Before initiating customer-centric sales, we first address distinct challenges through strategic business development (BD) and business relationship management (BRM). Tailoring strategies to startups, EU portfolio expansion, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and continuous support for existing organizations up to large enterprises, we emphasize elements like market research, regulatory compliance, and continuous improvement. By navigating these scenarios in BD and BRM, we ensure a solid foundation for effective sales forces, sales performance initiatives, or sales enablement, customized for each context.

We often see three different clients with a slightly different focus on sales enablement and sales support. The first candidate aims at business development for new technologies, ventures or foreign start-ups, BUT first approaches not well prepared the sales force to penetrate the EU or German market. The second scenario requires building a local sales team to expand the portfolio or region, BUT expects the sales team to be hired only on a commission basis, without requiring investments and eliminating business risk. While the third type focuses on optimizing KPIs and driving continuous revenue improvement for existing business operations, BUT encounters bottlenecks hampered by internal issues and resistance to external support.

We prepare before we start sales and sales enablement activities

Each candidate addresses specific challenges and opportunities in different business contexts. Before diving into sales and sales enablement, it’s important to understand the unique challenges. It is critical to establish honest communication, identify challenges, and provide support to address these issues. Sometimes we may want to take a step back and think about integrating BD and BRM before moving forward, when it is advisable to initiate business development and business relationship management activities to gain deeper insights and better prepare for the sales and sales challenges ahead Prepare sales activation. Managing internal issues and overcoming resistance to external support is a common challenge when it comes to optimizing KPIs and driving continuous revenue improvement for existing business operations. It is important to manage this dynamic to drive positive change!

• Promote open communication about the benefits of external support and its compatibility with overall business goals. Transparency can help build trust and address concerns about external involvement.
• Collaborate with key internal stakeholders to understand their concerns and tailor external support to their interests. Showing how it contributes to their goals can help you gain support and cooperation.
• Implement effective change management strategies to ease the transition. Clearly communicate the reasons for the changes, highlight the positive impacts and address any fears or uncertainties within the internal team.
• Provide training and education to demonstrate the value of external expertise. By demonstrating potential for expanding skills and imparting knowledge, resistance can be reduced.
• Frame external support as a collaborative effort rather than a mandate. Encourage team members to actively participate and contribute, fostering a sense of ownership in the improvement process.
• Consider starting with small pilot programs that demonstrate the benefits of external support in a controlled environment. Positive results can serve as compelling examples for broader adoption.
• Share success stories from other organizations that have successfully implemented external support for KPI optimization and continuous improvement. Real-world examples can create confidence in the process.
• Tailor external support solutions to the specific needs and challenges of the internal team. A tailored approach can more effectively address concerns and demonstrate commitment to internal success.
• Ask key leaders within the organization for support. When influential leaders become committed to the cause, it can significantly influence acceptance of external help.
• Clearly define and communicate the measurable results and benefits you expect from external support. Report progress regularly to demonstrate positive impact on KPIs and overall sales performance.
• By addressing internal concerns, demonstrating the benefits, and fostering a collaborative and supportive environment, it is possible to overcome internal challenges and make progress in optimizing KPIs and continually improving sales.

However, please keep in mind that our initial support includes addressing sales challenges through strategic business development (BD) and business relationship management (BRM) before moving on to customer-focused sales performance and sales enablement. We address the unique needs of startups, portfolio and EU expanders, and large enterprises by focusing on critical elements such as market research, regulatory compliance, and continuous improvement. By going through these three scenarios, we adapt strategies to meet the specific needs of each scenario – startups, expansion of the EU portfolio and continued support of large companies in BD and BRM.