A company's sales organization is a core vehicle for implementing business strategy—yet
there's often a big gap between the company's strategic objectives and the way its
sales organization actually functions. In this program, you will examine the critical
relationship between business strategy and sales activities and discover how to synchronize
your strategic priorities, go-to-market initiatives, and sales team to boost revenue
and long-term success.
This program is eligible for the Certificate of Management Excellence. Learn More
A company's sales organization is a core vehicle for implementing business strategy—yet
there's often a big gap between the company's strategic objectives and the way its
sales organization actually functions. In this program, you will examine the critical
relationship between business strategy and sales activities and discover how to synchronize
your strategic priorities, go-to-market initiatives, and sales team to boost revenue
and long-term success.
This program is eligible for the Certificate of Management Excellence. Learn More
Key Benefits
Focusing on sales execution as a strategic asset, this sales channel strategy program
will help you enable essential company-wide alignment. By aligning strategy and sales,
you will explore new ways to help sales professionals meet their numbers, how to improve
your company's return on investment in business development activities as well as
implement the infrastructure, processes, and cultural values critical to profitable
growth.
Focusing on sales execution as a strategic asset, this sales channel strategy program
will help you enable essential company-wide alignment. By aligning strategy and sales,
you will explore new ways to help sales professionals meet their numbers, how to improve
your company's return on investment in business development activities as well as
implement the infrastructure, processes, and cultural values critical to profitable
growth.
Details
Develop a strategic sales approach optimized for your business
Define your target customers and the best methods for reaching them
Develop account management and segment management strategies based on customer profitability
Build and nurture the best sales talent and go-to-market approach for each product
or segment
Translate your corporate strategy into sales strategies, tasks, and processes
Build a high-impact sales team and supporting activities to drive your strategy forward
Ensure that sales recruitment, development, compensation, and performance management
systems support corporate strategy
Coordinate sales activities across different sales groups and throughout the enterprise
Establish a flexible approach that enables you to readjust strategies as needed in
a changing marketplace
Expand your personal and professional network
Extend your network by living and working with accomplished executives from various
backgrounds, industries, and countries across the globe
Build relationships with a diverse group of peers who can provide wide-ranging insights
into your business challenges and career decisions
Who Should Attend
Executive decision-makers who are responsible for defining, communicating, hiring,
managing, budgeting for, and measuring a company's go-to-market strategy and sales
efforts, such as:
Executives in sales, strategy, business development, distribution, marketing, HR,
finance, service, or general management
Executives in business-to-business product or service companies—or business units
of large enterprises—that depend on a direct sales force for all or part of their
revenue
Executives from venture capital or private equity firms who assist portfolio companies
with go-to-market and business development efforts, as well as leaders of those portfolio
companies
Attendance by multiple company representatives will foster teamwork and amplify the
program's impact. Because the process of mapping sales efforts to strategy requires
cooperation among executives from diverse functions, a team of participants might
include executives responsible for finance, marketing, business development, customer
service (pre- or post-sale), human resources, and product- or service-line management.
Executive decision-makers who are responsible for defining, communicating, hiring,
managing, budgeting for, and measuring a company's go-to-market strategy and sales
efforts, such as:
Executives in sales, strategy, business development, distribution, marketing, HR,
finance, service, or general management
Executives in business-to-business product or service companies—or business units
of large enterprises—that depend on a direct sales force for all or part of their
revenue
Executives from venture capital or private equity firms who assist portfolio companies
with go-to-market and business development efforts, as well as leaders of those portfolio
companies
Attendance by multiple company representatives will foster teamwork and amplify the
program's impact. Because the process of mapping sales efforts to strategy requires
cooperation among executives from diverse functions, a team of participants might
include executives responsible for finance, marketing, business development, customer
service (pre- or post-sale), human resources, and product- or service-line management.
When you participate in an Executive Education program on the HBS campus, you enter an immersive experience where every aspect of the learning model has been carefully designed to facilitate your growth. Your learning will take place
on your own, in your living group, and in the larger classroom, driven by the renowned
HBS case method.
When you participate in an Executive Education program on the HBS campus, you enter an immersive experience where every aspect of the learning model has been carefully designed to facilitate your growth. Your learning will take place
on your own, in your living group, and in the larger classroom, driven by the renowned
HBS case method.
Admissions Criteria and Process
We admit candidates to specific sessions on a rolling, space-available basis, and
encourage you to apply as early as possible. Although most programs have no formal
educational requirements, admission is a selective process based on your professional
achievement and organizational responsibilities.
Our Program Advising team can help you at any stage of the admissions process—starting
with identifying the program that best addresses your learning and development goals.
Contact a program advisor via email or call 1.800.427.5577 (outside the U.S., call +1.617.495.6555).
Application Submission
We recommend that you apply at least four weeks before the program start date. You
may use our online form or download an application. HBS maintains all application
information in strict confidentiality. We acknowledge receipt of applications via
email. In the unlikely event that you do not receive an acknowledgment, please email
us at exed_admissions@hbs.edu or call us at +1.617.495.6226.
Application Review
To optimize the learning experience and maximize the exchange of ideas, our Admissions
Committee makes selections that balance each participant's experience, scope of current
responsibilities, and type of organization. HBS seeks candidates who reflect a broad
range of industries, functions, countries, and backgrounds. We review applications
monthly and will contact you via email with the Admissions Committee's decision.
Fee, Payment, and Cancellations
The program fee covers tuition, books, case materials, accommodations, and most meals.
No payment is necessary until you have been accepted. Payment is required prior to
the program start date. If you need to cancel or defer participation, you must submit
your request in writing more than 30 days before the start of the program to receive
a full refund. Cancellations or deferrals received 14 to 30 days prior to the start
of the program are subject to a fee of one-half of the program fee. Requests received
within 14 days are subject to full payment.
We admit candidates to specific sessions on a rolling, space-available basis, and
encourage you to apply as early as possible. Although most programs have no formal
educational requirements, admission is a selective process based on your professional
achievement and organizational responsibilities.
Answering Your Questions
Our Program Advising team can help you at any stage of the admissions process—starting
with identifying the program that best addresses your learning and development goals.
Contact a program advisor via email or call 1.800.427.5577 (outside the U.S., call +1.617.495.6555).
Application Submission
We recommend that you apply at least four weeks before the program start date. You
may use our online form or download an application. HBS maintains all application
information in strict confidentiality. We acknowledge receipt of applications via
email. In the unlikely event that you do not receive an acknowledgment, please email
us at exed_admissions@hbs.edu or call us at +1.617.495.6226.
Application Review
To optimize the learning experience and maximize the exchange of ideas, our Admissions
Committee makes selections that balance each participant's experience, scope of current
responsibilities, and type of organization. HBS seeks candidates who reflect a broad
range of industries, functions, countries, and backgrounds. We review applications
monthly and will contact you via email with the Admissions Committee's decision.
Fee, Payment, and Cancellations
The program fee covers tuition, books, case materials, accommodations, and most meals.
No payment is necessary until you have been accepted. Payment is required prior to
the program start date. If you need to cancel or defer participation, you must submit
your request in writing more than 30 days before the start of the program to receive
a full refund. Cancellations or deferrals received 14 to 30 days prior to the start
of the program are subject to a fee of one-half of the program fee. Requests received
within 14 days are subject to full payment.
What You Will Learn
In a dynamic combination of classroom presentations, case studies, small group discussions,
and structured workshops, you'll examine the connections among business strategy,
sales processes, and the rest of the company. With insight into how successful companies
focus, empower, and enhance their sales organizations, you’ll be prepared to overcome
obstacles to growth and attain new levels of revenue.
In a dynamic combination of classroom presentations, case studies, small group discussions,
and structured workshops, you'll examine the connections among business strategy,
sales processes, and the rest of the company. With insight into how successful companies
focus, empower, and enhance their sales organizations, you’ll be prepared to overcome
obstacles to growth and attain new levels of revenue.
Moving from a strategic vision to an integrated selling plan
Setting a strategic foundation for sustaining sales success
Defining how your products and services deliver value to customers
Identifying customers presenting the most opportunity and the most risk, and how this
impacts programs, people, incentives, and behaviors
Differentiating your offerings from those of competitors and substitutes
Developing and enforcing rational companywide pricing and discount policies
Determining the revenue mix and allocating resources appropriately
Identifying the desired customer, along with goals for acquisition, retention, and
up-selling
Establishing the right mix of sales channels, from direct sales teams to resellers
to e-commerce and beyond
Articulating, communicating, and refining the strategic vision and selling plan
Building your sales organization to match your strategy
Defining sales tasks and optimal selling behavior
Establishing the right recruitment criteria and adjusting hiring practices to meet
sales requirements
Driving desired performance through training, compensation, measurement, and evaluation
Empowering and leveraging talented sales managers
Building the competency of your sales team on an ongoing basis
Mobilizing functional areas to work together smoothly to optimize sales performance
Understanding how your company culture helps or hinders selling
Creating the optimal infrastructure and processes
Transforming corporate strategies into effective account management
Minimizing channel conflict as your offerings and the market evolve
Setting realistic goals and forecasting effectively
Maximizing the value of sales information systems for account management and compensation
Using feedback from customers and sales representatives to adjust processes
The HBS Advantage
Our Executive Education programs are developed and taught by HBS faculty who are widely
recognized as skilled educators, groundbreaking researchers, and award-winning authors.
Through their board memberships, consulting, and field-based research, they address
the complex challenges facing business leaders across the globe
Faculty Chair
Frank V. Cespedes
MBA Class of 1973 Senior Lecturer of Business Administration
Our Executive Education programs are developed and taught by HBS faculty who are widely
recognized as skilled educators, groundbreaking researchers, and award-winning authors.
Through their board memberships, consulting, and field-based research, they address
the complex challenges facing business leaders across the globe
Faculty Chair
Frank V. Cespedes
MBA Class of 1973 Senior Lecturer of Business Administration
Program content, dates, schedule, fees, technology platforms, and faculty are subject
to change. In accordance with Harvard University policy, Harvard Business School
does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, sex or sexual
orientation, gender identity, religion, age, national or ethnic origin, political
beliefs, veteran status, or disability in admission to, access to, treatment in, or
employment in its programs and activities.
Firms must have a strategy that's relevant today and tomorrow, not yesterday.
