1. HOW TO MAKE YOUR NUMBER IN 2017
Gap gulf assessment
HOW TO MAKE YOUR NUMBER IN 2017

2. EMERGING BEST PRACTICE
Gap gulf assessment
FOCUS AREA
ASSESSMENT
CURRENT STATE
EMERGING BEST PRACTICE
IMPACT x
KEY
GULF
GAP
ALIGNED

3. Gap gulf assessment - Example
FOCUS AREA
ASSESSMENT
CURRENT STATE
EMERGING BEST PRACTICE
IMPACT
Account Segmentation
GULF
The ideal customer profile is not defined
Define the ideal customer profile through regular account segmentation data refreshes
Currently sales and marketing are targeting the wrong accounts
Sales Enablement
Sales training does not yet leverage mobile tools and gamification
The team uses a mobile-enabled sales playbook that provides “how-to” guidance on how to message to customers.
Tools used by the sales rep and how they message to the customer varies.
Buyer experience is inconsistent and ineffective
Sales Process
ALIGNED
A customized sales process is being used by sales reps and managers actively in the field
Use a customized, buyer-centric sales process.
Regularly coach the sales reps on how to follow the process and manage their pipeline accordingly
Current use is resulting in excellent deal velocity and close rate
KEY
GULF
GAP
ALIGNED

4. instructions
Purpose: Your goal is to understand how much or how little the current state of your organization is using emerging best practices.
Why You Care: When you are not using emerging best practices, your organization is not operating at the highest standard of performance. But by using emerging best practices, you are more likely to make your number both in-year and long term.
Who You Should Talk to: Spend time with your functional leadership peers. Dive into each key focus area of the organization and use this tool to facilitate conversations with key leaders such as the Head of Product, CMO, Head of Sales and Head of HR.
What You Should Do: understand 4 things from each peer by focus area:
Current State – how do they do things today? Transparency and honesty are critical when answering this question.
Emerging Best Practice – what does best-in-class look like? This is either an aspirational goal or what the industry leaders do.
Impact – What is the difference between current state and emerging best practice? How does this effect your org?
Assessment – how big is the gap between your current state and emerging best practices?
How You Should do it: schedule a 1 on 1 meeting. Tell your peers your goal is “to ensure we understand how we do business today compared to how we would like to do business in the future. Once you have scheduled the meeting, arrive ready to listen. Do not force your agenda. Collect the 4 items listed above for each functional leader.