In today’s fast-moving market, it's not enough to have a sales team. You need a system. In our conversation with Doug Brown, CEO of CEO Sales Strategies, we unpack what most leaders miss when trying to scale revenue and how to fix it.

Here are the top takeaways for C-suite leaders who want to drive predictable, profitable growth:

1. Stop Selling to Everyone—Prioritize the Right-Fit Buyer

Most companies skip the first (and most critical) step: defining and prioritizing their ideal buyer.

• Focus where the ROI is highest: Who buys the fastest, spends the most, and is easiest to close?

• Shift rep time accordingly: Allocate 70% of your selling time to “X+6” buyers—those with urgency and budget.

• Train around precision, not volume: Sales teams need clarity, not just activity.

Strategic Move: Build ICPs that reflect speed-to-close and value, not just persona basics.

2. Operationalize Sales Like a Franchise

Doug compares a high-performing sales org to McDonald's: even if a key person is out, the system still works.

• Create repeatable systems: Standardize your sales process so any rep can plug in and perform.

• Track the 11 essential metrics: From outbound attempts to connection and conversion rates, these data points reveal strengths and bottlenecks.

• Benchmark and replicate: Find your outliers and scale what works.

Strategic Move: Treat sales enablement and process design like operations, not one-off training.

3. Sell to the Business and the Ego

Most sales teams pitch only business ROI and lose the deal. Doug urges leaders to go deeper.

• Understand why buyers act: People buy to solve problems, hit goals, or capitalize on opportunities.

• Don’t ignore personal ROI: Ego, career ambition, internal reputation. These drive decisions more than logic.

• Equip your team to connect emotionally: This is where deals are won or lost.

Strategic Move: Train your team to identify and sell to both business and personal value drivers.

Bonus Insight: AI Isn’t Optional. It’s Your Multiplier.

• Remove admin tasks and let reps focus on conversations.

• If you’re not using AI, your competitors are and they’re faster.

Ready to make your sales process as scalable as your product?
AGS helps companies build systems that generate revenue reliably without the guesswork.

Reach out to AGS for strategic help or an introduction to Doug Brown. Let’s build your revenue engine right.

For more strategic sales conversations, tune into “Selling the Cloud” wherever you get your podcasts.