Build a sales process that actually drives revenue growth

Most sales organisations don’t have a pipeline problem. They have a process problem. Messaging drifts between marketing and sales. The “ideal customer” or ICP is just a slide, not a rule. Deals slow down because we don’t know who decides. Forecasts are shaky because stages aren’t clear. Reps chase the wrong deals. All of this can be fixed.

Below is the blueprint I use when I’m parachuted in as a fractional commercial leader. It’s designed to create momentum in 30–60 days and compound from there.

1) Align the revenue engine, not just the team

If marketing attracts one audience and sales chases another, you create waste. Start by forcing shared ownership of the ICP definition, buying triggers, qualification criteria, and “what good looks like” for a sales-accepted lead. This eliminates mixed messaging, unqualified leads, and misdirected pursuit.

2) Make your ICP un-ignorable

Codify your ICP and build short persona cards that explain why they buy, what outcomes they value, and where they sit in the organisation. Weak personas drive weak targeting and lost time.

3) Map the real buying journey

In complex accounts there are always more decision-makers than you think. Require stakeholder mapping on every qualified opportunity: who signs, who blocks, who measures ROI, and who suffers the problem daily. Coach reps to engage each of them on value, not demos. Missing this step is a top reason deals stall or go “no decision.”

4) Architect pipeline stages that predict, not just describe

Replace vague stages with objective exit criteria tied to buyer behavior (not rep hope). Then design a simple forecasting framework you can trust, reducing variability and giving leadership control of coverage and conversion levers. Treat forecast accuracy as a product you build, not a report you send.

5) Prioritise ruthlessly

Resource constraints are real. Put a simple, shared rubric in place to rank opportunities by value, velocity, and verifiability of pain and access. Equip reps with decision frameworks to stop over-investing in pretty but improbable deals. The goal is maximum revenue impact per hour, not maximum activities.

6) Design your team around customer segments

Structure reps or pods to mirror how your customers buy. Alignment by segment routinely lifts productivity. I often see double-digit gains when teams stop straddling segments with different cycles and stakeholders.

7) Standardize the “moments that matter”

Build practical tools for the core motions that swing outcomes: account selection, qualification, meeting prep, value alignment, and stakeholder follow-through. These tools eliminate inconsistency and make average reps good and good reps great, without extra meetings.

8) Run on OKRs, not opinions

Translate the root causes you’ve diagnosed into quarterly OKRs with clear owners. Keep them few, measurable, and visible. Then cadence execution through a simple operating rhythm: weekly pipeline health, biweekly deal strategy, monthly forecast review, and a quarterly business review that ties learning back to the OKRs.

9) Measure, report, improve

Close the loop with executive-level reporting that shows progress against OKRs, deals moved or removed, forecast deltas explained, and what you’re changing next. Treat the process as a product with a backlog, iterated every quarter.

What changes first when this works

• your forecast tightens and stops surprising the board.

• reps spend less time on pretty-looking, low-probability deals and more time where access and urgency are real.

• marketing and sales stop debating lead quality because the handoff is defined and enforced.

• productivity rises without adding bodies, because the team and motions match how customers buy.

If you’re a founder or commercial leader scaling into new markets—or pulling a team out of a stall—this is the work I lead. I partner hands-on with your managers and reps to build the process, coach the moments that matter, and leave you with a system that keeps compounding after I exit. More about my approach and client results on my site www.adrianadelacruz.com

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