Sales execution reimagined

30th September 2025 |   Dr Adam Rapp and Lance Tyson

Bridging sales process and methodology for optimal performance.

Too many times, we see sales organisations get dazzled by the latest buzzword (“MEDDIC 1 this,” “Challenger that”), after some consulting firm sells it like it’s the silver bullet that addresses low quota attainment. Or an executive grabs the hot new sales book and declares it to be the next gospel: for instance, “Here is the GAP 2 – now it’s time to sell the bridge! Cue the typical massive rollout, big invoices, and months of “inspirational” training. And then? Real-world sales leaders discover that the company didn’t actually buy a process – just another “strategic mindset” with zero tactical execution, and they’re left holding the receipt for a very expensive pep talk.

What’s interesting is how many of these are rebrands or spin-offs of the same themes: uncover needs, tie to value, manage stakeholders. The consulting companies just give it a shiny new acronym, a nice-looking playbook, and a big price tag, and we have the next “game-changer” for the sales team. However, after the adoption and the training company is gone, sales leaders learn that this is more of a strategic approach rather than a tactical process to execute on, and something is still missing even after the huge financial and resource investment.

Sales methodology versus sales process

Sales leaders often spend countless hours refining their sales process, fine-tuning rapport techniques, qualifying leads, and building value propositions. But there’s a deeper question too often ignored: what is our overarching sales strategy on how those steps should be executed? A sales process without an underpinning methodology is like a map without a compass – structured but directionless.