Sales is the lifeblood of any business—I’ve felt that pulse in every role I’ve held, from leading teams at AIG to founding Consultgenix. But here’s the thing: Closing deals isn’t enough if your efforts aren’t pointed in the right direction. Over 20+ years in finance and consulting, I’ve learned that a sales strategy isn’t just about hustle—it’s about alignment. At AIG, I drove 16% sales growth by syncing our team with clear financial goals. Today, I’ll show you how to supercharge your sales and fuel revenue growth—because when strategy meets execution, the results speak for themselves.
Why Sales Success Starts with Strategy
I’ve seen sales teams grind away with passion, only to miss targets because they’re chasing the wrong things. It’s like running a race without a finish line. At AIG, as Senior Account Executive, I managed a $55M credit card portfolio across Latin America and the Caribbean. We could’ve pushed harder, but without a plan tied to our goals, we’d have burned out.
A solid sales strategy sets the course—telling your team what to sell, who to target, and why it matters. It’s the difference between scattered effort and focused impact. And in today’s competitive world, that focus drives growth.
Aligning Sales Teams with Financial Objectives
Sales and finance aren’t enemies—they’re partners. I’ve been the bridge between them, whether at PepsiCo or Kemper. At AIG, I led a team of nine to a 16% sales bump—not by throwing more bodies at it, but by aligning every pitch to financial priorities like profitability and customer retention. We tied commissions to outcomes, tracked NPS scores, and kept our eyes on the bottom line.
The trick? Start with the endgame. What’s your revenue target? Your margin goal? At Consultgenix, we’ve helped clients boost efficiency by 12%—partly by ensuring that sales efforts ladder up to the big picture. Alignment turns chaos into clarity.
A Real-World Win: 16% Sales Growth at AIG
Let’s step back to my time at AIG from 2012 to 2018. I led a sales team in the LAC region, managing partnerships with giants like Willis Towers Watson and Marsh. We were good—but not great. Client retention was flat, and growth was sluggish. So, we got strategic.
I worked with my team to refine our approach—segmenting clients by need, not just geography, and tailoring offerings (like those new products that added $5M in revenue). We used data to prioritize high-value accounts, renegotiated broker terms to save $2M, and rallied around a shared goal: 15% growth. We hit 16%. It wasn’t magic—it was alignment, backed by execution.
Tools for Sales Optimization
A great strategy needs great tools—I’ve leaned on them my whole career. At AIG, we used Salesforce to track leads and conversions, giving us real-time visibility. At Kemper, Power BI dashboards helped us monitor sales trends—part of how we cut $55M in costs.
Today, you’ve got options:
- CRM Platforms: Salesforce or Zoho CRM to manage pipelines.
- Forecasting Tools: Anaplan or Vena (I’ve used both) for precision.
- Analytics: Tableau or Looker to spot what’s working.
The goal? Equip your team with clarity. I’ve trained reps to love these tools because when they see the data, they sell smarter.
Steps to Build a Cohesive Sales Plan
Ready to supercharge your sales? Here’s my roadmap, built from leading teams at Lehman Brothers to now:
- Define Your Targets: Revenue, units, new clients—be specific. At AIG, 15% was our rallying cry.
- Know Your Buyers: Who’s your ideal customer? We nailed this at AIG by segmenting LAC markets.
- Align Incentives: Tie commissions to strategy—profit over volume. Saved us millions.
- Leverage Tech: Pick tools that fit—I’ve gone from JD Edwards to Snowflake. Start simple.
- Review and Refine: Weekly huddles kept my AIG team sharp. Adjust as you go.
This isn’t hypothetical—it’s what I’ve done. At Consultgenix, we’ve applied this to clients, driving results without burnout.
The Human Side of Sales
Sales isn’t just numbers—it’s people. I’ll never forget a rep at AIG who lit up when we hit that 16% mark—he’d been skeptical of “strategy” but saw it pay off. Or a client at Consultgenix who said, “Derrek, you made selling fun again.” That’s the win: aligning a team so they’re working hard and working together.
I’ve led crews of nine to 30+, and the constant is this: Give people a plan they believe in, and they’ll move mountains. Strategy humanizes the grind—it’s why I love this work.
Why This Matters Now
Growth isn’t a luxury—it’s survival. I’ve steered sales through uncertainty at Lehman and booms at AIG. Today, with buyers pickier and margins slimmer, a misaligned sales team is a missed opportunity. Customers want value, not noise. A strategic approach cuts through, delivering results you can bank on.
Think about your sales. Are your efforts cohesive? Are they driving growth? That’s where alignment makes the difference.
Let’s Align Your Sales for Success
A sales strategy that works isn’t a one-off—it’s a system. With decades in business consulting, I’ve helped teams turn effort into impact. At Consultgenix, we’re all about syncing sales with success—yours.
If you’re ready to align your sales strategy with your goals and see real growth, I’d love to talk. Reach out at derrek@consultgenix.com to get started. Let’s make your sales soar—together.