BroadReach Scott Willard is CEO of BroadReach Partners, Inc. (broadreachpartnersinc.com), a sales consultancy specializing in accelerating measurable top-line growth

Ah, the bliss of yesterday’s sales cycle. We didn’t know how good we had it. Find a lead, make a call, get a meeting, close the deal.

That was then. In the New Normal economy, the sales environment has changed radically. And it’s certainly longer, often taking months, even years, from first call to close. You have to work harder to find the right people to talk to. You have to work harder to get them to talk to you. You need to talk to more prospects to make your numbers, because the conversion rate is so much lower. And of course, all of this means you have to have to spend more, too.

The most exasperating challenge, though, is that even working harder than ever isn’t enough for companies that cling to yesterday’s sales methods. Time-tested approaches are falling short.

Because the sales cycle has become so protracted and complex, the new approach is all about pipeline development — that is, addressing the entire sales pipeline, not just its later stages.

Lead Generation vs. Pipeline Development
 In today’s environment, a strong sales pipeline is the foundation of any successful strategy for growing revenue. Every part of that pipeline, from prospecting to close, must work in concert and run efficiently and intelligently.

Transitioning from lead generation to true pipeline development is not easy. Most sales organizations, in fact, are falling far short in this evolution. The reasons range from inadequate time (“I’ve got to make this quarter’s numbers or there won’t be a next quarter”) to inadequate resources (“We just had another round of layoffs”) to inadequate DNA (“Truthfully, we don’t have the talent or ability to change that way.”)

However, some sales teams do see the light, and do address the entire sales pipeline — building both its size and quality via a disciplined and structured approach. They’re mapping out a methodical pipeline strategy that focuses as much on the front end of the sales process as on the back end. They’re populating their Customer Relationship Management systems with high quality opportunities on a regular basis. They’re making sure that every contact ends with clearly defined next steps.

In short, they have a system. They’re executing it like clockwork. And it’s paying major dividends in revenue generation.

Build vs. Buy
So, how are these relationship-based sales organizations building such a well-oiled pipeline development machine? For the vast majority, they’re not.

Sustaining a full, high-quality sales pipeline is both critical and challenging. It requires a full-time, focused effort that most sales organizations simply cannot muster. For that reason, many companies turn to external specialists whose sole focus is accelerating top-line growth.

The best of them employ a deep and comprehensive process to help their clients reach and establish relationships with senior-level decision-makers and close large deals. They use a proven successful methodology that optimizes the entire sales cycle — presell, sell, and post-sell — to fill the pipeline and generate measurable revenue growth.

Passive vs. Active
One day, perhaps the economy will be robust again, the rising tide will lift all boats, and easier sales successes will return. Some organizations may be content to tread water while waiting for that day. Others, however, will have none of this. They are aggressively taking action to boost sales performance, evolving from mere tactical lead generation to thorough pipeline development. They are reaping ROI rewards now — rewards that will be even greater if and when the economy eventually improves.