By Jody Euloth R ecently, I was speaking with a business owner who was frustrated that a new hire, coming to the company with lots of sales experience, was underperforming. She continued to say that there were high expectations for this sales executive to produce results, and with only six months in, she was questioning if she made the right decision in bringing her on board. When we dove into the conversation further, I asked how much time she, or the sales manager, has spent with this new hire since joining the company. I continued to ask how often the sales team gets together and what their sales meetings look like. All I can say is that her reply was predictable, and one I hear all the time from business owners and com- panies I work with. She said that the sales manager meets at the beginning of every week with the sales team. They talk results and productivity from the previous week and forecast what business will close in the upcoming weeks. She also said that the new hire received ‘training’ within the first few days of joining the company and that everyone is so busy that anything above and beyond this gets overlooked. These common mistakes can be detrimental to the success of any employee new or a seasoned sales profes- sional. 1. Culture - The old-school, traditional sales team meetings of stern and stressful results talk, must come to an end. Strictly focusing on results, with every rep taking their turn to spew off how much was produced last week and what’s closing in the next couple of weeks, is not doing anything to create a positive sales culture. Yes, you must know the numbers, and yes productivity is key, but consider changing the approach. Those things can be done quickly, or on a one-on-one basis. Instead, a better use of time can be to have each rep talk about one challenge they are having, one account they’d like to close and talk through solutions and ideas as a team, which helps in the times of challenge. This encourages creativity and infuses a collaborate approach which can ultimately have a positive impact on your sales culture. 2. Motivation - Mindset is everything in sales. Too often, sales reps dread coming to a meeting that is filled with tension, interrogation and with the fear of being put on the spot in a negative way. They will inflate productivity numbers to appease their sales manager’s stress, which is too often relayed onto the team. It’s a dreadful, demotivating way to start out your week with a negative undertone. Consistent coaching, with a positive approach, produces the right mindset for optimal selling. 3. Continued Education - Even though a sales rep is experienced and has received training when joining your company (which typically only focuses on your company’s policies and best practices) doesn’t mean that you welcome them to the team and then throw them to the wolves. So much information can be shared on a regular basis that will improve your reps’ chances for success. Things like industry trends, background on client relationship statuses whether they are good or bad, a company’s visions and goals, and sales practice refreshers are needed on an ongoing basis. Without this constant and consistent sharing of knowledge, the reps on your team will become stagnant, feel isolated and underperform in delivering sales results, ultimately having a negative impact on their results and on your business. For more, sales tips and strategies, sign up for ‘The Dynamic Soul of Selling’ Newsletter at www.meshme- dianetwork.ca/dynamic-soul- of-selling/ For a free 15-minute sales consultation to determine if you would benefit from ‘The Dynamic Soul of Selling 90-minute Strategy Session’ email jody@meshmedianetwork.com Jody Euloth is the CEO of The Mesh Media Network and Founder of The Dynamic Soul of Selling. She helps entrepreneurs, business and sales professionals and creative visionaries get over their fear of selling so they can generate more revenue and make a bigger impact in business. Social handles @jodyeuloth • www.meshmedianetwork.com Here’s three reasons why consistent sales coaching, even for experienced sales reps, is imperative for business growth:
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JULY 2018 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE
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