Sales forecasting is most typically seen as the domain of sales leadership, rather than individual contributors. But I think that’s a missed opportunity. In fact, my experience has shown that the sales reps with the strongest ability to forecast sales outcomes are the same reps at the top end of the sales performance leaderboard.
An obvious conclusion you could reach from this observation is that it’s easier to forecast when you win more. This is true, but I think the greater insight is that the skills you need to be good at forecasting also equip you to be a better salesperson.
In complex sales, forecasting is a function of predicting individual deal outcomes. The better you are able to analyse and objectively assess the status of your deals, the better your forecasting will be. However, the ability to step back and dispassionately judge all elements of every sales opportunity is also a critical selling skill.
This clinical assessment – of deal status, of strengths and weaknesses, of risks and threats – directly informs the tactics and strategies you employ to win the deal. The better the judgement, the better the tactics. The better the tactics the more likely a win.
The message for leaders is that by investing in these specific skills and disciplines, you’ll not only get more accurate forecasts, you’ll also win more deals.
