As we close the chapter on 2025, I just want to take a moment to say thank you. Your support has meant the world to me and Sales Growth Imagination this past year. Running a small business isn’t always easy, but having people like you in my corner makes all the difference.
I’m excited for what 2026 has in store. I’m looking forward to continued growth with building sustainable sales models with infrastructure and accelerated sales growth models with Framework.
As you have have taught us, we have expanded our Sales Growth Builder, Sales Growth Architect and Curious Sales Engineer Programs in a BOX, which is simply transforming Training, Sales Playbooks and Full Sales Discovery into sales growth and igniting your REVENUE ENGINES.
Most important, Sales Growth Imagination leading initiative is building even stronger relationships with all of you. Thank you for being such an important part of our journey. Wishing you and your loved ones a joyful, successful, and inspiring New Year!
Sincerely, Dean
Why 68% of Companies Can’t Trust Their Sales Forecasts
When leaders can’t see what’s happening in the pipeline, forecasts become guesswork.
Why Forecasting Fails Before the Forecast Ever Begins
Sales forecasting remains one of the most persistent challenges for revenue leaders. Despite advances in CRM systems, analytics, and forecasting tools, 68% of sales leaders report that their sales forecasts are inaccurate or unreliable, according to Salesforce.
If you’ve ever felt uncertain about whether your team will hit its number this quarter, you’re not alone. This isn’t the exception. It’s the norm.
When leaders can’t clearly see what’s happening in the pipeline, forecasts become educated guesses, not management tools.Why Forecasting Fails Before the Forecast Ever Begins
And contrary to popular belief, this isn’t a forecasting problem. It’s a visibility problem.
Why Most Sales Teams are Flying Blind
It’s tracking discipline.
The Tracking Reset That Changes Everything
Knowing what to track is only half the battle. Most organizations struggle with something else entirely: consistent execution.
This is where tracking breaks down.
Many companies invest in a CRM, but never fully adopt it. When usage is optional, data quality erodes, forecasts lose credibility, and leaders stop trusting the numbers in front of them.
When CRM usage is enforced and reinforced through leadership expectations, the opposite happens.
Research from Nucleus Research shows that companies can see an $8 return for every $1 spent on CRM when the system is used as intended. The value doesn’t come from the software itself.
It comes from:
- Consistent data entry
- Standardized activity definitions
- Regular review and reinforcement
High-performing organizations don’t wait until the end of the quarter to ask what went wrong. They review activity trends weekly and adjust forecasts proactively, while outcomes can still be influenced.
The goal isn’t to explain missed numbers. It’s to see them coming early enough to act.
What Gets Measured and Rewarded Gets Done
Tracking alone isn’t enough. Without accountability, activity data becomes noise.
High-performing sales organizations connect KPIs directly to compensation. When sales reps understand that logged activities influence their earnings, behavior changes quickly.
Calls get logged. Demos get documented. Pipelines become real.
Right now, fewer than half of sales leaders report high confidence in their forecasts. That lack of confidence isn’t driven by market volatility alone.
It’s driven by inconsistent measurement and unclear expectations.
Industry research consistently shows that organizations with more accurate forecasts are more likely to achieve predictable, year-over-year revenue growth. The difference isn’t better salespeople or better luck.
It’s what leaders choose to define, track, and reinforce, consistently.
When leaders clearly define what matters, track it consistently, and tie it directly to compensation, behavior changes. Forecast confidence follows, not because conditions improve, but because execution does.
Start With Three Activities
Improving forecast accuracy doesn’t require a massive overhaul. It requires focus.
Here’s how to start:
- Pick three core sales activities this week
- Make logging them non-negotiable
- Review the data every Friday
- Adjust your forecast based on what you see, not what you hope
Make logging them non-negotiable
Review the data every Friday
Adjust your forecast based on what you see, not what you hope
Teams that do this stop scrambling at quarter-end. They start leading.
Forecast accuracy won’t reach 100% overnight. But it will improve. And that improvement compounds quarter after quarter.
Final Thought
The question isn’t whether organizations can afford better tracking discipline.
It’s whether leaders can afford to run a revenue engine without visibility into execution.
When sales activity is visible, forecasting becomes grounded in reality. When it isn’t, even the best tools and processes fall short.
If your organization lacks a clearly defined sales process or consistent CRM discipline, please give me a call or drop a note on email.
As a Sales Growth Architect and Fractional Sales Leader with Sales Growth Imagination that’s powered by Sales Xceleration, I am an expert at putting the structure, discipline, and systems in place to drive repeatable activities and predictable growth.
Are your sales conversations clear… or just busy?
Most leaders lose attention—not deals—because their message is cluttered, rushed, or overly technical. When the prospect isn’t clear, they:
•Hesitate, Delay and Default to “no”
Clarity isn’t a soft skill. It’s a revenue skill.
And the leaders who communicate with confidence win the trust that closes deals.
Quick Tip (Try This Today): Before any negotiation or presentation, write down one sentence: “What do I want them to understand, feel, and do?”
If you can’t answer that, your message isn’t ready—and neither is your audience.
If you want a fast, high-impact way to sharpen your message before your next important pitch or negotiation, Presentation Tune-Up delivers , practical coaching, creates immediate improvement. Learn more:
https://speakersnetwork.presentyourwaytosuccess.com/Presentation-Tune-Up/
The A Performer & A Environment 60 Minute Saturdays will continue with Farrell on Dec 13, Jan 17th & 24th and Feb 14th & 21st.
You can reach Farrell at farell@thebellcurveoflife.com or ☎️ 678-618-2024.
Register Here: https://thebellcurveoflife.com/60-minute-saturdays
J. Vincent Creative, a video marketing agency helps professional and service-based businesses build authority and drive revenue through YouTube and search-optimized video.
Every video is built from real sales conversations and search data. That is how we create content that sounds authentic, ranks higher, and converts faster.
The result: better-qualified leads, shorter calls, higher close rates, and a brand people trust before they ever talk to you. If you are ready to turn your expertise into a YouTube system, let’s connect.
Book a Free Diagnosis. Jeff Evans at 404-825-0179 & jvincentcreative.com
Jeff Evans Created the Business Growth Playbook with David Nour, AVNIR
