Tips and Techniques to Improve Sales
Tips and Techniques to Improve Sales
What are your goals for the year? "Increase sales". Understood. Do you know where those increases will come from? Will you sell more of the same to current accounts? New products to current accounts? Or will the increases come from new accounts? And what will you sell them? Current products or new products? "All of the above" is not the right answer. The essence of strategy is denial.
2. Put the right people in the right roles.
The publisher of a large newspaper once said to me that he wanted his new sales managers to question everything, including the structure of their teams. He did not want them to uncritically accept the structure and the people that came with the promotion. If the goal is to open new accounts do you have the sales people who like to prospect? If the goal is to get more money from existing accounts do you have the sales people who can sell strategically? That team that helped make you a winner last year might not be the same team you need to accomplish this year´s goals.
3. Determine the profile of the ideal rep for each sales goal.
I know you have done that exercise before. Do it again. You must be absolutely crystal clear about the competencies required to be successful. The competencies are determined by your sales goals. The attitudes and skills required to excel at prospecting are not the same as those required to excel at account development. If you are not sure about what you need, take a look at some of the sales assessment tools that are available in the marketplace. (Start at www.interpersonaldevelopment.com/assessment.asp).
4. Do a thorough assessment of each sales person.
There are two major dimensions you should look at; skill and will. Mary likes prospecting but is not good at it. Enrique is good at it but hates it. If in doubt if a rep has a skill or will deficiency ask yourself, "If I put a gun to his head could he do it?" If your reps object to you waving a gun around then use a sales assessment test. The pen is mightier than the sword anyway. Personally I favor a combination of tests, track record, my own in-field observations, and the individual´s stated preferences. Assessment is a process, not an event. The very act of assessment begins to change behavior, too. And the best assessments are jointly owned by the manager and the rep. It´s not something that the manager does to the rep. It is not like measuring shoe sizes.
5. Rank your reps against the benchmarks, not just against each other.
If you rank them only against each other, you typically end up with a third who are outstanding, a third who are average and a third who are weak. However, it is still possible that none of them could do the job, and ranking doesn´t help you coach them. (Remember how you felt when your mother told you to be more like your older brother or sister? You ended up resenting your mom and your sibling and still not knowing what you were supposed to do). You have to measure them against the benchmarks. You have to explain clearly what they must be able to do and say precisely, in order to be successful in their particular sales role. A good competency assessment gives each rep a detailed inventory of the competencies they must posses, and a clear indication of where they stand against each. Only then can you expect them to be open to your sharing of your infinite wisdom and experience as a sales coach.
6. Train them.
Tailor the training to their sales role. Don´t expect your prospectors to sit through a training module on account strategy. Don´t expect your sales masters - the ones that scored off the sales competency chart - to sit through any training at all. In fact, get them to co-facilitate the training with you or your trainer. They´ll get the recognition they crave, they´ll contribute to the development of the others, and yes they will learn something. You don´t really know what you think you know until, you try to teach someone.
7. Coach them.
Guided by your competency assessment, and keeping in mind that it is a process, not an event, and trying to be as humble as you possibly can, offer your reps your experience, observations and enthusiasm. Notice I didn´t mention advice. In sales coaching, as in life, offer your advice only when it´s asked for. That´s not to say you shouldn´t ask if your rep would like some advice. But ask only when they appear truly baffled, and respect their answer if it is "No, thanks".
Tips and Techniques to Improve Sales - To learn more about this author, visit John Brennan's Website.
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1. Take a second look at the big picture.
What are your goals for the year? "Increase sales". Understood. Do you know where those increases will come from? Will you sell more of the same to current accounts? New products to current accounts? Or will the increases come from new accounts? And what will you sell them? Current products or new products? "All of the above" is not the right answer. The essence of strategy is denial.
2. Put the right people in the right roles.
The publisher of a large newspaper once said to me that he wanted his new sales managers to question everything, including the structure of their teams. He did not want them to uncritically accept the structure and the people that came with the promotion. If the goal is to open new accounts do you have the sales people who like to prospect? If the goal is to get more money from existing accounts do you have the sales people who can sell strategically? That team that helped make you a winner last year might not be the same team you need to accomplish this year´s goals.
3. Determine the profile of the ideal rep for each sales goal.
I know you have done that exercise before. Do it again. You must be absolutely crystal clear about the competencies required to be successful. The competencies are determined by your sales goals. The attitudes and skills required to excel at prospecting are not the same as those required to excel at account development. If you are not sure about what you need, take a look at some of the sales assessment tools that are available in the marketplace. (Start at www.interpersonaldevelopment.com/assessment.asp).
4. Do a thorough assessment of each sales person.
There are two major dimensions you should look at; skill and will. Mary likes prospecting but is not good at it. Enrique is good at it but hates it. If in doubt if a rep has a skill or will deficiency ask yourself, "If I put a gun to his head could he do it?" If your reps object to you waving a gun around then use a sales assessment test. The pen is mightier than the sword anyway. Personally I favor a combination of tests, track record, my own in-field observations, and the individual´s stated preferences. Assessment is a process, not an event. The very act of assessment begins to change behavior, too. And the best assessments are jointly owned by the manager and the rep. It´s not something that the manager does to the rep. It is not like measuring shoe sizes.
5. Rank your reps against the benchmarks, not just against each other.
If you rank them only against each other, you typically end up with a third who are outstanding, a third who are average and a third who are weak. However, it is still possible that none of them could do the job, and ranking doesn´t help you coach them. (Remember how you felt when your mother told you to be more like your older brother or sister? You ended up resenting your mom and your sibling and still not knowing what you were supposed to do). You have to measure them against the benchmarks. You have to explain clearly what they must be able to do and say precisely, in order to be successful in their particular sales role. A good competency assessment gives each rep a detailed inventory of the competencies they must posses, and a clear indication of where they stand against each. Only then can you expect them to be open to your sharing of your infinite wisdom and experience as a sales coach.
6. Train them.
Tailor the training to their sales role. Don´t expect your prospectors to sit through a training module on account strategy. Don´t expect your sales masters - the ones that scored off the sales competency chart - to sit through any training at all. In fact, get them to co-facilitate the training with you or your trainer. They´ll get the recognition they crave, they´ll contribute to the development of the others, and yes they will learn something. You don´t really know what you think you know until, you try to teach someone.
7. Coach them.
Guided by your competency assessment, and keeping in mind that it is a process, not an event, and trying to be as humble as you possibly can, offer your reps your experience, observations and enthusiasm. Notice I didn´t mention advice. In sales coaching, as in life, offer your advice only when it´s asked for. That´s not to say you shouldn´t ask if your rep would like some advice. But ask only when they appear truly baffled, and respect their answer if it is "No, thanks".
Tips and Techniques to Improve Sales - To learn more about this author, visit John Brennan's Website.
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George LudwigGeorge Ludwig is a recognized authority on sales strategy and peak performance psychology. An international speaker, trainer, and corporate consultant, he helps clients like Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, Northwestern Mutual, CIGNA, and numerous others improve sales force effectiveness and performance. Though it's George's strategies and processes that help corporations increase productivity and performance, it's his tremendous energy and dynamism that spark the transformation. Again and again, clients remark on his amazing ability to unleash human capacity and inspire men and women to break out of their comfort zones. The result is a whole new type of salesperson. His customized presentations teach achievers to make stunning advances in their lives. From helping salespeople realize cherished dreams to helping corporations exponentially accelerate revenue streams, George Ludwig leaves audiences and individuals empowered, emboldened, and clamoring for more. George is the best-selling author of Power Selling: Seven Strategies for Cracking the Sales Code and Wise Moves: 60 Quick Tips to Improve Your Position in Life & Business. - Visit George Ludwig'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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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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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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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, Nation’s 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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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 firm’s 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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Anne BarrAnne Barr has over 26 years experience in sales and marketing, six years as a franchisee. She has assisted over 367 business owners and purchasers to achieve their goals in career change, transition and exit strategy. She holds the designation of Certified Franchise Executive from the International Franchise Association, Certified Business Intermediary from the International Business Brokers Association and Board Certified Broker from the Texas Association of Business Brokers. Anne is active in professional organizations, networking groups and volunteers for non-profit entities. As owner/operator of four successful businesses, Anne has proven people skills and enjoys helping clients find the right "fit" in business ownership. Visit www.FranchiseOpportunitySpecialist.com for more information about me and my company. - Visit Anne Barr's Website |
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