sales teams thrive when led by managers who know the sales process inside and out and can provide professional-level coaching to those with less experience.
Operations and Business Growth
The development of your business is predicated in large part on the quality of your internal operations. How your company is run, your hiring choices, and the priorities of executives all influence your consumer-facing divisions such as your sales department.
As outsourcing and automation become more ubiquitous, many businesses are looking to decentralize key aspects of their organization. However, strategies and technologies designed to save time and money in the short term may not prove to be wise long-term investments if the cost compromises your sales team.
Often, a tool that is intended to make one person’s job easier can make another person’s job harder. Analyze your internal operations from the perspective of each of your divisions before deciding to make major adjustments.
The Right People in the Right Positions
A large part of being able to look at an organization holistically is understanding the individual talents of your team members and how to best utilize them to foster growth and improve profitability. That said, attracting and retaining industry-leading talent can be a challenge for many small to mid-sized businesses, particularly for management and leadership positions. If business owners are not proactive, the difficulty of discovering new hires—coupled with the cost of training and onboarding—can often lead to sluggish and disorganized internal processes.
Business owners, are you taking on a managerial role that would be better suited for someone with more experience in the position? A fractional manager may be able to lend a hand and allow you to devote more time to other responsibilities. Similarly, a business consultant can take an objective view of your processes and practices with a fresh set of eyes and assist with developing new strategies that leverage the talent and skills that your teams already possess.
At Sebastian Lane Consulting, we offer both fractional sales management and operations for business owners looking to increase profitability and gain a competitive edge. Schedule a consultation with us today to learn more about our services.
If you have questions on how to improve your sales and operations, call Sebastian Lane Consulting at 443-534-6783 or email us at jesse@sebastianlaneconsulting.com to schedule your free consultation.