Comments on: Sales forecasts: hocus-pocus with a dollar sign! http://www.salesprocessengineering.net/2008/08/11/sales-forecasts-hocus-pocus-with-a-dollar-sign/ The application of process-engineering principles (particularly TOC) to the sales process Wed, 18 Jan 2012 22:26:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Sales Process Engineering » Blog Archive » Short video on forecasting and other experiments in social media http://www.salesprocessengineering.net/2008/08/11/sales-forecasts-hocus-pocus-with-a-dollar-sign/comment-page-1/#comment-3031 Sales Process Engineering » Blog Archive » Short video on forecasting and other experiments in social media Thu, 03 Feb 2011 21:31:25 +0000 http://www.salesprocessengineering.net/2008/08/11/sales-forecasts-hocus-pocus-with-a-dollar-sign/#comment-3031 [...] the way, the forecasting booklet doesn’t exist yet, but you can read the content of the booklet here and [...] [...] the way, the forecasting booklet doesn’t exist yet, but you can read the content of the booklet here and [...]

]]> By: Justin Roff-Marsh http://www.salesprocessengineering.net/2008/08/11/sales-forecasts-hocus-pocus-with-a-dollar-sign/comment-page-1/#comment-2504 Justin Roff-Marsh Fri, 07 Jan 2011 07:33:27 +0000 http://www.salesprocessengineering.net/2008/08/11/sales-forecasts-hocus-pocus-with-a-dollar-sign/#comment-2504 Thank you Pekka This is very nice feedback. Are you comfortable with the 'scenario-based approach' proposed in the next article?: <a href="http://www.salesprocessengineering.net/2008/11/11/an-alternative-to-forecasting-in-major-account-sales-environments/" rel="nofollow">http://www.salesprocessengineering.net/2008/11/11...</a> Thank you Pekka

This is very nice feedback. Are you comfortable with the 'scenario-based approach' proposed in the next article?:
http://www.salesprocessengineering.net/2008/11/11…

]]> By: Pekka Töytäri http://www.salesprocessengineering.net/2008/08/11/sales-forecasts-hocus-pocus-with-a-dollar-sign/comment-page-1/#comment-2503 Pekka Töytäri Fri, 07 Jan 2011 07:11:13 +0000 http://www.salesprocessengineering.net/2008/08/11/sales-forecasts-hocus-pocus-with-a-dollar-sign/#comment-2503 I find the subject and your article really interesting. I have been working the forecasting related issues for about 20 years now, 8 of them as a consultant and 2 as a doctoral researcher on value based selling and sales management. I think you point to the objectivity of the data used in the process. I believe that is the key to any success. production related forecasting (or any process we ourselves control) is obviously much easier than forecasting the outcome of a process where decisions are made rather independently of us. with relatively large numbers and intentional effort to remove the bias of subjective evaluations the results are probably relatively good. with fewer and larger deals it takes profound understanding of the customer's decision making process, corporate and individual preferences, benefts and sacrifices to understand the likely outcome of any deal. unfortunately, my experience is that the art and science of "sales opportunity management" is not that well established process in most corporations. Best Pekka Töytäri sales management consultant and doctoral student at Aalto University I find the subject and your article really interesting. I have been working the forecasting related issues for about 20 years now, 8 of them as a consultant and 2 as a doctoral researcher on value based selling and sales management. I think you point to the objectivity of the data used in the process. I believe that is the key to any success. production related forecasting (or any process we ourselves control) is obviously much easier than forecasting the outcome of a process where decisions are made rather independently of us. with relatively large numbers and intentional effort to remove the bias of subjective evaluations the results are probably relatively good. with fewer and larger deals it takes profound understanding of the customer's decision making process, corporate and individual preferences, benefts and sacrifices to understand the likely outcome of any deal. unfortunately, my experience is that the art and science of "sales opportunity management" is not that well established process in most corporations.
Best
Pekka Töytäri
sales management consultant and doctoral student at Aalto University

]]> By: Chris http://www.salesprocessengineering.net/2008/08/11/sales-forecasts-hocus-pocus-with-a-dollar-sign/comment-page-1/#comment-1430 Chris Mon, 29 Nov 2010 20:49:57 +0000 http://www.salesprocessengineering.net/2008/08/11/sales-forecasts-hocus-pocus-with-a-dollar-sign/#comment-1430 Good post. If the figures aren't hit there's a sense of failure. Careful who you share the numbers with in the team - they are for motivating for success. Think about which numbers the teams should focus on. Need goals for the road map but sometimes everyone needs to get out of their own way and get on with it Good post. If the figures aren't hit there's a sense of failure. Careful who you share the numbers with in the team – they are for motivating for success. Think about which numbers the teams should focus on. Need goals for the road map but sometimes everyone needs to get out of their own way and get on with it

]]> By: Sales Process Engineering » Blog Archive » An alternative to forecasting in major-account sales environments http://www.salesprocessengineering.net/2008/08/11/sales-forecasts-hocus-pocus-with-a-dollar-sign/comment-page-1/#comment-244 Sales Process Engineering » Blog Archive » An alternative to forecasting in major-account sales environments Tue, 11 Nov 2008 06:03:14 +0000 http://www.salesprocessengineering.net/2008/08/11/sales-forecasts-hocus-pocus-with-a-dollar-sign/#comment-244 [...] In a previous post, I poked fun at the practice of sales forecasting in major-account sales environments — referring to it as hocus-pocus with a dollar sign. [...] [...] In a previous post, I poked fun at the practice of sales forecasting in major-account sales environments — referring to it as hocus-pocus with a dollar sign. [...]

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