What I’d Fix First in Your Sales Org

When I step in as a fractional sales leader, I focus on two things right away:

1️⃣ Clear Targets, Accountability, Visibility

A lot of teams think they have this nailed because there’s a quota buried in a slide deck. But look closer and you’ll often find:

• Targets that are vague or unrealistic

• Reps unsure where they stand until the quarter ends

• Managers who don’t check in consistently, or no dedicated sales manager at all

• Targets are focused on results, but don’t bridge the gap to activities needed to drive said results

I put simple, specific targets in place tied to both revenue and activity. Then I make progress visible with a scorecard everyone sees during weekly check-ins. Clarity and accountability don’t require a 40-page report or a complex system.

2️⃣ Funnel Tracking Over Time

This is a big blind spot. CRMs typically focus on a snap shot of your pipeline today and forecasted into the future, but not how it changes over time. That means questions like these go unanswered:

• Is the funnel actually growing quarter over quarter?

• Has the size of the funnel been sufficient to feed sales/revenue?

• Are you adding enough new opportunities to replace what you close?

Even Salesforce and HubSpot don’t show this well out of the box. I solve it by capturing weekly pipeline snapshots and plotting them in a simple graph. Once you see the funnel evolve, you can finally trust your forecast and spot issues early.

None of this is rocket science, but having a fractional sales leader dedicated to your organization is a huge step towards hitting your sales and revenue goals.

👉 Does your sales org have both of these foundations in place?