Your sales force must make it rain without you, but to achieve this business owners must train their sales staff to function without them.
The secret is to build a team of individuals that can manage themselves and are proactive and not reactive, says Mark Keating, CEO and founder of SalesGuru, a sales training and development company.
Keating says reactive salespeople put themselves on the back foot because they wait for feedback rather than to take action.
“It’s then too late for them [because they’re not in control of the situation]. This leads to them not progressing or adjusting [as salespeople] as quickly as necessary. This often leads to poor sales pipeline and results,” he warns.
Make your sales team more proactive – Keating’s dos and don’ts.
DOs:
1. Have an one-on-one with each sales person to ensure that you have clearly defined the company, managerial and personal expectations from all parties;
2. Define the rules of engagement clearly and also the consequences should they choose not to adhere to them;
3. Define the Minimal Acceptable Standards for each individual in order to hold them accountable for the agreed commitment and targets;
4. Define clearly what is required on a weekly basis for effective coaching to take place;
5. Coach on a consistent basis;
6. Lead by example.
DON’TS:
1. Fail to implement the necessary consequences when required;
2. Change the rules of engagement or expectations without clear communication and an understanding of why;
3. Accept non-performance;
4. Treat each individual differently according to their results not the company standards;
5. Not hold individuals accountable for their choices that were not agreed to in the one-on-one discussion.
