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Strategic Sales Planning

Identifying and developing business opportunities that are consistent with the long-term strategic plans of the organization.
Level 1 Demonstrates introductory understanding, directing people to the appropriate source for further information.

BEHAVIORS

  • Explains standard business development strategies/techniques.
  • Assists in information gathering to support sales planning, including market and customer research.
  • Uses the organization’s standard qualifying methodology to identify potential prospects within a given market place.

QUESTIONS

  • Tell me about a situation where you qualified potential customers within your assigned area.

Probing Questions

* What was the situation?

* What did you need to accomplish?

* What did you do to quality customers?

* What are the results of your efforts?

  • Give me an example of when you described to others the standard business development strategies in your organization.

Probing Questions

* What was the situation?

* What did you need to accomplish?

* What did you do?

* What was the outcome?

Level 2 Applies the competency in common situations that present limited difficulties, working with a moderate level of guidance.

BEHAVIORS

  • Suggests possible ways of generating leads and increasing current and future market penetration.
  • Gathers competitor market intelligence, sharing with relevant members in the sales organization.
  • Maintains customer target lists.
  • Conducts customer and market research to develop strategies to grow market share.
  • Participates in strategic lead generation and the development of target markets.
  • Identifies new, profitable business potential in specific markets.
  • Qualifies prospects for the organization’s products and services into the sales pipeline.

QUESTIONS

  • Tell me about a situation where you recommended different ways of generating leads to an increase in market penetration.

Probing Questions

* Describe the situation.

* What did you need to accomplish?

* What did you do?

* What happened as a result of your work?

  • Tell me about a situation where you qualified prospects in the sales pipeline.

Probing Questions

* Describe the situation.

* What did you need to accomplish?

* What did you do?

* What was the result of your efforts?

Level 3 Applies the competency in the full range of typical situations, requiring guidance in only the most complex or new situations.

BEHAVIORS

  • Cultivates new opportunities to build long-term business relationships.
  • Implements initiatives to increase current and future market penetration.
  • Sells expanded services to existing customers.
  • Collaborates with marketing specialists to leverage product knowledge and promotions.
  • Aligns products and/or services with customer base to maximize brand opportunities.
  • Applies the standard sales qualification process to all opportunities.

QUESTIONS

  • Tell me about a situation where you expanded the products sold to a current customer.

Probing Questions

* What was the situation?

* What did you need to accomplish?

* What did you do?

* What was the outcome?

  • Tell me about a situation where you followed a sales process with a qualified lead.

Probing Questions

* What was the situation?

* What did you need to accomplish?

* What did you do?

* How many contacts did you make on the lead?

* What was the outcome?

Level 4 Applies the competency in new or complex situations and advises others.

BEHAVIORS

  • Identifies strategic targets, developing leads into prospects and prospects into sales in selected industries.
  • Develops new customer and existing customer potentials for maximum penetrations and profitability.
  • Leads the development and maintenance of prospect lists.
  • Develops pricing structure in conjunction with other managers.
  • Leads investigations of the economic conditions related to one’s business such as industry trends and competition.
  • Leads design and implementation of initiatives to increase current and future market share.
  • Manages each stage of the sales pipeline.

QUESTIONS

  • Tell me about a situation where you developed and maintained a prospect list.

Probing Questions

* What was the situation?

* What did you need to accomplish with the list?

* What did you do?

* What was the result?

  • Tell us about a situation where you identified changes to industry trends and economic conditions related to your business?

Probing Questions

* What was the situation?

* What did you need to accomplish?

* How did you capture the change?

* What did you do with the information?

* What was the outcome?

Level 5 Develops new approaches and methods in the area. Is recognized as an expert within the organization.

BEHAVIORS

  • Develops ideas for positioning the organization for long-term success.
  • Builds strategic initiatives to increase current and future market share and oversees their implementation.
  • Creates a business development strategy for the organization based on market intelligence and other knowledge.
  • Evaluates the practicality and implementation challenges of the business plan.
  • Anticipates the future direction of industry macro conditions and market dynamics.
  • Defines the qualification framework for the sales process.

QUESTIONS

  • Tell us about a situation where you built strategic initiatives to increase market share.

Probing Questions

* What was the situation?

* What did you need to accomplish?

* What did you do?

* What was the outcome?

  • Tell me about a situation where you established a business development strategy for your organization.

Probing Questions

* Describe the situation and your role.

* What did you need to achieve?

* What did you do?

* What was the impact?