You’ve got targets. You’ve got a team. You’ve got a plan. So, you must have a strong sales strategy… right?
Maybe. But let’s take a moment to look a little deeper. Because if your sales strategy isn’t consistently converting, aligning with your market, adapting to change, or bringing out the best in your team, it might not be as strong as you think.
At KONA, we see this all the time. Businesses come to us with decent sales numbers, solid teams, and a strategy that—on the surface—seems to be working. But after a closer look, we uncover the hidden gaps that are quietly draining performance, killing momentum, and limiting long-term growth.
So, before you pat yourself on the back for having a “strong” sales strategy, here are a few signs that you might need to rethink things.
1. Your Team Is Busy, But Not Always Effective
Busyness and effectiveness are not the same thing. If your sales team is constantly chasing leads, making calls, sending follow-ups—but only occasionally closing deals or hitting quota—your strategy might be more reactive than strategic.
A truly strong sales strategy provides clarity on where to focus, how to qualify leads, when to push and when to pivot. If your reps are overwhelmed or “winging it,” it’s a sign your strategy lacks structure.
2. You’re Not Getting Predictable Results
Sales will always have some ups and downs. But if every quarter feels like a gamble, it’s time to investigate.
A solid sales strategy should create predictability. That means tracking key metrics, having a repeatable process, and understanding what drives conversions at each stage of your pipeline.
If success seems tied more to luck or one superstar rep, rather than a system the whole team can follow, then your strategy needs reinforcing.
3. You’re Relying on the Same Tactics from 5 Years Ago
Buyer behaviour has changed. Your strategy should too. If you’re still relying on cold calls and one-size-fits-all demos without personalisation, storytelling, or value-based messaging, you’re probably losing to competitors who’ve evolved.
A strong sales strategy is not static. It adapts. It evolves. It leverages data, tech, and changing customer expectations to stay relevant and effective.
4. You’re Selling Without Listening
If your strategy is built around what you want to sell, rather than what your customer needs to solve, you’re already behind.
Modern sales strategies start with deep customer understanding. They’re built on solving real problems, not pushing products. If you don’t have a clearly defined ideal customer profile, buyer personas, or discovery process that uncovers pain points, your strategy isn’t truly customer-centric.
And that’s a big problem.
5. There’s No Alignment Between Sales and Marketing
Marketing is promising one thing, sales is delivering another, and leads keep falling through the cracks. Sound familiar?
If your sales strategy is operating in a silo—separate from your marketing team, customer service, or product development—it’s not a strategy. It’s a gamble.
Alignment across departments is key to a strong sales strategy. Everyone should be rowing in the same direction with the same messaging, goals, and understanding of the customer journey.
6. Your Strategy Lives in a Slide Deck (and Nowhere Else)
Be honest—when was the last time your team actually looked at your sales strategy?
If it’s sitting in a PDF on someone’s desktop, it’s not doing its job. Your sales strategy should be living and breathing: referenced regularly, embedded in daily workflows, and understood by everyone from leadership to frontline reps.
If it’s not operationalised, it’s just wishful thinking.
So, Do You Really Have a Strong Sales Strategy?
If you’re nodding along to some of the above, don’t worry—you’re not alone. Most businesses believe their strategy is solid… until it’s tested.
But a strong sales strategy isn’t about being perfect—it’s about being intentional. It’s about clarity, alignment, adaptability, and execution. And if you’re ready to go from good to great, we can help.
Not sure where to start? Use KONA’s Sales Activity Calculator to take out the guesswork. This free tool helps you break down exactly how many calls, meetings, and follow-ups your team needs to achieve your sales goals. It’s simple, fast, and incredibly useful for planning a realistic, high-performance sales strategy. Try it now and see where your numbers really stack up.
Ready to Reinforce or Rethink Your Sales Strategy?
At KONA, we work with businesses to design and implement tailored Sales Strategy Training that transforms performance from the inside out. Whether you’re scaling, struggling, or just want to sharpen your competitive edge, we’ll help you build a strategy that works in the real world—not just on paper.
👉 Contact KONA today to find out how we can elevate your team with a sales strategy that actually delivers. Call 1300 611 288 or Email info@kona.com.au to get started!
