When this Agile Sales Manifesto was first introduced in 2021 it was a welcomed complement in the Business Agility and Agile Sales landscape as it was developed with 1) a full set of Values as well as Principles 2) foundational agility goals as opposed to select organizational policies 3) a comparative view of other Agile Manifestos, linkages and interdependencies with other values such as the Agile Development Manifesto, Agile Marketing Manifesto, Agile HR Manifesto and the Declaration of Interdependence. There was careful consideration for the unique challenges of Sales but also the accountability Sales has with regards to Consumers and Clients.
The Agile Sales Manifesto is just a Start! We hope this Agile Sales Manifesto Inspires Sales Professionals and Business Agilists, serves as useful foundational material to help promote healthier organizational behaviours, fosters proactive agile sales team mindset, aids in guiding agile sales ways of working (WoW) and agile methods adoption.
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“Selling is a transaction based on Value Exchange, we are uncovering better ways of Exchanging Value”
Agile Sales Manifesto Problems
Consider the Problems in Sales!
Rinse & Repeat Sales Pitch, Always Be Closing, Win-Lose Contract Negotiation, Telling the Client What To Buy, Blaming Others and Secrecy.
Agile Sales Manifesto Solutions
Consider Agile Sales Solutions!
Serve VS Sell, Always Create Value, Win-Win Collaboration with Clients, Adapt Based on Client Needs, Introspection, Learning and Personal Accountability, Transparency.
Agile Sales Manifesto Value #1
CUSTOMER NEEDS
OVER
RINSE & REPEAT
PEOPLE-CENTRIC, CUSTOMER-CENTRIC
Agile Sales Manifesto Value #2
ALWAYS ADD VALUE
OVER
ALWAYS BE CLOSING
VALUE-FOCUS, REDUCING WASTE
Agile Sales Manifesto Value #3
COLLABORATION (WIN-WIN)
OVER
CONTRACTUALLY NEGOTIATED
COLLABORATIVE, EMBRACING FEEDBACK
Agile Sales Manifesto Value #4
ADAPTABILITY OVER PRESCRIPTIVENESS
FLEXIBILITY, RESPONDING TO CHANGE
Agile Sales Manifesto Value #5
INTROSPECTION OVER BLAMING
AUTONOMY, CONTINUOUS LEARNING, RIGOR
Agile Sales Manifesto Value #6
TRANSPARENCY OVER SECRECY
CULTURE, PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY, SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Agile Sales Manifesto Values
The following are the Six Values of the Manifesto:
#1 Customer needs over ‘Rinse & Repeat’ pitch process
People-Centric, Customer-Centric
#2 Always be creating value over ‘Always Be Closing’
Value-Focus, Reducing Waste
#3 Cross-Functional and Iterative engagement with customers over contract negotiation
Collaborative, Embracing Feedback
#4 Adaptability over prescriptiveness
Flexibility, Responding to Change
#5 Courageous introspection and personal accountability over assigning blame
Autonomy, Continuous Learning, Rigor
#6 Transparency over secrecy
Culture, Psychological Safety, Openness
Agile Sales Manifesto Principles
The following are the Twelve Principles of the Manifesto
1. Great sales require close alignment, transparency, and quality interactions with internal and external customers
2. Embrace and respond to change to enhance customer value
3. Through active listening, propose a solution only to a level sufficient to ensure effectiveness and customer satisfaction, then expand based on emerging needs
4. Frequent collaboration between cross-functional teams and customers
5. Nourish and support the people’s and team’s motivation and capabilities, help them build the environment they need, and trust them to get the job done
6. Face-to-face conversation is the best form of value exchange
7. Customer satisfaction and loyalty is the primary measure of progress
8. Sustainable value exchange, able to maintain a mutually agreed pace of work
9. Continuous attention to sales solution excellence, responsible and ethical sales practices
10. Strive for simplicity but recognize when only ‘complexity will solve complexity’
11. Help to build and support networks of empowered, self-organising and collaborative teams
12. Nurture personal growth, learn from both success and failure, harness your strengths and embrace the different strengths of team and customer
Agile Sales Manifesto PDF
Credits
IMAGES: Unsplash.com sources cited on each Slide
Alyssia Wilson https://unsplash.com/photos/vPicKH-ouX0
Ethan M. https://unsplash.com/photos/lfoLfnuqWvM
Gabriella Clare Marino https://unsplash.com/photos/-bSipl0j7PQ
Tim Mossholder https://unsplash.com/photos/jBK5235avoE
Krakenimages https://unsplash.com/photos/Y5bvRlcCx8k
Leon Seibert https://unsplash.com/photos/9i5eqBarv-k
Felipe López https://unsplash.com/photos/Z1CvnN-62WU
Nicolas Cool https://unsplash.com/photos/3r-TKe4PCnk
Elena Rabkina https://unsplash.com/photos/QH8aF3B0gYQ
Екатерина Мещерякова https://unsplash.com/photos/wLGyqcFWaK8
Globencer https://unsplash.com/photos/8IQXvtiDmgw
Sander Sammy https://unsplash.com/photos/H0nmXTsrxE0
TEMPLATE: 24Slides
Agile Sales Manifesto Authors
WORK ADAPTED FROM: Hormaza Dow, T. & Martinot C. (2021, March). Creation of an Agile Sales Manifesto on Researchgate.net
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