It happens to every founder: you have a great sales month, just to realize there’s no way the next month’s numbers will measure up. While every company can pull certain levers to drive immediate value, you also need to set your pipeline up for success in the long term. Here’s how to strike this balance and move past the slump.
Get Tactical
If founders know one thing, it’s how to be scrappy. This scenario is no exception. When you notice that forthcoming sales are bleak, turn to your existing customers first. Pull up every customer in Salesforce or whichever CRM tool you use, and make sure every single one is assigned to a sales rep.
This is the first and most common way that customers slip through the cracks. Especially if you have new segments, double-check how they’re separated and get them assigned. From there, your team can figure out what products they have and what the upsell opportunity is so they can start prospecting into them.
Of course, analytics always help–greatly. For example, you could dig into how many users actively engage with their platform. If your solution enhances user experience or boosts engagement, that could be a great angle to explore. Then, build a quick business case to sell it to them. Continue to repeat this, finding accounts with gaps that you can fill.
Pull on the Partner Lever
The biggest cheat code to ramping up and maintaining strong sales is creating and maximizing your partner network. If you have existing deals that have stalled out, you might be able to accelerate their closing by leaning on partners. Review the top five to 10 deals, and identify where partners—consultants, resellers, or integrations—can add value or influence. Then, loop them in to help reinforce the deal and drive it forward.
If you’re selling into verticals or segments, try to make a geographic footprint. Start with one industry or use case and research the top regions where that vertical thrives. Create a hyper-focused list of your ideal customers in these markets, and then work to get introductions to company leaders through your partners or, to the point ahead, your board.
Tap into the Power & Network of Your Board
Many startups underutilize the connections that their board of directors and advisory board have. When sales are low and you need quick wins, as well as to set the stage for long-term relationships, this a rich resource to tap into. Not only are board members seasoned professionals with excellent rolodexes, but they also have a vested interest–and belief–in your company.
This process can be simpler than you think. You can go to the board and let them know you’re working hard to hit this month’s number, and are ending up a little short. Tell them the top three to five accounts you’re trying to get into, and directly ask whom they know who might be able to help facilitate that.
You probably won’t get much if you just ask them for vague referrals. But if you’re this specific, they should be both willing and able to help. Whether it’s an introduction or an up-leveling of a deal, using the board can be very valuable, especially as companies get bigger and the boards get more sophisticated.
Final Thoughts
When you’re facing low sales numbers, don’t panic. Instead, get busy. Make sure every customer in your database has a sales rep assigned to–and working–their account, build business cases where applicable, and ask your partners and board members for help.
Staying scrappy, strategic, and well-connected is how you turn one good month into many—and build a repeatable, resilient sales engine in the process.
