Before I jump ahead, let me first tackle the basic notions of innovation and improvement in sales.  Too many may read this post thinking, “I’m struggling to make my numbers, don’t bother me with this talk about innovation and improvement.”

I empathize with this feeling. We are overworked, and have too much on our plates. We’re so caught up in “fighting the alligators” that we forget the “swamp needs to be drained.”

But these are the very factors that mandate the need for innovation and improvement. We can’t go on working harder, faster, longer. We can’t go on doing the same things faster, cheaper, better. No technology in the world will enable us to keep up.

Something has to Change

Our customers are changing faster than sales. How they are buying is changing faster than many organization’s abilities to respond. Perhaps that’s why so many are not making their numbers. There are dire predictions that the number of jobs in sales will plummet in the coming decade.

Customers are driven to find the most effective paths to buying. Some will purchase electronically, using the Internet for research, advice, learning, and purchasing. Some will leverage electronic auctions more, others will reduce sales to responding to RFP’s they develop. There will still be need for sales, but that need will be different.  Perhaps many field sales jobs will move to inside sales, and that is probably appropriate. 

Luckily, Some Things ARE Changing

Dave Stein of ESResearch, says “More has changed in selling in the past three years, than in the entire history of selling.” I’m in absolute agreement, and in the next three years, the rate of change probably needs to double.

So innovation and improvement are critical, not just for survival of the sales function (frankly that’s not important, customers will always find a way to buy), but for our own individual survival.

I don’t think it’s a matter of either innovate or improve. Both are mandatory. Improvements focus on what we do and get us to do them better. Innovations have us do things differently. Frankly, I think both work hand in hand.

So, Whose Job is It?

It’s everyone’s job. Each salesperson, each customer service rep, each customer facing employee needs to constantly look at improvements—how can they do their own jobs better? Each needs to be creative and think how they can do their job differently.

Sales executive management (and corporate management) need to be the catalysts in driving this.  They need to create a culture of improvement and innovation, they need to stimulate everyone, and set examples for the rest of the organization. 

We need to engage in thousands of little experiments–the majority may fail, but those that succeed can drive massive improvement. We need to get away from the notion of “innovation as a big bang”  focusing on “THE” initiative that will change everything. We need to engage everyone in the organization. We need to engage our customers in this.

Sales and corporate executives need to create cultures of innovation and improvement in their organizations. They must make sure that everyone knows that innovation and improvement is part of their jobs.  They must recognize and reward these–both the successes and failures. They must bake it into the business–what is expected and what is done every day. 

Innovation and improvement isn’t tough–we make it tough or we find excuses not to do it. There are innovations and improvements all around us, we just need to open our eyes to the opportunity.

As you do your job today, think about: "What is the one thing I could do better?" Also think about:  "What is the one thing I can do differently?" Then do it, master it, share it.  Then tomorrow, do the same thing again.

Dave Brock has spent his career developing high performance organizations. He has held executive roles in sales, marketing, and general management with IBM, Tektronix, and Keithley Instruments. He has been part of the founding teams for Pertinence, Sports Retail Partners, and several other Web 2.0 and Enterprise Analytics companies. His consulting clients include over 100 companies in the semiconductor, aerospace, electronics, consumer products, computer, telecommunications, retailing, internet, software, professional and financial services industries. These clients range from Fortune 25 to startup companies and include Microsoft, IBM, SAP, Oracle, Google/Motorola, and many others. Dave formed Partners In EXCELLENCE, taking a unique approach to providing consulting services.   He has honors degrees from the University of California at Berkeley with a BSME and from UCLA with an MBA. Tweet him at @davidabrock.

This post originally appeared on the Partners in Excellence blog.

For more great tips from sales winners, be sure to download the free ebook below.