After investing the time to meticulously map out your sales process, you might be tempted to pat yourself on the back and move on to the next initiative. But before you do, there’s a crucial series of next steps you’ll want to take to really optimize your sales workflow and revenue.
The first step is to validate the accuracy of your process map. Don’t just rely on what people told your process mapper – run a few “dry runs” to track the actual progress of leads or opportunities through each stage. You could even send a “dye pack” through the system to get a granular view of how work is really flowing. Sometimes what people say is happening doesn’t match reality, often due to unconscious biases, inefficiencies, or even attempted coverups.
Don’t forget to handle limiting beliefs which are outside the realm of the process map.
Now That Your Sales Process Is Diagrammed, Unveil the Overlooked Compression Tactic
Once you’ve confirmed the map reflects the true state of your sales process, it’s time to start analyzing the gaps between each step. Where are the delays, handoffs, or other bottlenecks slowing down your progress? This is where the real opportunities for optimization lie. Map out the time it takes to move from one stage to the next, and identify the biggest choke points.
Now here’s the often overlooked part – you need to identify the true constraint in your sales process. This concept comes from Eliyahu Goldratt’s Theory of Constraints, which states that every system has at least one constraint that limits its ability to achieve its goal. In your sales funnel, this is likely the step or stage that is holding back the entire process. Detect this critical bottleneck, and you’ll unlock huge productivity and revenue gains, likely through the cash conversion cycle.
Your Sales Workflow is Mapped - Unlock the Surprising Efficiency Boost
With the constraint identified, you can get to work on reducing it. Don’t just jump to the first solution that comes to mind. Take a more structured problem-solving approach, including brainstorming multiple options. Test different ideas to see what has the biggest impact on throughput, and be prepared to try a few approaches before finding the right fix.
As you reduce the constraint, measure the results. Then turn your attention to the next biggest bottleneck. The interesting thing is, as you optimize one area, the former constraint may re-emerge as the new limiting factor. Stay vigilant and continue this cyclical process of identifying and relieving constraints – that’s the key to driving sustainable sales process improvement.
>> Jason Kanigan is an operations management-trained sales expert, and member of the board of advisors of the Operational Excellence Society. To discuss optimizing your sales process and revenue, book a consultation now. <<
