Page 162 - The Sales Acceleration Formula: Using Data, Technology, and Inbound Selling to go from $0 to $100 Million - PDFDrive.com

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Conclusion: Where Do We Go from Here?

There are three layers of takeaways from this book.

At the surface layer, I hope this book has presented you with some useful tactics
around building a sales team in a scalable, predictable way. I hope that my
anecdotes provide a blueprint for how you can effectively hire, train, and
manage a high-performing sales team. I hope that you appreciate the power of
executing an inbound selling model and empowering your organization with a
culture of experimentation. I hope, too, that you understand the competitive
advantage that can be unleashed for your business with the proper adoption of
sales technology, benefiting both your salespeople and your customers.

Beneath the surface, I hope this book has inspired you to challenge the norm as
you scale sales. I prefaced almost every anecdote with a word of caution that the
tactics discussed worked in our context, but may not work in yours. Constantly
seek out the latest, best practices; study the sales strategies of the most
successful companies. However, appreciate how your buyer context is special.
Only apply the strategies that are relevant to your team and product. Challenge
the norm in the areas in which you are unique. Innovate. Share your learnings.
Contribute to the field of sales.

That leads us to the final layer. At its core, I have an aspirational hope and dream
that this book contributes to a foundation of new sales philosophies that
fundamentally change the sales field. An evolution such as this has not happened
in quite some time, and it is much needed. Let me explain.

For decades, thought leaders in both academia and the business community have
cast doubt on the notion that sales and sales leadership skills can be taught. It is
difficult—almost impossible—to find a major in sales. And yet, effective sales
execution is arguably one of the most important drivers of company success.
Despite the current lack of formal training programs, I am optimistic about the
future. In the past year, I have been approached by at least a dozen leaders in the
academic and business communities looking to challenge the status quo and
assemble a formal curriculum in sales. I hope more influencers embrace these
efforts in the years to come.

The best and brightest students graduating from top universities have, for many