Like many other neighborhoods and new community areas around the country, my street now features a roundabout at a few busier intersections. In case you haven’t encountered one yet, these “traffic circles“ have been a staple in foreign countries for a long time. They control the flow of traffic, keeping things moving and giving all intersections a chance to turn. The problem is: so many are used to the old four way stop signs, they are confused by the roundabout; and so either fight it, causing more potential for accidents; or avoid it all together! Fight it or avoid it altogether? That sounds like what we sometimes hear about salespeople using the CRM functionality of their Sales Enablement Platform!

Just like the roundabout, CRMs are designed to keep sales moving. As you approach the roundabout, you look around to see potential openings in traffic. As you work with your Sales Enablement Platform, you look to find potential dollar opportunities. This may be looking at what was on a year ago in the upcoming quarter. It may be keeping an eye on an account that has potential but you are still working through the sales funnel. It may be adding a digital idea to a top broadcast account. Whatever the case, your CRM allows you to scope out the landscape and work to fill in the spaces. Once you gauge that potential opening, in the roundabout you adjust your speed to hit it. Your CRM gives you information that empowers you to set the priorities to keep moving forward. Is it slowing down your service calls on secondaries to make a presentation to upsell a key customer? Is it seeing you are not where you need to be in new business development so you need to prospect more? Just like your approach to the roundabout, it is up to you to take control of the wheel and adjust.

And here is the main thing to know about roundabouts – AND media sales: JUST KEEP MOVING! You have adjusted your speed to fill in the space as other vehicles enter the circle from the other roads. Why slam on the breaks now? That means you have to start all over as other cars fill in the spaces and veer off. It also means those behind you, who were expecting and wanting you to move forward, are slamming on their breaks. And the rear end of your vehicle may be the casualty! Just keep moving through your media sales cycles. Your CRM is designed to give you reminders so you don’t forget to follow up on that digital add decision. It means you can make better prospecting calls because you have better intel on historical spending. It keeps you moving toward your goals, which are tied to those of your company, GM, and manager. Don’t you be a casualty because you slammed on your breaks.

Does it take some adjustment to use your CRM features effectively? You bet. Our neighborhood has a lot fewer stop signs now. Does it take some practice? Absolutely. Feeling confident in blending into traffic on the roundabout comes from the practice of judging how fast other cars are moving and gauging distances. Using your system’s mobile app takes practice too, but once you use it, it will become as easy as accessing Twitter!

A media sales professional can either fight their Sales Enablement Platform or avoid using it all together. OR, they can use it and keep moving forward at a faster pace. Use your CRM tools in a way that helps you make smart decisions. Think of it as a Sales Empowerment Platform. All the tools you need are there, you just have to use them to your advantage. The drivers in my neighborhood can either take the long way around the bend, or slam on their breaks until there is not another car in sight. OR, they can approach it, watch the other cars, adjust their speed, and keep on moving. In either situation, one of these choices will keep you moving forward as you make your way along the road.