When untrained sales managers don’t know how to be an effective sales manager, so they continue to do what comes naturally – they continue to sell. But this leads them to spend more time with their top salespeople, who are working on the biggest deals, which leaves the rest of the sales team out in … Read full article
People who recently bought from you after scouting the competition are a rich source of information. It’s worth talking to them to see what they can tell you about how your product or service compares to the rest of the market. Ask them if they would explain why they chose you, what strengths they perceived. … Read full article
In this time of economic struggle, creating a unified sales force with a common sales language and single sales message becomes imperative if your company is to achieve its goals. When you bring together different sales cultures and levels of sophistication within a newly-merged organization the result is often reduced sales, erosion of trust with … Read full article
Look for opportunities to show interest in all team members. Ask about their life outside of work. Make an effort to learn about their families, their hobbies, their recent vacation, etc. Inquire but never pry. Keep track of names, dates, and events that are important to them, such as birthdays and anniversaries of employment with … Read full article
Involve your best sales people in hiring decisions. Ask team members to participate in interviewing new-hire candidates, when appropriate. This gives your producer a say in how the team works – a significant involvement in something that truly matters. Make sure you provide pre-training on effective interviewing. Such preparation not only gives team members a … Read full article
Get in the habit of inviting team members to challenge your ideas. Encourage them to constructively (and positively) criticize your plans. Make it okay for people to disagree with you. This lets people know you value their input, and ensures that implemented ideas will be well thought out. By giving your sales people permission to … Read full article
A similar questioning track can help you, the sales coach, diagnose sales skill deficiencies. For example, you could debrief a rep’s first meeting with a prospective customer by asking the salesperson: What problems does that customer have that we can solve? Why is the customer experiencing these problems? What will happen to the customer if … Read full article
Most sales managers coach too fast. When coaching, we don’t help sales people find their own answers. Managing a sales team is a much different set of skills than selling, but in at least one respect, the same skills which helped you become a great salesperson can, when applied, help you become a more effective … Read full article
Here’s a common scenario being played out in hundreds of corporate offices every day. A salesperson suffers a bad month, so in swoops the sales manager. The necessary sales training and encouragement is given and voila! – the sales rep is sent back out to reverse their fortunes. But is this what the top 1% … Read full article
At TopLine Leadership, our coaching model actually is in the form, in the acronym, the word coach: C-O-A-C-H. At the center of the process is Commitment. It’s commitment both on the sales manager’s part and also on the sales person’s part as well. That’s the center focus. If we don’t have commitment on both ends, … Read full article