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You Coach but Do Your Salespeople Follow Through?

Guest post by: Dave Kurlan

Article Overview: Sales Managers are often asked for advice on specific opportunities and provide coaching to the salespeople. Often times that's the last they ever hear about that situation from the salesperson, why don't they follow up? Well there are a few reasons...

You Coach but Do Your Salespeople Follow Through?

Dave Kurlan is a top-rated speaker, best-selling author, sales thought leader and highly regarded sales development expert.

Has this ever happened to you?

A salesperson asks for your advice and it's opportunity specific, important, and time sensitive.

You schedule a time to talk, provide the coaching, ask if it helped, receive acknowledgement, get commitment for follow through and wish them luck.

Then you wait.

And you wonder.

Did they make the call? Did they reach the prospect? Did they do what you coached them to do? Did they do it the way they were supposed to, something similar, or do it their way and screw it up? What happened? Good outcome or bad? Lesson learned or not? Career changing or just event specific help? Transportable lesson/skills or a one-time use? Momentum building or not? Confidence building or not?

After their call, following up with you is the respectful thing to do - it shows appreciation, that they didn't waste your time, that they took action, that there was an outcome, that you were helpful. But what happens if they don't follow up with you? If you don't learn what happened?

You can bet on one of two things - or both:

1. The salesperson never made the call/visit and failed to act on your advice;
2. You were coaching a shit head.

So when either or both of these scenarios are true, then what?

Does it depend on whether they are performers or under achievers?

Does it depend on whether you like them or not?

Does it depend on whether they have a track record of this kind of behavior?

Do the rules change based on the individual involved?

What do you do when it comes to your sales force?

Let's get a good discussion going on this topic!

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Article Tags: coaching, sales, sales management, salespeople



Related Forum Posts
Re: Business Coaching Resources - You're fortunate when you can find a Business Coach who has experience beyond where you've been and even where you are going. When your budget is slim and even after, it's good to have a mentor. Several of various backgrounds are very useful. They can be teachers, professors, pastors, business people, family members, bosses and former bosses. You have to be clear on what you want and what you desire to achieve, be able to convey it as simply as possible. Stop and listen and don't over tax their time. You should always expect results whether from a Business Coach or Mentors. If you're not gtting results, you're either not focused or you need to upgrade the quality of your mentors/coaches. Always surround yourself by people smarter than you.
Re: What are your January Goals? - Here's a quick update on mine: Goal #1: Hire New Writer = done - Post job description on oDesk - Set up trial job - Pick top candidate Goal #2: Follow up with Clients = done - Create and send quarterly report - Touch base with last year's clients - Follow up with 4 connectors Goal #3: PERSONAL = about 70% done on the month - Do something nice for my wife each week - Exercise 4 times per week - Daily stretch - want to touch my toes
Post subject: Too successful for a mate? - That was an interesting article, Shri! Most of the women I know who continue to be single have some type of self limiting behavior which interferes with them either meeting or attracting the perfect mate for them. They are incredible and talented women, they just haven't set themselves up for relationship success. I know there are men who may be intimidated, but there are also men who aren't. Some men are attracted to smart women! My advice to these women would be to focus on creating the right environment for a relationship to happen. This would be a great time to hire a Life Coach or Relationship Coach. Taking action to get ready for a relationship doesn't mean having to be aggressive in finding a man. It's more subtle. If you don't make room for a man in your life, you might just squeeze out the opportunity before he gets to you. As well, you may be sending off all the wrong signals without realizing it. Seriously, I don't think successful women are off the proverbial "good wife material list". However, if you think yourself off of it then don't be surprised if you fulfill your own prophecy.
Re: On Which Social Media Sites Are You Most Active? - Follow me on Twitter Join me on Facebook Watch me on YouTube
Re: Want to be a published author? - Thanks for sharing some options out there for us, Ladies! I'm one of those people who have a number of books in the works, but haven't quite finished them yet... I think I need to bring this up with my own Coach, but that's another story! *LOL* Anyhow, it's nice to know what I can do about it all when I'm ready. Shri, I'll keep you in mind when the time comes! Thanks again, Tami


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