One of the basics that all sales professionals have in common is owning a clearly-defined personal sales pipeline. Even if it is just a basic spreadsheet typed up in Microsoft Word or Excel. It doesn’t necessarily have to be housed in a state-of-the-art customised CRM software system that your employer has invested in to help you be more successful.

When interviewing job applicants, it really concerns me when a sales executive is unable to produce this selling tool on request. In this day and age, maintaining a well-documented personal sales pipeline is deemed ‘Sales 101’ by ALL sales experts worldwide.

Contrary to popular belief, It is not the sole responsibility of a sales manager or employer to set it up for the team. Having said that, many sales managers and/or their organisations already have an excellent sales process or pipeline framework in place. This should be viewed as a bonus for any sales pro to have as a base to work from. It’s what helps to define a professional sales organisation. But to me, it is still the individual who is responsible.  Just because a company doesn’t have a system in place is no excuse. 

Maintaining a well-documented personal sales pipeline shouldn’t be viewed as a grudge-admin-duty to keep your sales manager (aka The Sales Police) happy. The benefits to your personal sales and your pocket far outweigh this outdated perception. A sales manager has every right to ensure that you keep and maintain your personal pipeline – that’s part of his/her responsibility as a team leader. That’s professional Sales Management 101.