The 2022 Road to Readiness Roadshow made its third US stop earlier this week. That can only mean one thing: the US stops for the 2022 roadshow are officially a wrap.

Throughout the month of June, we made stops in San Francisco, Chicago, and New York. At each stop revenue leaders gathered to network, discuss challenges, and swap best practices for creating an entire team of quota-crushing reps (yes, it’s very much possible). After more than two years of digital events, it was great to be in the same room with our customers again. We enjoyed meeting some new folks along the way, too.

Of course, no two stops of the roadshow were the same. Each event brought a different mix of attendees and speakers — which led to some really unique, interesting conversations. However, there were certain themes that were prominent at all three stops.

If you weren’t able to join us for the North American stops on 2022 Road to Readiness Roadshow, here are our three takeaways.

#1 The best sales organizations are approaching readiness differently

Oftentimes, sales leaders accept the 80/20 principle, which is the notion that the top 20% of sellers will continue to drive 80% of sales. These leaders believe sales is an art, and a seller either has what it takes — or they don’t.

The most successful sales orgs don’t buy into this myth. They know that with the right sales readiness approach, it’s very much possible to get all sellers ready to close deals.

But what exactly are these winning orgs doing differently to get their sellers ready?

During the roadshow, we took a deep dive into what’s working (and what isn’t) for sales organizations by sharing key insights from our 2022 State of Sales Readiness report. We also heard how real-life organizations are applying winning strategies to drive revenue growth.

Attendees learned that the best sales orgs are:

• Reducing onboarding and ramp time with templates and automation
• Creating and iterating on high-value content that sellers know how to use
• Sharing the mic on sales calls
• Delivering coaching that improves skills needed for long-term success
• Defining excellence for all customer-facing employees – not just sales

Check out the 2022 State of Sales Readiness report to dig deeper into these and more insights.

#2 An IRP is the foundation of any winning sales readiness program

Any deal includes two key components: the buyer and the seller. If either of those components isn’t quite right, the deal’s not going to go through.

The vast majority of organizations have developed ideal customer profiles (ICPs), which outline the key characteristics that make a buyer the right fit for an organization’s solutions. But far fewer take the time to develop a corresponding ideal rep profile (IRP), which spells out the knowledge, skills, and behaviors a rep needs to be successful.

But how can an organization strive for great when they haven’t defined what great looks like?

The best sales orgs understand that the IRP must be the cornerstone of any sales readiness program. Sales leaders can then measure reps against this gold standard and deliver training and coaching to close gaps and create an entire team of sellers that are always ready to close deals.

At each stop of the roadshow, there were plenty of discussions about the importance of creating an IRP. During a collaborative workshop, attendees even had the opportunity to create their own – and hear how Mindtickle customers are using theirs to benchmark, track progress, and drive bottom-line sales results.

#3 Sales coaching can have a huge impact — but only when it’s done right

By now, the impact of sales coaching is quite clear. Research tells us that 8 out of 10 teams with effective coaching practices hit greater than 75% of their sales quotas. But claiming to have a coaching practice in place isn’t enough.

In many organizations, coaching is seen as just another box to check. What’s more, sales managers often take an ad hoc approach to coaching that’s focused on deal reviews. Per CSO Insights, nearly 63% of sales orgs take a random or informal approach to coaching.

Deal coaching is important. But on its own, it’s not enough to improve long-term behaviors and move the needle. Instead, the best sales orgs incorporate many types of coaching that lead to revenue generation and seller retention.

Of course, there are barriers that stand in the way of more effective coaching, one of which is time. While one-size-fits-all coaching isn’t effective, it takes a lot of time to deliver personalized coaching to an entire team of reps.

During the roadshow, we explored how sales orgs can establish processes and leverage the right technology to make coaching actionable, personalized, and integrated into the greater readiness strategy.

There’s plenty in store for Mindtickle customers

Sales isn’t merely an art. Rather, it’s a science. And with the right readiness approach, any organization can create an entire team of top sellers.

 

Here at Mindtickle, we’re focused on continuously innovating our platform to enable our customers to make readiness a reality. During the roadshow, we shared our vision for how modern revenue organizations can leverage data and science to streamline processes and scale results. We also gave attendees a sneak peek of what’s in store for Mindtickle, including upcoming capabilities, partnerships, and integrations. And we’re not done yet. We’re coming to London this fall so stay tuned for more details about registration. In the meantime, check out the Mindtickle blog to hear from more experts and customers on sales readiness trends, tips, and predictions.