Research: 4 Ways to Drive Value Creation in 2024

Every quarter, SBI conducts surveys to learn how CEOs and other C-level executives are planning for value creation and about the go-to-market strategies and tactics that will get them there. This year, we found that while many CEOs are confident in their direction, few believe they have the right people in charge, and time to productivity is slowing.

To help you go further, we have identified four key recommendations that can help prime your organization to create more value and make the most of this upcoming year.

Prioritize the Right Accounts to Capture Strong Growth Opportunities

While buying groups are getting larger and more conservative, CEOs are expecting rebounding levels of demand sentiment, an unprecedented boost not seen since Q2 2022. They have plenty of reasons to be confident, as forward-looking indicators are also better than what they were in 2023. With the exception of renewals, all indicators seem to suggest better demand as we advance into 2024.

Leaders looking to capitalize on this growing demand need an effective GTM model that can help them prioritize high-value accounts and determine optimal coverage. By leveraging a clear and comprehensive segmentation plan, growth leaders are able to leverage data-driven insights to accelerate growth and drive revenue generation.

Use the Right Organizational Model to Accelerate Growth

Buoyed by positive market outlooks, most CEOs are shifting their priorities towards more aggressive growth, with 42% agreeing that the increased expense would pay dividends down the line. However, leaders are less confident in their ability to execute critical growth levers, with the biggest gaps in confidence evident in market penetration and new product launches.

These levers are crucial for accelerating growth in 2024, which means leaders must shift their focus to their sales organization, focusing on their efficiency and ability to create value. It’s not just about headcount: leaders should also critically evaluate and adapt their organizational model based on their targeted segments. With the right approach, they can maximize sales productivity and ensure optimal coverage of all key growth levers.

You Need Great Talent to Execute Good Plans

Overall, CEOs are confident in their direction, with 92% believing that they have the right GTM strategy in place to help them grow. But when it comes to talent, they are less certain. While many leaders agree that talent will be essential to their success, up to 41% of CEOs believe that they still don’t have the people they need to make their plan work.

But it goes beyond hiring; growth leaders need to drive productivity uplifts. Through methods such as talent mapping and time studies, CEOs can quickly identify revenue gain opportunities and rapidly execute on cost takeouts with the help of data-driven benchmarks. By clearly identifying roadblocks to seller productivity, leaders gain the ability to eliminate burdens to sellers and create productive conditions that can drive value creation more effectively and efficiently.

Bridge Skill Gaps But Also Develop Your Talent

While seller skill becomes increasingly critical to a company’s growth, more CEOs are also changing their focus to positive churn to bridge the skill gap. However, as ramp times continue to lengthen, more companies should dedicate a greater focus on coaching to drive higher productivity and develop the skills that sellers need to succeed.

SBI suggests that growth leaders develop an effective coaching playbook to help their sellers drive value creation. From setting the right coaching cadence to clear guidance on skill development, companies can provide their sellers with winning strategies and actionable feedback to help them secure more deals. Furthermore, by developing a consistent playbook throughout the organization, seller skills become transferable assets, helping leaders accelerate ramp times and raising productivity significantly.

Did your outlook for 2024 align with our findings? For a deeper look into our survey methodology and potential next steps, we highly recommend reading the full Value Creation Pulse report, linked here: CEO Value Creation Pulse, Q1 2024.