Areas of sales analysis

Products: positioning and benefits

The first step is to address customer needs and compare the benefits of your own Products can bring him.
After that the Target group analysis and checked the competitive situation.
Then you get a first impression of your own product positioning on the market. As these changes constantly due to external influences, they must be adjusted regularly. If the market position has become worse, a repositioning of the product to recover the original market position must be made.
Evaluations of complaints are a good source of information for the new positioning. Even a well-functioning own complaint management is a good early warning system for possible sales problems.

Audience Segmentation

If the product analysis does not yield a result that could account for a decline in sales, then the analysis area needs to be expanded. Then you have to take a closer look at the customer page.
Therefore, the next step is the current one Audience Segmentation be checked. Because this too can change over time. Criteria may need to be changed. Potential buyers may be younger or older, the product may have turned from a niche product to a mass product, etc.
If the target group has changed, information about the new target group must be obtained. For the Target group analysis must the distribution be included because he usually has the best knowledge of the customers. Other information from trade journals and from industry associations is also easy to get. Of course, in-depth research can also be carried out via market research.

marketing concept

Do the analyzes have changes in products or Led to target groups, the previously pursued sales concept must be checked.
Because changes can be done by others Distribution forms require. Possibly is indirect sales makes more sense than Direct sales or internet marketing must be included as a supplement.
However, with changes in the product positioning or in the target groups, the previous ones Distribution forms mostly not generally unsuitable; however, optimal utilization may no longer be possible. An electronic product in need of explanation is presumably still marketable through specialist retailers a long time after its market launch, but presumably in the meantime with the Online sales or other mail order companies distribution channels Added to that must be served if the accessibility of the target group is to be kept at a comparable level.

sales organization

Sales form and sales organization must fit, otherwise none can efficient sales work respectively. Among other things, it must be checked whether decentralized sales or central sales is the better option.
If external sales partners are used, sales support and the creation of a training department that qualifies the employees locally may be required. Existing stores may require support in store decoration or promotion.
Depending on the organization, the management style must also be adapted. He can from Targetn with consistent control of implementation up to a partnership-based management style and high transparency pass. The Management tools for a sales organization must be chosen carefully.
In addition, clear objectives and the ongoing review of progress are essential. Since sales often take place outside the company, reviewing performance is only possible based on the results achieved. At the same time, sales processes are often tedious. This makes leadership in sales mostly demanding and requires a high degree of experience.

sales process

If the previous analyzes of the product, target groups and sales form have not shown any negative influences, the analysis of the actual one can sales process be insightful. If this results in a need for adjustment, the sales process must also be adjusted

customer acquisition
This includes all tasks such as identifying new customer potential via the initial approach, the preparation of offers and the negotiation until the completion of an order. In addition, the administrative tasks (order entry and processing, shipping, invoicing, maintenance of the Customer databases or CRMSystems etc.).
At Business models With low margins and high quantities, the sales process should be standardized and automated as much as possible. The implementation in an electronic workflow is recommended here.
For complex sales processes, a more flexible handling with process and process descriptions is a better form of implementation.

The process of acquiring new customers is particularly important in the business customer segment. Because mistakes usually mean the loss of high sales potential. The more complex the product to be marketed, the more preparatory work is required. Since the Sales cycle often takes many months in business and corporate customers, a provider cannot afford to make too many mistakes here.

Potential analysis of employees

Only after all the above-mentioned analyzes comes the (often and wrongly, already used first) employee potential analysis. This determines the extent to which individual employees meet the requirements arising from the sales process.
In most cases, there is no complete coverage of requirements and potential, so optimization decisions have to be made. For example, the "consultant type" is less suitable in the distribution of consumer goods, just as the good "first contact" is not good in the KAM business.

If the result of the potential analysis deviates too far from the requirements profile, even after training measures, then there is nothing left but to separate from the employee.
Potential analyzes can be carried out in the form of assessments in a group or in the form of individual interviews. Sales assistants can also provide important insights as an element of the potential analysis.
Sales managers must also be included here. Because of the high demands, management skills and communication skills in particular must be checked and improved at the management level. Regular training in the field of Management tools should be a matter of course.

sales training

When making changes in the sales process, it makes sense to train the entire sales team for the changes and to practice new approaches. Training can also do that Team building- Promote process. Since many sales employees are often on the go, this can have a positive effect on internal collaboration.

The supply of sales training is extensive and covers the various facets of sales work. There are standard programs and training programs specially tailored to the requirements of the company. Here it is necessary to decide on a case-by-case basis which type of training is most appropriate.

Sales accompaniment / -coachings

The individual Sales support can also be used as a qualification measure. With the help of CoachingIndividual problems can be solved by individual sales staff, e.g. before an important customer appointment or when dealing with problem situations.
Both instruments are suitable for supplementing and consolidating other qualification measures.

Regularly brings the most

Since the market situation is typically subject to increasing dynamics, it makes sense to check the respective requirements regularly. Both in product positioning and in the Target groups something can change quickly. An early observation of the developments and an adjustment in the sales approach help to seize the market opportunities as efficiently as possible. This creates the necessary prerequisites on the sales side in order to achieve competitive advantages.

Of course, this does not replace the timely development of the product range - even the best sales can be difficult to survive on the market with a non-competitive item.

Conclusion: systematic and careful

The sales analysis is not a substitute for regular ones Sales controlling, but is used if the key figures from sales controlling show a tendency to deteriorate.
The effort involved in carrying out the sales analysis is limited and systematic. However, one should always proceed objectively, since incomplete analyzes can not lead to optimal implementation.