Last week, I proposed that better decision making frameworks exist for this critical B2B sales process decision than the old traditional approaches, like…

• Personality type, that mystical, “untrainable X factor” that separates hunters  from farmers
• The case for focus of effort, attention, manageable bandwidth
• The perception of seniority and career / succession planning

I propose that, whilst these criteria may have some credibility and value, in most established B2B sales organisations, we should be looking to maximise the decision making based on the degree to which sales visits can be programmed. To “picture” this concept, visualise the ubiquitous Coca Cola rep, or indeed any rep plying the route trade, where the customers know that at the given timeslot on the given day of the week on the given week of the month the rep will visit for the standard amount of time to do the usual things.  Further, I posit that the more we can create the environment t for highly programmable sales visits, whatever our B2B sales environment, the better for your B2B sales process performance.  My hypothesis is…

• High degree of visit programmability
• Lends itself to hybrid role <as opposed to separate farmers vs hunters>
• Hybrid role lends itself to high degree of sales function optimisation
• High degree of optimisation lends itself to high RoI
• If separation is required, separate programmable visit activities… not clients <farming> from prospects <hunting>

How and why…come back next week for more.

Need a refresh? Click here to re-read last weeks post: Hunters & farmers …. Or hybrids …. critical decision for the viability of your B2B sales process