For start-ups and growth-mode companies, constant pipeline development is crucial. A healthy pipeline is vital for securing the next round of funding, landing new customers, and proving product-market fit. The true strength of a company is reflected in its ability to maintain a robust pipeline that exudes confidence and integrity.
I structure our partnerships with 3 key pieces in mind as we’ve witnessed the transformative power of a well-managed pipeline. I look for leaders with these mentalities to how they lead their organization.
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I want a team that prioritizes pipeline.
Make pipeline health a central focus of your business strategy. All teams and all indicators should come back to a direct or supporting role in revenue generation. If it does not, why are we doing it? Aside from a few internal, HR-related activities, I cannot think of any priority that tops a revenue-generating discipline.
An obvious way to prioritize pipeline is to be diligent in your deal reviews. Leaders must know how to operate the CRM to review efficiently. When reps are confident, they’re collaborative, they’ll ask for help and have the discipline to close out unlikely opportunities. When the culture is broken, leaders have to rely on their bullshit-meter as reps will “sandbag” or “happy ears” their entire deal reviews.
When the pipeline is prioritized and the central focus of the strategic decisions, leaders will understand critical metrics and how each stage of the pipeline impacts revenue goals.
I want a leader who understands the components of a consistent outbound strategy.
When a sales leader understands the functions that drive the pipeline, they are such a collaborative resource for any GTM or growth executor. We write about these components all the time.
- Targeting: Segmenting your TAM
- Validity: Domain and data integrity to land inboxes
- More At-Bats: Relevant sales messaging and the science of booking meetings
- Impactful Coverage: Powerful, ongoing automated nurture
- Math Behind It All: Communicating board-level GTM metrics
These daily plays are the job of someone who is tied to pipeline numbers, has a pulse on the data at all times, can creatively deploy campaigns, and garner alignment with the closers. Typically if we’re not on pace, we need to evaluate through these 5 things. When sales leaders are supported by a sales enablement teammate they trust, these pivots can be extremely obvious and simple to execute. Gah, I love being in this role.
I want a leader who can keep everyone rowing in the same direction.
Realize that building a strong pipeline takes time and persistence. With at least 90 days of commitment and dedicated effort, you'll begin to see significant results. The leading indicators take days, the movement takes weeks, and the impact takes only a few months.
Our approach at AK Operations turns fragile sales processes into robust, reliable systems that drive revenue and ensure business stability. Embrace the assurance that comes with a well-maintained pipeline. Sales leaders cannot afford to overlook the culture of their sales team as it directly impacts how the entire organization generates pipeline and revenue. The best sales leaders must embrace these three mindsets as they not only build trust with stakeholders but also ensure sustainable growth and success for the entire organization.
We help leaders do this every day. If you need help (like most do), we should talk.