Starting your own sales operations business, feeling like an imposter?

Needs assesment begins by interrogating challenges, issues and problems encountered by clients. Those client needs should be matched by the right service delivery to address those needs. .

Start by understanding the market and the specific needs of your potential clients. Research what problems they are facing and how your skills can solve them. This will help you to clearly define your value proposition and build confidence in what you offer. Knowing the needs of the market allows you to position yourself as a solution provider, which can alleviate feelings of imposter syndrome. Remember, your expertise is valuable because it meets a genuine need.

You should assess your skillset and unique capabilities. Identify your strengths and niche that form the foundation of your value proposition to clients. Consider the experiences and expertise you bring that can drive value for their business. Understand your market and potential client needs. Look for inefficiencies or gaps in their processes that your Sales Operations business can solve, positioning you as a strategic partner in enhancing their operational performance.

Sales operations involves mastery in data analysis. There are KPI performance indicators and indices that are tracked, channel management growth and development, infrastructure growth and development. The ability to interpret data to become sales information is helpful in enhancing the sales operations strategies.

Continuous learning is key to overcoming self-doubt. Identify areas where you feel less confident and focus on strengthening those skills. Whether it’s through courses, mentorship, or practical experience, keep refining your abilities. The more you invest in your development, the more your confidence will grow. Skill-building not only boosts your competence but also reinforces your belief in your own capabilities.

Often a system is lacked in a new business. Though it's not necessary to have costly software at the beginning itself. Spreadsheets have mysterious power in managing & becoming the backbone of complex systems. For any sales & operations business, data is crucial. Often analyzing the data to come to a conclusion becomes a difficult task. Creating automated dashboards can help in defining directions easily in such situations. But when the business becomes complex, it's always advisable to use software to maintain data and getting predefined reports for decision making.

People and systems must combine on sales operations to deliver successful sales operations outcomes. Technology can be used to assist in simplifying business processes and automating tasks. This gives a speed advantage and time saving advantages so productivity can be further enhanced. The processes, procedures, protocols PPP in Sales operations must utilise systems to achieve robust and well articulated sales operations outcomes.

A strong and robust network will deliver a robust networth. Connecting and engagement with internal and external stakeholders assists in building a stronger network. This is where interpersonal skills come into play and it's advantageous to be seen as someone competent and trustworthy. Attending sales operations events online and offline to stay abreast and current as well as get mentorship and key information from industry players.

The overaching aim of marketing the business is to aid and hasten the sales process. The unique value proposition UVP and unique selling proposition USP should communicate the benefits of such products and services and how it meets client needs. Marketing channels can be offline and online, either direct marketing, online campaigns especially social media where human traffic is normally very high. KPI's that have been achieved in work processes, procedures and protocols should be indentified and amplified. Past successful outcomes could be a source of motivation for new clients to have an engagement.

When setting your prices, you need to be fair but also recognize your worth. It’s natural to feel uncertain about pricing, especially when starting out, but undervaluing yourself can feed into imposter syndrome. Consider the value you bring and the market standards, and price your services accordingly. Charging wisely not only ensures you’re compensated fairly but also reinforces your sense of professionalism and self-worth. Remember, your pricing reflects your confidence in the quality of your work.

When my customer, a new sales operations consultant, experienced impostor syndrome, they addressed it by carefully determining their pricing. They started by reviewing industry norms and reflecting on their own experience. For example, despite early reservations, they charged a price that reflected their skill level and market expectations. As they acquired expertise and established success stories, they steadily increased their charges. This method not only affirmed their worth, but also enabled them to build their business confidently and sustainably.