Selecting Sales Technology Is like Ordering from the Cheesecake Factory

While on site visits last week, some of the Qvidian marketing team did what they do best: worked hard, played hard, and in the process, ate their way through enough sizzlin’ Southern cuisine to leave any foodie in a delightfully guilt-ridden coma. When asked what was on our plates, we couldn’t recall – just a whole lot of everything tasty.

As a self-proclaimed foodaholic, it’s fair to say I’m far from a cheap date and can easily chow down an appetizer or two (or three) in addition to a main course and dessert (of course). So where’s my go-to spot when I can’t decide? The Cheesecake Factory – where else? Yet while variety, aka the spice of life, lives at this chain of the endless menu, I’ve somehow failed to move beyond page 4. This begged the question: can too many choices actually limit your options?

Today, sales enablement pros are faced with the same dilemma. The number of tools and technologies available is downright overwhelming. Just like the Cheesecake Factory’s menu, the sales enablement market is overfilled with attractive solutions all offering “amazing capabilities,” promising to quell your hunger for improved sales execution and performance. So what do you order? It’s impossible to try them all, and nor would you want to – your selling situations are particular to the circumstance, and so is your buyer. Not to mention, there’s a good chance you’re just like me and stick to only what you’ve tried, tested, and proved. You can probably guess where I’m going with here…like me, you’re probably missing out.

Sales processes, like your taste buds, are unique – so not every solution will fit your criteria. At the same time, you know what you like. Wouldn’t it be cool to tailor restaurant menus to each individual palate, featuring courses with your favorite ingredients? Streamlining and simplifying sales complexity can be just as helpful. Salespeople are often inundated with data overload, forcing them to spend way too much time chasing information, and far less time actually utilizing the right – or accurate and relevant – information for closing deals faster. It’s therefore essential for you to arm your sales teams with automated guidance and best practices tailored to each of their specific selling conversation. There’s simply too much noise out there not to, risking loss in productivity and hurting your bottom line.

As for me, next time I’m at the Cheesecake Factory, I’m moving on to page 5 and trying the Shepard’s Pie.

Selecting Sales Technology Is like Ordering from the Cheesecake Factory