Sally Kohn: Sales effectiveness is ultimately an outcome of these factors, not only the result of what you might call heroic efforts in the field. She says whether it's a generous expense account or working on commission, some of these policies really hit salespeople right in their wallets. Kohn: The vast majority of investments in any company are made in the service of customer acquisition or customer service activities. So notice what happens as a result of those sales compliments.
Getting your sales team on board with your strategy shouldn’t be an afterthought, Harvard Business School professor Frank Cespedes argues. After all, the engine of many businesses is a strong sales core. But aligning your strategy with sales isn’t just about communicating your ideas effectively. You have to hire carefully and use smart incentives to guide sales behavior.