You can have the best salespeople and the best sales tactics, but none of it will increase sales until you have a good sales strategy to bring it all together. Interim management can help your company develop one and find success.

A strategy is more than a good idea. It is an observation of resources and opportunities which are written down into a series of tactical plans and then executed. However, sales ideas are only valuable when they are implemented. Interim management not only helps create and put them into place, they recognize and leverage their potential to produce sustainable results that boost performance.

You need a sales strategy to turn your ideas into revenue. Marketing strategist Edwin Dearborn recommends collectively using three sales strategies. Because planning and implementing each is outside the say-to-day responsibilities of a sales manager, interim management is the best way to achieve all three.

1. Interim management develop more things to sell

One way to increase sales is to sell more products or services. Increase the range of things you offer and create packages for the different items you sell. For example, take a look at the Coca-cola company. In addition to selling their core product Coca-cola, they sell other beverages like Fanta, Dasani, and Sprite to capture a larger customer segment. Similarly, McDonald’s now has a much larger menu than their initial fries, hamburger and shakes.

Your company needs more products to sell. By servicing a broader range of items, you can increase sales from a single client. Brainstorm programs and ideas for more things you could find or create to sell to a larger audience. Since executives in interim management have meddled in all kinds of strategies, they can help you develop new ideas.

2. Interim management get more people to sell for you

There are three ways you can get more people to sell your product for you.

1. Open up at more locations,
2. hire more salespeople, or
3. partner with people that supplement your product or service.

If you are a solopreneur who doesn’t have the staff or an office, you can make partnerships with people that can co-brand with you. For example, if you’re a wedding photographer, find wedding planners to partner with. Joining forces with other people will give you access to a larger network or database that you can tap into to increase sales.

To generate sales, you need more people talking about your service, brand or product. You can accomplish that by hiring more salespeople or co-branding with other brands that will help increase sales. Hiring is a temporary function which can be handled under interim management.

3. Interim management ask people to buy your products

Sales are not about offering your services or products, it’s about closing the deal. Because sales revenue is a quantitative situation, it all comes down to getting people to buy what you’re offering. The best way to do that is to directly ask clients to buy your items. Edwin Dearborn says not to be afraid of asking for the money. At the end of your conversation, ask them if they want to sign the contract or pay for the item now.

Not later, now.

If you don’t feel comfortable asking, let interim management take over.

To learn about how Cerius Interim Management can help you, please visit our home page by clicking here.