Coaching, Counseling and Development
Coaching, Counseling and Development
Four Steps to Successful Coaching
The following coaching model, consisting of four distinct steps, can be applied to sales calls conducted on the bank premises or out in the field.
STEP ONE: Make a Contract
Before you embark on a joint call with your salesperson, discuss the following elements of the coaching contract:
· That the purpose of the joint call is to help educate the sales consultant, not to "check up" on him or her;
· The key performance, or behaviors, that you want to see improved;
· The goal, such as cross-selling additional financial services;
· Some intermediate steps toward reaching the goal, such as better probing to understand a customerīs financial needs;
· The payoff for the sales consultant when reaching the goal, such as higher commissions;
· How you will help; and
· The evaluation process, or how you will measure the consultantīs success.
STEP TWO: Observe the Call
When you join your consultant on a sales call, itīs important to inform the customer of the reason for your presence. You might say, "Iīm here as a coach to gain information to better service our customers." You should also:
· Allow the sales consultant to control the call. Youīre there to observe.
· If the customer asks you a question, ask your sales consultant if he or she would like to answer it.
· If the customer makes eye contact with you, look deliberately at the salesperson. The customer will automatically follow your gaze, and make eye contact with the consultant.
· Observe the skills that the consultant uses to direct the call toward a successful close.
· Take thorough notes, writing down key words, phrases and actions taken by the rep. Also note the customerīs reactions to the consultantīs behavior. Youīll need this information later to support your feedback.
· Thank the customer for the opportunity to observe. Donīt discuss the consultantīs performance with the customer.
STEP THREE: Provide Feedback
Immediately after the call or appointment, ask the sales consultant for a self-critique. Ask:
What did you do that was effective? What/how was it effective? What could you have done differently? How would you have done it? What outcomes might have happened if done differently?
After your consultant has completed the self-evaluation, add your own feedback:
· List the positive behavior you noticed.
· Discuss and reinforce the behaviors that resulted in success.
· Keep your feedback specific; use facts and figures and refer to your notes.
· Discuss key areas that need improvement. Use neutral, non-threatening language.
· Keep the discussion from becoming defensive by reassuring the sales consultant of your help and support.
· If youīre uncomfortable with the consultantīs plan to improve, say so.
· Remember that your silence on any skill or behavior indicates that you approve.
· Reprimand statements that show unwillingness, not failed behaviors.
· Agree on goals, and develop an action plan to eliminate weaknesses.
STEP FOUR: Follow Up
Coaching is an ongoing process. Plan for the next coaching opportunity you will have with this sales consultant, and then be sure to follow through. Keep in mind that your goal is to have sales consultants who coach themselves. If problems you have identified persist, make your sales consultant aware of the consequences. And finally, be sure to recognize successes as they are achieved.
HOOKS AND RESCUES: Three Traps to Avoid
First, donīt allow the customer to hook you into the selling role. Thatīs the sales consultantīs job. Similarly, donīt let the consultant hook you into selling. That will only hinder their learning. And finally, resist the temptation to "rescue" a sales consultant if they get into trouble during a call. Allow them to fail, and then analyze the failure to ensure itīs not repeated.
Coaching Counseling and Development - To learn more about this author, visit John Brennan's Website.
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Good coaching requires as much work by the "coach" as by the "team member," but itīs work that will pay off: in higher sales ratios, in better customer service, in the development of your own management skills, and in eventual self-coaching by the sales consultant.
Four Steps to Successful Coaching
The following coaching model, consisting of four distinct steps, can be applied to sales calls conducted on the bank premises or out in the field.
STEP ONE: Make a Contract
Before you embark on a joint call with your salesperson, discuss the following elements of the coaching contract:
· That the purpose of the joint call is to help educate the sales consultant, not to "check up" on him or her;
· The key performance, or behaviors, that you want to see improved;
· The goal, such as cross-selling additional financial services;
· Some intermediate steps toward reaching the goal, such as better probing to understand a customerīs financial needs;
· The payoff for the sales consultant when reaching the goal, such as higher commissions;
· How you will help; and
· The evaluation process, or how you will measure the consultantīs success.
STEP TWO: Observe the Call
When you join your consultant on a sales call, itīs important to inform the customer of the reason for your presence. You might say, "Iīm here as a coach to gain information to better service our customers." You should also:
· Allow the sales consultant to control the call. Youīre there to observe.
· If the customer asks you a question, ask your sales consultant if he or she would like to answer it.
· If the customer makes eye contact with you, look deliberately at the salesperson. The customer will automatically follow your gaze, and make eye contact with the consultant.
· Observe the skills that the consultant uses to direct the call toward a successful close.
· Take thorough notes, writing down key words, phrases and actions taken by the rep. Also note the customerīs reactions to the consultantīs behavior. Youīll need this information later to support your feedback.
· Thank the customer for the opportunity to observe. Donīt discuss the consultantīs performance with the customer.
STEP THREE: Provide Feedback
Immediately after the call or appointment, ask the sales consultant for a self-critique. Ask:
What did you do that was effective? What/how was it effective? What could you have done differently? How would you have done it? What outcomes might have happened if done differently?
After your consultant has completed the self-evaluation, add your own feedback:
· List the positive behavior you noticed.
· Discuss and reinforce the behaviors that resulted in success.
· Keep your feedback specific; use facts and figures and refer to your notes.
· Discuss key areas that need improvement. Use neutral, non-threatening language.
· Keep the discussion from becoming defensive by reassuring the sales consultant of your help and support.
· If youīre uncomfortable with the consultantīs plan to improve, say so.
· Remember that your silence on any skill or behavior indicates that you approve.
· Reprimand statements that show unwillingness, not failed behaviors.
· Agree on goals, and develop an action plan to eliminate weaknesses.
STEP FOUR: Follow Up
Coaching is an ongoing process. Plan for the next coaching opportunity you will have with this sales consultant, and then be sure to follow through. Keep in mind that your goal is to have sales consultants who coach themselves. If problems you have identified persist, make your sales consultant aware of the consequences. And finally, be sure to recognize successes as they are achieved.
HOOKS AND RESCUES: Three Traps to Avoid
First, donīt allow the customer to hook you into the selling role. Thatīs the sales consultantīs job. Similarly, donīt let the consultant hook you into selling. That will only hinder their learning. And finally, resist the temptation to "rescue" a sales consultant if they get into trouble during a call. Allow them to fail, and then analyze the failure to ensure itīs not repeated.
Coaching Counseling and Development - To learn more about this author, visit John Brennan's Website.
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John BrennanJohn Brennan Ed.D. Dr. Brennan is President of Interpersonal Development, LLC, a training and development firm. Interpersonal Development has provided sales training and coaching to more than 3,000 sales reps from over 100 companies. A native of Australia, Dr. Brennan received his doctorate from the University of Rochester. His dissertation researched the effectiveness of Behavioral Modeling Technology in training people in interpersonal skills. While he has spent most of his career designing or delivering training, he was also a Vice-President of Sales of a training and development franchise with operations in 25 markets. Dr. Brennan has designed and delivered sales training in North America, Asia, Europe, Australia and the Middle East. He has been a guest speaker at numerous national and regional professional conferences. When Microsoft wanted Best Practices articles on sales for their web site, they called Dr. Brennan. The results are at http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/FX011387391033.aspx His firms clients have included Volvo, The Prudential, Merrill Lynch, Eastman Kodak, Gannett, Equifax Europe, the Economist Group and countless small businesses. - Visit John Brennan's Website |
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Casey GollanCasey Gollan, Business Coaching & Mentoring Programs. Add $1 Million to $10 Million in the next 1 to 3 years. Since 1996 Casey has to added hundreds of millions of dollars to businesses. Watch a free video see client results Business Coaching website. - Visit Casey Gollan's Website |
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Leanne Hoagland-SmithAre your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/red-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website |
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David AchesonDavid Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns. David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website |
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Linda RichardsonLinda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals. Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nations Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website |
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Joe DagerJoe Dager is President of Business901, a progressive coaching company providing no-nonsense direction in areas such as Lean Six Sigma Marketing and organized referral marketing. What others say: In the past 20 years, Joe and I have collaborated on many difficult issues. Joe’s ability to combine his expertise with “out of the box” thinking is unsurpassed. He has always delivered quickly, cost effectively and with ingenuity. A brilliant mind that is always a pleasure to work with.” - James R. If you want to learn more about Business901, start a conversation with us. We can be found @ Web/Blog: Business901.com Web/Blog: FundingYourNonprofit.com LinkedIn Profile Follow me on Twitter - Visit Joe Dager's Website |
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Dave KurlanDave Kurlan is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website |
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John PowerJohn Power, founder of Biltmore Franchise Consulting, has extensive experience developing and marketing franchises and business opportunities. He has been in and around franchising for over twenty years. From 1980 through 1990 he conceptualized, organized, and developed the American Video Association. He grew AVA to 2,000 national members, before selling the company it 1990. It was later merged into another home video marketing company. From 2000 to 2005 he worked as a contract marketing and human resources consultant to several local and national companies. In 2005 Mr. Power began working as a franchise development consultant on a full-time basis. Since that time he has helped more than three dozen companies initiate and develop their franchising program. He notes that there are many companies interested in developing a franchise program, and who need his specialized assistance. Mr. Power is a hands-on franchise consultant. He said, I am the nuts and bolts person who tends to the details for my clients. Mr. Power holds a B.S. degree with a major in Marketing. See: www.biltmorefranchise.com You may contact Mr. Power at: jpower@biltmorefranchise.co - Visit John Power's Website |
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