Stop blaming the market.
When revenue dips, executives often blame external factors: the economy, a slow season, or hesitant buyers. But here’s the reality: the market isn’t what’s killing your revenue — your sales team is.
McKinsey reports that 70% of companies fail to hit quotas during downturns, and research from CSO Insights shows that only 52% of sales reps achieve quota consistently year-over-year. The common thread? Poor training, inconsistent processes, and teams unprepared to handle objections, multi-decision-maker deals, or rejection.
At The Ruby Group, we work with CEOs in Ohio, Florida, and New York to stop making excuses and start building teams that perform regardless of market conditions.
Why Most Sales Teams Fail — Even in Good Markets
The data tells a stark story:
50% of B2B sales reps fail to effectively manage the sales cycle, according to Salesforce research.
60% of lost deals result from poor qualification or failure to understand decision-makers (HubSpot).
During downturns, weak teams often see revenue declines of 20–30%, while well-trained teams may maintain or even grow market share.
The problem isn’t the economy — it’s weak sales execution. Good markets hide weak teams. Boom times can make even mediocre reps look like stars, but as soon as conditions tighten, the cracks appear.
Signs Your Team Is Underperforming
CEOs need to ask the tough questions:
Are revenue streams unpredictable and dependent on favorable conditions?
Do deals stall when multiple stakeholders are involved?
Does team morale drop after early rejection or lost opportunities?
Are reps struggling to qualify leads effectively or maintain consistent follow-up?
If the answer is yes to any of these, it’s not the market — it’s weak preparation, training, and process.
How The Ruby Group Builds Market-Independent Sales Teams
We specialize in Sandler sales training, giving CEOs the confidence that their team will perform in any market environment. Here’s how we do it:
1. Structured, Repeatable Sales Processes
Strong sales teams don’t guess. They follow predictable frameworks that improve win rates. Research shows companies with structured sales processes exceed revenue targets 18% more often than those without.
Whether your team is in Columbus, Cleveland, Miami, Orlando, New York City, or Buffalo, we implement systems that help reps:
Qualify prospects effectively
Navigate complex multi-stakeholder deals
Reduce stalled opportunities and shorten sales cycles
2. Emotional Resilience Coaching
Selling in uncertainty is mentally demanding. According to Harvard Business Review, high-stress sales environments increase turnover by 25–30% if teams aren’t trained to cope.
Our coaching teaches reps to:
Maintain confidence under pressure
Handle rejection without losing momentum
Approach tough conversations with clarity and professionalism
CEOs see immediate impact when their team develops emotional resilience, especially during periods of economic volatility.
3. Multi-Decision-Maker Navigation
B2B deals rarely involve a single decision-maker. CSO Insights reports that 72% of sales cycles involve 3+ stakeholders, and failure to influence all parties is the top reason deals are lost.
We train teams to:
Map all stakeholders effectively
Communicate tailored value propositions
Close deals efficiently, even in complex sales environments
The CEO Perspective: Weak Teams Kill Revenue
Revenue doesn’t disappear because of a downturn — it disappears because your team wasn’t trained to handle it. CEOs who invest in Sandler sales training see:
Teams that gain market share while competitors panic
Predictable, consistent revenue year-round
Faster, cleaner deal execution
In Ohio, Florida, and New York, where industries range from tech to healthcare to finance, our clients report revenue retention rates 15–25% higher than industry averages after implementing Ruby Group Sandler training.
Why Excuses Don’t Work
Using the market as an excuse may feel safe, but it’s a CEO trap. Markets fluctuate, but your team’s ability to execute shouldn’t. Data from Gartner shows that companies that maintain structured sales coaching and processes see a 10–15% increase in revenue during downturns, while competitors fall behind.
The key difference? Skill, discipline, and accountability — not luck.
Stop Making Excuses, Build a Team That Performs
Economic uncertainty is inevitable. Weak sales performance is not. CEOs in Ohio, Florida, and New York are taking action now to future-proof their revenue by building teams that thrive regardless of market conditions.
Your team shouldn’t need a booming economy to succeed. With The Ruby Group’s Sandler sales training, your sales team can perform consistently, influence key decision-makers, and close deals, no matter what the market does.
