This week on Let’s Talk, our experts reveal practical strategies for maintaining consistent sales performance with limited resources.
You don’t need a sprawling sales department or enterprise-level CRM to hit your targets consistently. In this edition of Let’s Talk, we’ve gathered insights from sales leaders, consultants, and entrepreneurs who’ve built reliable revenue streams with lean teams and modest budgets.
Our experts tackle the real challenges facing small businesses and solo sellers: staying organized without complex software, maintaining customer relationships at scale, and creating repeatable processes that don’t require constant oversight. Whether you’re a founder wearing multiple hats or managing a tight-knit sales team, their advice offers actionable alternatives to the “more people, more tools” approach.
Anthony Capano, Regional Director, APAC, Intuit Mailchimp
“You don’t need a big team or a costly technology stack to keep sales steady. The key is working smarter with the tools you already have, and in many ways, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a great equaliser for smaller teams.
AI takes on repetitive tasks so people can focus on the conversations and ideas that actually drive sales. You don’t need to overhaul everything at once; start with simple, thoughtful touchpoints that help customers feel seen.
The impact grows when your tools work together. When customer information is consolidated in one place, you can quickly see who’s engaged, who needs a nudge, and who’s likely to come back—so your follow-ups feel intentional rather than arbitrary. A quick thank-you, a check-in when someone drops off, or a personalised recommendation can all go a long way. And automation keeps these moments consistent without adding to the workload.
As your business grows, using email, SMS and other channels becomes important. But this doesn’t mean reinventing the wheel; slight tweaks to a core message can work across each one, creating a cohesive experience wherever customers engage. When everything works together, it’s easier to double down on what drives momentum.”
Fleur Allen, Coach & Business Mentor, Ask Fleur
“A strong sales rhythm doesn’t require a large team or complex systems. With the right habits and structures, small businesses can create reliable, steady sales momentum. Here are three essentials.
- Create a clear lead generation process. Know exactly how new enquiries enter your business, whether through networking, referrals, content, or partnerships. A simple, repeatable approach is often the most effective.
- Track your conversion percentage. Even a basic spreadsheet with accurate, current data gives you stronger visibility than leaving your numbers untracked. This clarity supports meaningful decision-making and highlights opportunities for improvement.
- Show up consistently. Regular follow-up, regular communication, and reliable delivery build trust. Trust strengthens relationships, and strong relationships sustain steady sales.
Sustainable sales performance grows from clarity and connection, not complexity. Start simple and let consistency do the heavy lifting.”
Elise Balsillie, Head of Thryv Australia and New Zealand
“Maintaining steady sales performance, without a large team or hefty software budget comes down to working smarter with the systems you already have. Small businesses often feel pressure to scale headcount to keep up with leads, inquiries and follow ups, yet consistency comes from clarity, not size.
The foundation is a reliable rhythm – know where your customers are in their journey, respond quickly and automate anything that does not need your direct involvement. Even a modest setup can deliver this. A central place to track conversations, manage appointments and schedule timely follow ups creates momentum that carries sales forward day after day.
Smart tools help. Platforms such as Thryv offer a streamlined and cost-effective way to keep communications, appointments and nurturing workflows organised in one place.
The real shift happens when consistency becomes a habit. Automate reminders so no inquiry is missed, build short templates to reply faster and review your pipeline weekly so opportunities never drift away unnoticed. These are small and repeatable actions that compound over time.
Steady sales performance is achievable for any business when the right systems support the work, leaving more time for the conversations that truly drive growth.”
Andy Fowler, CEO, Nutshell
“The misconception that you need an expensive CRM or a big team to maintain consistent sales performance is exactly what’s holding many businesses back. The real bottleneck isn’t headcount—it’s time. Every hour your team spends on manual data entry, activity logging, searching for customer information, or juggling disconnected tools is an hour they’re not selling.
At Nutshell, we’ve built a CRM specifically designed to save teams time because we know that time is your most valuable asset. Auto-logging captures every interaction automatically. One-click workflows handle routine follow-ups without lifting a finger. AI-powered insights surface the exact next steps that move deals forward. When you eliminate the busywork that drains your day, suddenly a smaller team can outperform teams twice its size.
The math is simple: if you save each person two hours a day, that’s 40+ hours a week reclaimed. That’s how lean teams maintain steady, predictable sales performance. You don’t need a massive budget or massive headcount. You need a smarter system that gives your team their time back. The best CRM isn’t the one with the most features—it’s the one that gets out of your way.”
Melissa Ford, Account Manager, Scott
“Maintaining steady sales performance without a large team or expensive CRM is achievable with consistency and simple, repeatable systems. Regular proactive communication helps keep relationships warm and opportunities active, and re engaging past clients can be one of the most efficient growth levers because trust is already established. When customers feel supported, they naturally return.
Through my involvement in The Inkers, the national early career program created by the Visual Media Association to develop and support emerging talent across print and visual media, I have seen how structured habits and clear communication processes often outperform complicated tools. The fundamentals matter, especially in smaller teams.
Fast quoting, structured sales routines and disciplined follow up can improve conversion without adding complexity, creating a more predictable workflow. Even small changes, such as increasing the value of each job through thoughtful add ons, can lift revenue without relying on constant new customer acquisition. If a customer asks for a business card, offer additional collateral or services that help them present their brand consistently.”
Steve Evans, Chief Executive, ConnectOS
“An increasingly popular way Australian businesses are maintaining steady sales performance without a big onshore team or expensive CRM is with strategic offshoring. At Connect OS, we’re seeing more companies offshore sales roles, such as Lead Generation Specialists and Business Development Managers, to support their onshore teams in building a healthy sales pipeline and reaching their growth goals, without increasing overheads.
The key to successful offshoring is finding a partner that can do all of the heavy lifting for you – from recruiting the right candidate to seamlessly integrating them into your business – so teams on the ground can focus on their sales and growth priorities. At ConnectOS, we take it one step further to make offshoring as seamless as possible, handling everything from IT infrastructure, security and compliance to payroll and employee engagement, while clients maintain direct management of day-to-day work.
In fact, the outsourcing industry in Australia is growing steadily, with a 2025 IBISWorld report stating that industrywide revenue has been growing over the past five years at an expected annualised 1.2% and is set to total $49.6 billion in 2024-25.”
Puja Dhanetwal, Director, Buyers Match
“While many CRMs are now easily affordable for smaller operations, the true challenge is using them to create consistency and efficiency. For us, this meant investment in customising Zoho CRM and automating communication workflows to ensure we never miss a milestone. However, technology only supports the engine of the business; it’s how you use it that matters most.
Our business is built on a referral-based approach, which traditionally ebbs and flows. To maintain a steady stream of leads, we consistently outreach and Keep In Touch (KIT) with relevant, useful information so we stay top of mind with existing clients, prompting them to refer others.
A non-negotiable aspect of amplifying a referral-based approach is simply asking. If you don’t ask, you don’t get, but many business owners are hesitant. You need to challenge your mindset and realise that if you deliver an outstanding, customer-focused, and consistent service – treating clients like family – most are happy to refer. So go ahead and ask them who they know that could use your help.”
Rick Wong, Fractional VP/Director of Sales, InFocus Business Development
“Steady sales performance doesn’t depend on headcount or flashy systems; it depends on the right diagnosis and treatment plan. The prescription is straightforward: build a lean, repeatable sales process that aligns your company strategy with your ideal customer profile (ICP), then track it with tools no more complex than a spreadsheet or low-cost CRM.
“Repeatable processes form the backbone of predictable growth:
- ICP for clarity on who you serve best.
- Value Proposition that speaks directly to customer pain points.
- Sales Process with defined stages from prospecting to close.
- Compensation Plans that motivate the right behaviours.
- Scripts with diagnostic questions that build trust.
- Playbook to standardise best practices across the team.
“Each conversation becomes a structured consultation: uncover hesitation, prescribe solutions, and follow up with disciplined consistency. Weekly reviews act as check-ups, small adjustments prevent flare-ups and keep growth predictable. With this framework, even lean operations can Xcelerate revenue growth sustainably – no firefighting, no bloated overhead, just clarity and discipline.”
Maria Kathopoulis, CEO & Chief Marketing Officer at UNTMD Media
“Steady sales come from systems, not staff. You don’t need a big team or a premium CRM. You need one source of truth, one workflow and zero guesswork.
Use a simple platform like HubSpot or GoHighLevel to centralise every lead, automate follow-ups and create total visibility on what is moving and what is stuck.
The real edge is rhythm. A weekly pipeline review, automated touchpoints and a clear next step for every prospect.
Small teams outperform big ones when nothing slips through the cracks and every lead gets consistent momentum.”
Greg Wilkes, CEO of Develop Coaching
“Most business owners kid themselves that sales consistency comes from hiring more bodies or buying a fancy CRM. It doesn’t. Steady sales come from simple habits, done every week, without fail.
I learned this the hard way when I grew my construction company past £1m with nothing more than a spreadsheet and a disciplined routine. No bells. No whistles. Just clarity and consistency.
Start with one list: every lead, every stage, every next action. Update it daily. A Google Sheet works fine. What matters is momentum. If a prospect hasn’t heard from you in seven days, you don’t have a system, you have a leak.
Block two 30-minute follow-up windows each week. Treat them like client meetings. This alone will outperform a neglected CRM.
Then script your key touchpoints. Keep it human: a quick check-in, a value-add email, a site photo, a reminder of next steps. You’re building trust, not chasing.
And don’t ignore social media. Posting consistently keeps you visible, warms up future buyers and makes every follow-up easier because they already feel like they know you.
Finally, measure weekly. How many leads? How many quotes out? How many converted? Numbers calm the chaos.”
Nitesh Roopa, Managing Partner, ProfitPulse
“For many small businesses, consistent sales performance has less to do with headcount or software budgets and more to do with rhythm, visibility and simple, repeatable habits. A large CRM can certainly help but it’s not a prerequisite.
The most effective owners that ProfitPulse works with rely on three fundamentals.
First, clarity on the sales pipeline. Not a dashboard; just a single view of leads, follow-ups, proposals and expected timing. A spreadsheet or shared note works perfectly if it’s updated weekly and used to guide decisions.
Second, standardised sales touchpoints. Pre-written email templates, clear quoting structures, and a simple follow-up cadence reduce mental load and ensure prospects don’t go cold because the owner gets busy elsewhere.
Third, a weekly commercial check-in. Fifteen minutes to review pipeline movement, upcoming revenue, likely bottlenecks and any actions needed to keep momentum. This rhythm often matters more than any technology stack.
ProfitPulse have found that tools can scale a process, but they don’t create one. Smaller businesses maintain steady sales by tightening the basics: visibility, consistency and disciplined follow-through.
When the commercial engine is simple enough to run on a single page, it becomes far easier to sustain, even with a very small team.”
Keep up to date with our stories on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
