The Brutal Truth About Why Your Team Is Missing Quota in 2024 (and 3 Fixes)
So, your team isn’t hitting quota. Frustrating, yep. That's either showing up as a massive miss to revenue attainment, or quota was so high that you, the leader hit your goal and you are all set. If it's the latter, go ahead and check out.
Missing revenue attainment YTD with no clear path for YE? Two choices - dig in and figure out WHY, or stay status quo. For those who are willing to roll up your sleeves, I'm going to cut the fluff and get straight to the point.
If you don’t address these core issues now, you’ll be staring down the same problem at year’s end. The good news? It’s fixable, there is a way, but it's not for those looking to press the easy button.
Who Owns Quota Misses?
In a recent survey, 80% of those who answered said that Sr. Sales Leadership "owns" the Quota miss.
While everyone technically "owns" this - it was great to see the responses as this means sales leadership is aware, they just may not KNOW HOW TO FIX IT.
The below is going to give you a clear path with a BOMB takeaway to tell you how to FIX THIS!
Reason #1 Your Team Is Missing Quota: Lack of Alignment on the Problems You Solve
No Problem = No Sale (for real though - if you do not know the problems, and can't find impacts - there is no motivation to buy).
Let’s start with the basics: do your reps know the unique business problems your product or service solves?
In the last week I've been approach by 4 IC's at LARGE orgs to talk about problem-centricity.
Each one has said that the business problems they solve are in the realm of:
- No visibility
- No process in place for x
- No way to measure x
- They don't have the data
Here's the thing - sellers do not know the problems beyond a technical level that they are solving for, yet are out there talking to prospects and inputting deals into the pipe that will go do no where. That's insanity!
Why aren't you fixing it? Yes you, Sales Leader!
If your sellers do not have alignment on the core problems you solve for you customers, they can't get this data or talk about it and they sure as heck can't build a compelling case for change—and without that, you’re dead in the water. Your team needs to be laser-focused on problem identification.
Why? Because buyers don’t care about your product; they care about solving their problems.
And soon, we will be releasing a study of 1200 Executive level buyers that say just this - so if you need proof, it's coming.
The Fix: Nail the Problem-Identification Chart
Get your team aligned on what problems your product actually solves. Don’t just talk about it—document it, teach it, and make sure every rep understands it. This isn’t a one-time training; it’s an ongoing process.
Stop everything until you’ve got this right, because without it, your sales process is fundamentally broken.
You may think I'm kidding but I personally have an over 75% conversion to next stage after discovery - PROBLEM - CENTRIC DISCOVERY
Reason #2 Your Team Is Missing Quota: Insufficient Buyer Input Data
The Cost of Inaction Is Greater Than the Cost of Action.
When reps don’t have specific buyer input data, deals stall. Buyers ghost, close dates get pushed, and suddenly, discounting becomes the default.
Why? Because reps haven’t gathered the data that proves to the buyer that doing nothing is more costly than making a change.
The Fix: Focus on Problem-Centric Buyer Data
Your team needs to gather and document buyer input data that’s directly tied to the problems you solve. Train them on how to extract this during discovery—this isn’t about ticking boxes on a checklist; it’s about truly understanding the buyer’s pain points. And remember, this data should live in your CRM where it can guide not just the rep, but the entire leadership team.
*The buyer input data is detailed out here on page 18 of The S.P.E.E.D Model Deal Review ebook.
Reason #3 Your Team Is Missing Quota: Surface-Level Deal Reviews
Relying on Gut Feeling? Think Again.
If your deal reviews are all about checking off MEDDIC or MEDDPICC fields, you’re missing the point. Without deep buyer input data, you’re left relying on gut feelings. This might work sometimes, but it’s not a strategy—it’s a gamble.
Often when we do deal review - there is no information! QBR - same thing - there is no case for change or case for inaction. This can all be FIXED by having your team know what to det during the discovery and sales process so you actually have a deal!
The Fix: Deep Dive into Deal Reviews
Move beyond surface-level deal reviews. Dig into the buyer input data, understand the problem from the buyer’s perspective, and challenge your reps on weak deals. This is how you get a clean pipeline and improve forecast accuracy.
If you don’t have a deal review process that focuses on the buyer, you’re setting your team up for failure.
Don't worry - we built one for you.
Listen Up Linda
Without coming out and saying the problem is mostly you in Sales Leadership, I'm giving you the tools to FIX THIS.
Yes, it takes time. Yes, it's hard - but the juice is worth the squeeze. How do I know this? Because we have stats from Noted Analytics that say that when there is 91% buyer input data field coverage (that the manager agrees to and has provided feedback on), the average win rate skyrockets to 61% and sales cycle decrease by HALF.
Noted AnalyticsThese aren’t just abstract concepts; they’re actionable steps you can take now to impact quota attainment this year. Start by prioritizing your Problem-Identification Chart, train your team to capture critical Buyer Input Data, and implement a rigorous Deal Review process. This isn’t just about hitting quota—it’s about building a sales process that’s bulletproof.
Time To Tack Action or Continue to Play Sales Fetch a Rock?
Actionable steps have been dropped above. This is what I help teams implement when they see revenues are declining, sales cycles are increasing, win rates are decreasing and they do not know HOW to do the lift on their own.
If you are at the point of banging your head against a wall, connect with me on LinkedIn or shoot me a message to set up a time to talk. You'll see a Gap Selling Discovery in action!
