Sales Support vs Sales Execution: What Technology Companies Actually Need to Close Bigger Deals
- Charles Hunter
- Jul 16, 2025
- 2 min read
It’s been a while since I’ve posted and that’s partly because I’ve been deep in the trenches working with tech businesses, refining how they approach growth. If you're reading this, thank you for taking the time! I wanted to share something that’s come up time and again lately and feels long overdue to unpack.
For many technology businesses, the intent to grow is clear, the tools are in place, leads are coming in, and the team is putting in the effort. But deals still stall. Big opportunities go cold. Proposals get sent… and then nothing.
This disconnect often comes down to a misunderstanding of what’s really needed to win. Too often, businesses invest in sales support, when the real missing link is sales execution.
The Distinction: Sales Support vs Sales Execution
Sales support helps the sales process run - CRM tools, reporting dashboards, proposal templates, marketing assets, admin assistance. It’s the structure and the scaffolding.
Sales execution is where the real selling happens:
✔ Asking the right questions in discovery
✔ Understanding what’s driving the client’s decision
✔ Building trust across multiple stakeholders
✔ Positioning value over features
✔ Managing the bid process tightly
✔ Closing with clarity
A Common Trap: All the Gear, But No Real Wins
Here’s a typical scenario: A tech business invests in a CRM, sets up automation, partners with a lead gen agency, hires a BDM, and downloads a set of “winning proposal templates.” But over time, deals go nowhere. The BDM is stretched. The proposals feel generic. The pipeline looks busy but rarely moves.
What’s missing isn’t strategy or intent, it’s follow-through.
Execution is inconsistent or reactive. Opportunities aren’t being qualified deeply. Clients aren’t being truly heard. Proposals don’t speak to real pain.
In short: there’s motion, but not momentum.
What Good Sales Execution Looks Like
When done right, execution feels seamless, but it’s deeply intentional. High-performing technology companies tend to do the following differently:
✔ Qualify with purpose: Focus on the business drivers behind the request
✔ Tailor, don’t template: Every proposal speaks directly to the client’s goals
✔ Own the process: Guide the buyer with clarity and confidence
✔ Leverage internal SMEs well: Use technical experts to close value gaps, not
just to “demo”
This isn’t about having a bigger sales team, it’s about making each engagement count.
Where to Focus
If you’re already investing in sales tools and support but not seeing results, consider these questions:
✔ Are we spending time selling, or just preparing to sell?
✔ Do we know what happens to each deal after the proposal goes out?
✔ Are we engaging the right stakeholders early enough?
✔ Do our proposals come across as generic, or do they show real
understanding?
You might not need another BDM, you might just need better execution with what you already have.
Final Thought: Do Less, Execute Better
In complex tech sales, winning isn’t about having the most resources. It’s about having the sharpest focus. Support systems are necessary, but they don’t close deals on their own. That takes strategic, consistent execution, from first conversation to contract signing.
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