When you win business, the client is often very open when it comes to telling you what they liked.

When you lose, the cause is often a mystery.

Even if you manage to track down a former prospect after they fail to buy, they might tell you that the product was too expensive, that the purchase had been put on hold, or that their boss went in another direction and didn’t explain why.

Still, most people avoid what they perceive as a confrontation, and giving direct, detailed negative feedback is considered confrontational.

That means that, whether they bought from a competitor or simply made no decision at all, the prospect that visited your office and then never called back is usually not going to tell you the real reason you lost the sale.

Topline Strategy has developed a proprietary Sales Chain Analysis methodology, which can give you an understanding of the market, the competitive dynamics at play, and, most importantly, why you win or lose sales.

Why Traditional Win/Loss Analysis Falls Short

Traditional win/loss analysis methods are often too high level and fail to uncover the “why” behind sales outcomes.

There are multiple factors that affect the outcome of a sale, and there are often complex interactions between them. Traditional win/loss does not pick up on these factors for a variety of reasons:

  • Ad-hoc analysis: Sporadic data collection prevents building a critical mass of insights. You learn a tactical detail, then move on without seeing the bigger picture.
  • Selective sampling: These methods often miss diverse perspectives, leading to a narrow understanding of customer decision-making.
  • Timing: Feedback is typically gathered too soon after decisions are made, before the customer has had time to reflect on their choice.
  • Vendor bias: Vendors directly involved in the sales event bring unconscious biases, which can skew the analysis, and vendors may focus on confirming their assumptions rather than asking uncomfortable but necessary questions.

And, of course, customers may sugarcoat feedback to avoid conflict.

How Sales Chain Analysis Is Different

At Topline, we take a different approach to win/loss analysis and pipeline analysis. Topline built its methodology on six key principles:

  • Diverse account types: To gain a comprehensive view, we analyze accounts across various stages of the Sales Chain. Each stage offers unique insights about customer behavior and market dynamics.
  • Immersive interviews: We conduct 20 to 30 in-depth interviews over four to six weeks, allowing us to uncover patterns and nuances that one-off conversations often miss.
  • Periodic repetition: Conducting the analysis every six months ensures insights stay relevant and adapt to evolving market conditions.
  • Secondary research: We complement interviews with quantitative data and competitive research, adding depth and context to our findings.
  • Senior consultancy model: Experienced Topline consultants lead all aspects of the program, ensuring high-quality interviews and analysis.
  • Unbiased, third-party interviews: Prospects are more candid when speaking with a neutral third party, providing more honest feedback.

The Sales Chain Stages

Our methodology focuses on key stages of the Sales Chain. Each stage offers unique insights to refine your strategy:

  • Leads: What are the levels of market adoption? How are prospects addressing the problem today? What’s the true velocity of deals getting done?
  • Early Pipeline: Why was there enough interest to meet, but not to enter a sales cycle? How do these prospects differ from those who progress further? What alternatives have they chosen?
  • No Decisions: What barriers prevent purchase decisions? Why are the value propositions not compelling? What priorities are taking precedence? When might these prospects revisit their decision?
  • Losses: What factors drove the decision to choose another vendor? How did your solution compare head-to-head with competitors?
  • Wins: What compelling value propositions or events closed the deal? What key factors drove the customer’s decision? How effective was your sales execution?

 

 

Translating Findings To Actionable Insights

At the conclusion of the program, our analysis generates actionable recommendations to accelerate revenue. These recommendations affect all major functional areas, including:

  • Messaging: Crafting more resonant and effective communication.
  • Product: Refining features to address customer priorities.
  • Sales Processes and Pricing: Perfecting strategies to close more deals.
  • Services: Aligning offerings with customer needs.
  • Targeting and Channels: Focusing on the most promising opportunities.

These insights translate into more sales won.

Still, Sales Chain Analysis isn’t just about improving sales. It also helps drive improvements across your entire organization.

Contact Us to learn more about how Topline’s Sales Chain Analysis methodology can uncover hidden opportunities and help you achieve sustained growth.