Salesforce recently held its Q2 2023 earnings call, which, as always, was filled with valuable insights into the industry’s future. Following this, our Chief Revenue Officer, Andy Menzies, listened closely and took down key notes.

Salesforce’s sales cycles slowed down during the quarter. As more people on the buyer’s side became involved in the decision-making process, the focus shifted toward quick returns. Additionally, enterprises began compressing larger transactions. There was a strong trend toward vendor consolidation instead of maintaining a diverse “zoo” of tech partners.

So, what does that mean for enterprise selling? According to Andy, there’s nothing radically new for anyone who has been through at least one severe recession. However, here are the top three areas enterprise sellers should concentrate on.

1. Double up on renewals and expansions.

Talk to your marketing team and launch account-based programs targeted to current accounts (use Declan Mulkeen’s Let’s Talk ABM podcast for inspiration). Get on a plane and meet customers in person. Prevent churn at any cost.

2. Go deep with your research and personalize the client’s buying experience from the first interaction.

Ensure every buying group member knows you know all their current challenges and how their business works. Learn to navigate and influence the decision-making process from the very top (and if you are working with huge accounts, make sure to read Megadeals by Johan Aberg and Christopher Engman, with particular focus on the “decision lavers” model).

3. Re-package your offerings.



To begin with, focus more on short-term returns and scalability. Additionally, incorporate risk mitigation language throughout your approach. Finally, master the “land and expand” strategy to maximize growth potential. This is vital for new logo acquisitions during a turbulent economy – no enterprise will be eager to start big with a new vendor, so it’s your job to show them how you can make their job easier!

4. The Need for Tailored Testing Solutions

Now more than ever, it’s essential that teams focus on strengthening their quality journey by selecting the proper testing solutions. Testing applications isn’t just a suggestion – it’s a necessity. Enterprise sellers are familiar with this paradigm, but taking this period of introspection as a time to level up and meet customers where they need us will make all the difference. Salesforce’s Q2 earnings call highlights the importance of quality. Consequently, people spend more time making the right decisions for their team when choosing a testing solution. Thus, teams can no longer rely on a one-size-fits-all solution. Additionally, they cannot use a solution that leaves part of their team in the dark due to a high-code platform. Our product and vendor evaluation guide for automated testing offers a guideline on where to start if you’re looking for a helpful framework.

What does the Salesforce leadership team have to say about it all? Here are some quotes from the call:

  • Bret Taylor: “I think what you’re seeing is an increased focus on, I say, three things. One is time to value. The other is ensuring these projects drive cost savings, customer satisfaction, and top-line growth. And then the third is reducing complexity and vendor consolidation.”
  • Marc Benioff: “We see customers becoming more measured in how they buy. Sales cycles can get stretched. Higher levels of management inspect deals. Nearly everyone I’ve talked to takes a more measured approach to their business.”
  • Amy Weaver: “We started to see more measured buying behavior from our customers in the last month of the quarter. This resulted in stretched sales cycles, additional deal approval layers, and deal compression.”
  • Brian Millham: “We are seeing some compression in some of the larger transactions in our enterprise business, and it’s not a surprise … People take a more measured approach to their digital transformation, maybe starting with a smaller piece, but a land and expand strategy is something we’ve used for many, many years. Maybe some of these engagements are a bit smaller, but we see an acceleration in these customers in quarters to come.”

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