GambitP

Doing everything sales

Before I lose my mind 🧠🔫 ---> help with next steps...

My VP & manager called me in for a conversation and said I'm on a performance plan - because of NEXT STEPS. I'm hitting 85% of my quota but I'm not very good at updating next steps - someone got a hack or should I just look for another company... 👴

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48 comments

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funcoupons

WR Officer

👑

Sounds like they want you gone for reasons unrelated to quota.

GambitP

Good Citizen

Doing everything sales

Unlike other orgs that I've worked in before, they are trying to implement a strict CRM hygiene policy. It's not only next steps, but qualification questions, meeting notes, hand-offs, strict stage policy and close date...

CoorsKing

WR Officer

Retired King of the Coors Knights

Well yeah… it’s like the only documentation you need to do. It’s the absolute bare minimum.

poweredbycaffeine

WR Lieutenant

☕️

Show me the lie.

LanceDollarz

Opinionated

CEO

That's what I was going to say. Just update your next steps and keep on hitting quota. Don't cut corners.

poweredbycaffeine

WR Lieutenant

☕️

Warning: my gloves are off today.

Tip number one: Update your next steps, it takes a few moments to do in any CRM. You're a sales professional, act like one.

Tip number two: if you don't know how to find the best rep on your team and ask them how they do it. Do that.

If those two tips aren't working for you, start applying for new jobs.

GambitP

Good Citizen

-6

Doing everything sales

Yeah thanks. I'm sure you have a next step for every deal with a due date, cause sales is such an easy game to play. Buyers are honest, selling team never lets you down and your manager is a f***** sherpa

poweredbycaffeine

WR Lieutenant

☕️

If you don't have next steps, the deal is good as dead. Kill it and move on until it's relevant again. An overgrown pipeline is only going to lead to stale/incorrect data that you are going to forget to update.

If you seriously feel that way about updating your deals, then it may be time to consider other career paths.

detectivegibbles

Politicker

Sales Director

I'm honestly here to just see how many more rebuttals on every piece of advice given we get from OP...

CoorsKing

WR Officer

Retired King of the Coors Knights

It’s entertaining, that’s for sure.

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

👀🍿

GambitP

Good Citizen

-4

Doing everything sales

"No next steps? No money. You aren't doing your job." This is not advice.

"Also, learn to manage upwards. Knowing how to work with your managers and VPs is the fastest track to your own success. It requires you do some shit you don't want to, but it'll pay off 10x" This is advice.

To be honest, this is also good advice " Just update next steps the first thing each day. It takes <5 min. It’s really not hard, you just need to take the time to do it"

CoorsKing

WR Officer

Retired King of the Coors Knights

Everything said on this thread so far by those that chimed in has been true and correct. You don’t seem to like the answers for some reason

detectivegibbles

Politicker

Sales Director

I promise you there are people willing to help you in here.

Can you create a default text in a word doc, sticky notes, email signature, etc. that has templated text to help make more efficient?

Can you wake up an extra 20-30 minutes earlier to knock out the next steps in full?

Is it something you can do on a Friday afternoon for the following week?

If there are other people at the company who are not having these issues, maybe consult with them? Take them out to lunch and learn.

GambitP

Good Citizen

Doing everything sales

I appreciate the help D!

I liked the default text for next steps. I tend to over-complicate next steps (and qualification fields) so that's a great idea.

detectivegibbles

Politicker

Sales Director

Anything that saves you from opening another window, typing out another long winded email etc.

Less is more, keep getting 1% better a day.

CoorsKing

WR Officer

Retired King of the Coors Knights

Just update next steps the first thing each day. It takes <5 min. It’s really not hard, you just need to take the time to do it.

GambitP

Good Citizen

-2

Doing everything sales

Yeah, agree. But stuff move so quickly (I have ~30 opps in my pipe) and I don't necessarily have a next steps for every opp. Also, if I give a ball park timing for a step then the manager would not stop asking me about it.

Do you have a next step for every single opp? Do you have a due date for each one?

Easier said then done...

CoorsKing

WR Officer

Retired King of the Coors Knights

Yes. Every single opp is updated at minimum to the Monday of that week with dates, next steps, action items, and contacts.

Every, single, opp. Always.

GambitP

Good Citizen

-2

Doing everything sales

Then that's a good tip. Update every Monday. Why didn't you start with that?

CoorsKing

WR Officer

Retired King of the Coors Knights

Let me rephrase:

I update next steps daily as I hear from prospects. IF I have not heard anything or do not have a touch point that week to update or don’t have any completed next steps to add, then I default to updating every Monday at the absolute bare minimum.

85% are updated daily as I progress the deal. Best practice is to get off the call, organize your notes, send your follow ups, and then update next steps.

poweredbycaffeine

WR Lieutenant

☕️

Don't waste your time on this jabroni, @BigMeech. They're getting so much free, quality advice, but are getting mad because they know we, and their management team, are right. Classic future demand gen associate behavior.

CoorsKing

WR Officer

Retired King of the Coors Knights

Ironically, you know what I was doing while helping this individual? Updating my own next steps 😂

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

No next steps? No money. You aren't doing your job.

GambitP

Good Citizen

-4

Doing everything sales

I'm carious if you say the same thing to your pre-sale -> no prep call before demo, I'll rat you out and get you fired. Good vibes.

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

I'm full cycle so all of my shit gets done. Even when specialists are brought in at the end of the day I make sure everything is done correctly because it falls on me.

poweredbycaffeine

WR Lieutenant

☕️

This guy is so defensive I bet he could win the Superbowl alone.

Do.it.for.the.checks

Politicker

Account Executive

So CRM cleanliness is important to achieve your highest potential sales. Get in a habit of using it or it will cost you a deal.

Also, learn to manage upwards. Knowing how to work with your managers and VPs is the fastest track to your own success. It requires you do some shit you don't want to, but it'll pay off 10x

someoneinsales

Tycoon

Director of Sales

This is basically them saying "It's not you it's me." Seems like an easy PIP to get off of if it is just updated saleforce (get scratchpad or something to make it easy).

BmajoR

Arsonist

Account Executive

If you really have 30 ops like you say and you can't manage each one with next steps and actionable dates, then sales is not for you bud. Face the music and get out before you get fired.

cw95

Politicker

Sales Development Lead

Admin is tedious but after a while it becomes second nature and helps a lot!

CaneWolf

Politicker

Call me what you want, just sign the damn contract

Is everything else in the CRM a mess as well? Sounds like it is. I would bet your leadership has multiple deals in mind in which disorganization has been costly. Set a reminder to do CRM hygiene for 20 minutes every day and you'll never be behind.

Sheriff

Politicker

Sales Trainer

As a number of Sales leaders have told me over the years, you get paid a base salary to do base level things, like updating your CRM. It takes a minute or two per opp unless you put it off forever. Quit bitching and do your job or get fired.

Hoopnip

Politicker

Commercial AE

There is no way your on a PIP only for next steps. There has to be gaps or flaws in your sales process and you aren’t “managing up” correctly. Half your job is making your boss look good.

torontowarroomrep

Politicker

Account Executive

For the next while or so keep up the same work and quota attainment update next steps, and see where that takes you. If no improvement from management you just bolstered your resume for your next gig!

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GambitP

Before I lose my mind 🧠🔫 ---> help with next steps...

48 comments

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