How Companies Can Leverage Their Sales Managers to Boost Sales Part 1

Help Your Sales Managers Become Effective Coaches

Effective sales coaching can potentially increase top-line revenue by up to 20 percent. With such potential benefits it is no wonder that many sales organizations recommend that their front-line sales managers spend 25 - 45 percent of their time sales coaching. 

Perhaps the most challenging aspect of sales coaching for sales managers is conducting the coaching conversation after the manager has observed the sales rep on a sales call. During the coaching conversation, the sales manager must act as a teacher and help his or her sales professional learn or improve specific selling skills. That, however, can be exceedingly challenging for sales managers. Remember, many sales managers were formerly successful sales professionals before being promoted into sales management. For them selling came naturally and they often cannot understand why one of their team members isn’t “getting it.” 

Fortunately, sales coaching is a skill that can be learned, practiced, and perfected. For example, the coaching conversation should follow a structured four-step process. 

1. Reinforce positive behavior 

2. Lead sales professional in self-discovery 

3. Provide opportunity to practice 

4. Gain commitment to use new methods 

One of the critical elements in the coaching session is to start by using positive reinforcement to strengthen a skill that the sales professional did well. Many managers make the mistake of only focusing on poorly performed skills. 

Next, the sales manager should lead the sales professional in a process of self-discovery. This subtle process begins by having the sales professional analyze the call. In many cases, the sales professionals will be far more critical of his or her own performance than the sales manager. 

Also, a sales professional is likely to take action to solve a problem that he or she uncovered on his or her own. Sometimes the sales professional’s self- analysis misses the mark, and in those cases the sales manager should use leading questions to help the sales professional “discover” his or her strengths and weaknesses. For example, a manager could ask, “Do you remember the customer’s reaction when you stalled before answering her question?” 

If at this point the sales professional is unable or unwilling to recognize a skill issue, the sales manager should make suggestions to the sales professional about how he or she can improve. Then they should ask for feedback  (click on the word feedback for a great article) to make sure the sales professional understands the suggestions, and provides an immediate opportunity for practice including conducting role plays and/or mock sales calls. And finally, the sales manager needs to obtain the sales professional’s commitment to use the new methods. 

To your greater success,

Peter Mclees, Principal
Email: petercmclees@gmail.com
Telephone: 323-854-1713

PS Email me to request a one-page description of our program entitled "Turing Sales Managers Into Effective Coaches"

PPS Smart Development Inc. has an exceptional track record helping route sales branches, restaurants, stores, distribution centers, food production facilities, and other businesses create a strong culture, leadership bench strength, sales skills, sales coaching skills and the teamwork necessary for growth. 

Having worked with several companies throughout their growth cycle, we have valuable insights and strategies that would help any late stage startup, small or medium sized company achieve sustained growth and prosperity.

http://smartdevelopmentinc.com/