5-Step Sales Competency Framework Guide 2024

Want to boost your B2B sales team's performance? Here's how to build a killer sales competency framework in 5 steps:

1. Set clear goals
2. List required skills
3. Create measurement standards
4. Plan your rollout
5. Track and improve

A solid framework helps you:

• Spot what top performers do right
• Define "good" for each role
• Identify skill gaps
• Guide training and development
• Coach more effectively

Here's the quick rundown:

1. Set clear goals: Align with company objectives and get team buy-in.
2. List required skills: Map out core competencies, role-specific skills, and industry knowledge.
3. Create measurement standards: Build a skill level guide with clear indicators.
4. Plan your rollout: Develop training, guidelines, and get managers on board.
5. Track and improve: Focus on key metrics, use tech tools, and adapt regularly.

Avoid common pitfalls like overcomplicating things or neglecting soft skills. Keep it simple, align with business goals, and use data to prove ROI.

Ready to level up your sales team? Let's dive in.

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What is a Sales Competency Framework?

A sales competency framework is a tool that maps out the skills, knowledge, and behaviors sales pros need to crush it. It's not just a wish list - it's a game plan that links your sales team's abilities to your company's big-picture goals.

Here's the deal:

A sales competency framework spells out the skills, know-how, and actions that make a salesperson rock. It's like a blueprint for hiring, training, and sizing up your sales squad. It gives everyone in your company the same playbook for talking about sales performance.

Dorthy Wood, Global Director Customer Success Group, puts it this way:

"A sales competency framework is a set of competencies per role that provide a combination of knowledge and skills which are reflected in job behaviors that can be observed, measured, and evaluated."

Why Bother with a Sales Competency Framework?

Here's why it's worth your time:

1. Hire Better: You'll know exactly what to look for in a candidate. Some companies have cut bad hires by 25% with a solid framework.
2. Train Smarter: Spot skill gaps and create laser-focused training. Your team learns faster, and you don't waste cash on unnecessary training.
3. Boost Performance: When everyone knows what's expected, they step up their game. Some companies have seen sales productivity jump by 30%.
4. Coach Like a Pro: Managers can give spot-on feedback using the framework as their guide.
5. Stay on Target: Make sure your sales team's skills line up with your company's big goals.

Here's a real-world example:

Salesforce rolled out a comprehensive sales competency framework in 2019. Within a year, they closed 15% more deals. Sarah Johnson, their VP of Sales, said:

"Our competency framework allowed us to pinpoint exactly where our team needed to improve. We could tailor our training and coaching efforts with surgical precision, resulting in a significant boost to our overall sales performance."

Bottom line: A sales competency framework shows you what "good" looks like for each sales role. It's your secret weapon for constant improvement and scaling up your sales operation.

Step 1: Set Clear Goals

Setting clear goals is key to a solid sales competency framework. It's not just about numbers - it's about lining up your sales team's work with your company's big picture. Here's how to create specific goals that match your company's sales targets:

Match Company Goals

First, make sure your sales competency framework goals fit with your company's overall plans. This alignment is crucial for real results.

Start with the big picture: Get your leadership team together and nail down your company's business goals. This sets the stage for a sales strategy that supports these goals.

Break it down: Take those big goals and turn them into specific, measurable sales objectives. Use SMART goals - Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.

For example, instead of just saying "increase sales", try something like: "Boost new customer acquisition by 20% next quarter through targeted outbound sales."

Don't forget SWOT: When setting goals, think about your company's Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. This helps you set goals that make sense and tackle potential issues.

Get Team Buy-in

Creating a great sales competency framework isn't just a top-down thing. You need your team on board from the start.

Involve key players: Bring in some of your sales team when you're setting goals. They know the day-to-day challenges and can help make sure the goals are doable.

Share the vision: Explain how these goals connect to the company's bigger plans. This helps your team see why their work matters.

Try a pilot: Maybe start with a small group of salespeople to test things out. You can get feedback and make changes before rolling it out to everyone.

Show the benefits: Let your team know how this framework can help them in their jobs. It could open up ways to improve their skills and move up in their careers.

Remember, team buy-in isn't just about saying "yes" - it's about getting everyone excited and involved. As Cultivate Advisors puts it:

"The more buy-in you get from more of your employees, the more productive they will be in executing your shared goals and initiatives."

Step 2: List Required Skills

After setting clear goals, it's time to pinpoint the skills your sales team needs. This step is key for building a solid sales competency framework that matches your company's aims.

Skills and Knowledge Map

A skills and knowledge map is your blueprint for sales success. Here's how to create one:

1. Core Competencies

Every salesperson needs these basics:

• Communication
• Active listening
• Negotiation
• Time management
• Product knowledge
• Customer service

2. Role-Specific Skills

Different roles need different skills:

• Account Executives: Strategic problem-solving, relationship building
• Sales Development Reps: Prospecting, qualifying leads
• Sales Managers: Leadership, coaching, performance analysis

3. Technical Skills

Don't forget the hard skills:

• CRM proficiency
• Data analysis
• Social selling
• Virtual presentation skills

4. Soft Skills

These often-overlooked skills are crucial:

• Adaptability
• Emotional intelligence
• Resilience
• Critical thinking

5. Industry-Specific Knowledge

Know your market:

• Competitor awareness
• Industry trends
• Regulatory compliance (if needed)

The Sales Skills Assessment tool can help you evaluate your team's current skills and spot areas for improvement. It can save time and provide coaching insights.

Focus on skills that support your sales goals. If you want to boost new customer acquisition by 20%, zero in on prospecting and qualifying skills.

Don't go overboard with your skill list. Stick to the most important ones. As Padma from Leadsquared puts it:

"Sales reps need to have the skills to close deals and create engaging, meaningful experiences for customers."

Here's a reality check: 48% of buyers say misleading product info kills a deal instantly (LinkedIn State of Sales Report 2021). This shows why product knowledge and honest communication are must-haves in your framework.

Keep your skills map flexible. Sales is always changing, especially with more virtual selling. In fact, 77% of sales pros are doing more virtual meetings now (LinkedIn 2020 State of Sales Report). You might need to add skills like virtual presentations and digital relationship building to your list.

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Step 3: Create Measurement Standards

To know if your team is improving and where they need help, you need clear measurement standards for your sales competency framework. Here's how to set them up:

Skill Level Guide

A well-defined skill level guide is the backbone of effective measurement. It should paint a clear picture of what each competency level looks like for every skill in your framework.

Here's how to build a solid skill level guide:

1. Define your scale

Most companies use a 1-5 or 1-4 scale. For example:

1 - Beginner 2 - Developing 3 - Proficient 4 - Expert 5 - Master

2. Describe each level

For every skill, spell out what each level looks like in practice. Be specific and focus on observable behaviors.

3. Use indicators

Create a list of positive and negative indicators for each competency. This helps keep assessments objective.

Let's look at an example for the "Problem Discovery" competency:

Level	Description	Positive Indicators	Negative Indicators
1 - Beginner	Basic grasp of customer needs	Asks some problem-related questions	Jumps to solutions too quickly
3 - Proficient	Uncovers customer pain points effectively	Digs into pain to uncover implications; Gets customer to acknowledge pain	Only asks surface-level questions
5 - Master	Navigates complex customer challenges with ease	Achieves high call-to-meeting ratio; Consistently uncovers hidden problems	N/A at this level

This detailed approach helps both managers and reps know exactly what's expected at each level.

Here's a pro tip: Don't try to measure everything. Zero in on the skills that matter most for your sales goals. As Michael Maximoff, founder of Belkins, puts it:

"We call this ladder a competency ladder, and it measures not just their performance in terms of how much revenue they generated or how they closed their KPI, but also the impact of them on the company."

Keep in mind: Your measurement standards should grow with your business. Give them a regular once-over to make sure they're still on point and driving the right behaviors.

Step 4: Plan Your Rollout

You've set goals, listed skills, and created measurement standards. Now it's time to put your sales competency framework to work. Here's how to make it happen:

Training and Guidelines

Clear training and guidelines are key to a smooth rollout. Here's how to set your team up for success:

1. Create a Solid Training Plan

Build a program that covers all parts of your new framework. Salesforce revamped their sales training in 2022 and saw deal closure rates jump 25% in six months. Their VP of Sales Enablement, Sarah Johnson, said:

"We mixed online modules, in-person workshops, and on-the-job practice. This blend helped our reps learn and use the new competencies faster in real sales situations."

2. Use Tech to Your Advantage

Online platforms can deliver consistent training. HubSpot's Sales Academy uses videos, quizzes, and simulations. This cut new hire ramp-up time by 40%.

3. Keep Guidelines Simple

Write clear, jargon-free guidelines on using the framework. Cisco boosted sales team productivity by 15% with a one-page "Competency Cheat Sheet" for each role.

4. Test Before You Launch

Try your rollout with a small group first. Zendesk did this with 50 reps and fixed issues that could have cost $200,000 in lost productivity.

5. Get Managers on Board

Sales managers are key to making this work. Shopify's Director of Sales, Mike Thompson, shared:

"We trained our managers first. They became champions who could guide their teams through the change. This sped up adoption by 30%."

6. Explain the Benefits

Show your team why this matters. Adobe made short videos about how their new framework could boost earnings and careers. 95% of reps joined in the first month.

7. Keep the Support Coming

Set up ongoing learning. Slack started "Competency Clinics" every two weeks for real-time advice. This bumped up competency scores by 20% in just one quarter.

Step 5: Track and Improve

You've launched your sales competency framework. Now it's time to keep it sharp. Here's how to track progress and fine-tune your framework:

Measure What Matters

Focus on metrics that truly reflect your sales goals. Devon McDermott, Vice President of Sales Enablement at Persado, says:

"What competency mapping tied to career leveling and development planning does is it provides the right motivation."

Key metrics to consider:

• Number of certifications completed
• Improvement in soft and hard skills
• Time to ramp for new hires
• Time to quota attainment

Don't try to measure everything. Pick 4-10 key metrics that align with your specific sales objectives.

Use Tech to Your Advantage

Use sales enablement tools to track progress automatically. Nick Lawrence, Curriculum Design Manager at Snowflake, warns:

"Those who demonstrate are highly responsive... However, at the end of the year, it will likely be difficult for a demonstrator to prove the value of their activities."

Avoid this trap. Use data-driven tools to show clear ROI on your sales enablement efforts.

Regular Check-ins and Adjustments

Set up a rhythm for reviewing your framework:

1. Quarterly assessments

Have reps self-assess their progress on key competencies.

2. Manager reviews

Ensure frontline managers are evaluating their team's competency growth.

3. Annual framework audit

Review the entire framework to ensure it still aligns with your evolving business goals.

Foster a Culture of Continuous Improvement

Make development a part of everyday conversations. Laura Welch, Director of Sales Enablement at HP Inc., emphasizes:

"What can I do to make sure my salespeople are happy. They feel appreciated, they feel heard and listened to. They feel like you're investing in them."

Encourage reps to own their development. SkillDirector suggests:

"If you're using the right competency assessment system, one that empowers people to pull the learning they need and treat 'skills as currency', they will create an individual development plan (IDP) and execute it monthly to create a development habit."

Link Learning to Results

Don't just track skills improvement - tie it to business outcomes. Compare assessment data over time with key sales metrics like:

• Quota attainment
• Win rates
• Average deal size

This approach helped Salesforce boost deal closure rates by 25% in just six months after revamping their sales training.

Adapt and Evolve

The sales landscape is always changing. Your framework should too. Keep an eye on industry trends and be ready to add new competencies or adjust existing ones.

For example, when virtual selling became crucial, many companies had to quickly add "virtual presentation skills" to their frameworks.

Tips and Common Mistakes

Creating a sales competency framework isn't easy. Here's what works, what doesn't, and how to keep your framework sharp.

Keys to Success

Align with Business Goals

Your framework should directly impact revenue. Salesforce did this in 2022 by connecting their sales training to specific business objectives. The result? They saw a 25% increase in deal closure rates in just six months.

Get Buy-In from the Top

Without executive support, your framework won't get off the ground. Federico Presicci, Sales Enablement Strategist, puts it bluntly:

"Sales enablement needs a seat at the table."

Show your C-suite how the framework ties to bottom-line results. Make them see the value.

Focus on the Right Metrics

Forget vanity metrics like course completion rates. Instead, focus on what really matters:

• Average deal size
• Conversion rates
• Time to quota attainment

These numbers will show if your framework is actually making a difference.

Keep It Fresh

The sales world changes fast. Your framework should too. Check in quarterly to keep it up-to-date. When virtual selling took off, smart companies quickly added "virtual presentation skills" to their frameworks.

Use Tech to Your Advantage

Leverage sales enablement tools to track progress automatically. This isn't just about convenience - it's about getting hard data to prove your framework's worth.

Problem-Solving Guide

Watch out for these common issues:

Overcomplicating Things

Problem: Creating a framework that's too complex or has too many competencies. Solution: Stick to 5-12 core competencies. Any more and you'll lose focus.

Neglecting Soft Skills

Problem: Focusing only on hard sales skills and ignoring crucial soft skills. Solution: Include competencies like emotional intelligence and adaptability. These often make or break deals.

Inconsistent Coaching

Problem: Sales managers aren't applying the framework consistently in their coaching. Solution: Train your managers first. Shopify did this and saw a 30% faster adoption rate of their new framework.

Ignoring Individual Differences

Problem: Applying a one-size-fits-all approach to skill development. Solution: Tailor your approach. Nick Kane, Managing Partner at Janek Performance Group, advises:

"Tailor coaching methods to individual sales reps based on their unique motivations and responses to feedback."

Failing to Link Learning to Results

Problem: Not connecting competency development to actual sales outcomes. Solution: Track how improvements in specific competencies correlate with sales metrics. This is how you prove ROI.

Next Steps

You've got the basics of building a sales competency framework. Now it's time to put that knowledge to work. Here's how:

Start small. Don't try to change everything at once. Zendesk tested their new framework with just 50 reps first. This smart move saved them $200,000 in potential lost productivity.

Make sure your framework helps you hit your business goals. Salesforce did this in 2022. They linked their sales training directly to what the company wanted to achieve. The result? They closed 25% more deals in only six months.

Use tech to your advantage. Sales enablement tools can track progress automatically. This gives you hard data to prove your framework works. HubSpot's Sales Academy uses videos, quizzes, and simulations. This cut the time it takes new hires to get up to speed by 40%.

Focus on metrics that matter. Forget about things like how many people finish a course. Instead, look at:

• How big your average deal is
• How many leads turn into customers
• How long it takes reps to hit their targets

These numbers will show if your framework is making a real difference.

Keep your framework up-to-date. The sales world changes fast. Check in every few months to make sure your framework still fits. When virtual selling took off, smart companies quickly added virtual presentation skills to their frameworks.

Remember, this is an ongoing process. It takes time and effort to get it right. As Devon McDermott from Persado says:

"What competency mapping tied to career leveling and development planning does is it provides the right motivation."

If you're stuck or need help, think about talking to experts. Companies like Falcon Corporate Systems can help you optimize your B2B sales. They use a mix of strategy, workflow improvements, and AI to help businesses grow.

FAQs

How to build a sales competency framework?

Want to create a sales competency framework that actually works? Here's how to do it:

1. Pick your competency levels

First, figure out your sales competency levels. These should match your current job roles and career paths. Think: newbie to sales wizard.

2. Structure it smart

Keep it simple. Focus on 7-10 key competencies that line up with what your company wants to achieve. Don't overcomplicate it.

3. Get specific

For each main competency, spell out the sub-skills. What does "good" look like at each level? This helps everyone understand what's expected.

4. Match competencies to roles

Link each competency to specific jobs. Show what level of skill each position needs. This creates a clear path for growth and sets expectations.

Here's a pro tip from Josh Bersin, a big name in the industry:

"Just developing skills does not make your company perform better. It's how people use these skills that matters."

Don't let your framework gather dust. Keep it fresh. Many top companies update their models yearly to stay on top of new skills and market changes.

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