Wednesday, September 9, 2009

E-Tip 221 - 3 Easy Tips for Coaching Salespeople

The 3 Easy Tips For Coaching Salespeople Are:

1. Develop A Plan - Over the next 12 months, plan one day per month of field coaching for your entire team. It might be helpful to ask for their feedback regarding the points they would like you to cover during each visit. Also, find out if they are interested in receiving help in dealing with any particular types of customers. You may want to develop a checklist of all the topics you would like to cover in your sales meeting by putting them under headings such as knowledge, attitude and skill.

Having done all this, move on to develop a strategy for individual field training. Ask everyone on your sales team to rate themselves and write about how they would like you to help them.

2. Role Playing And Mock Interviews - It has been proven that "role playing" can be used to effectively train salespeople. You may give examples such as "If I said _____, how would you respond?" and then allow the conversation to take its own course. You may also have mock interviews, which will give you and the salesperson the opportunity to identify their strengths and weaknesses. Once you know what needs to be improved, you can help the sales person become better at sales.

3. Evaluate Performance - Successful coaching of salespeople is possible only when you spend time with them both on the field and in the classroom to assess their individual strengths and weaknesses, as well as monitor their progress. Careful observation is the key to designing effective training programs that can hone their skills and boost their confidence. When you notice an area that needs improvement it might not be appropriate to address the issue immediately. In this case, make a note and ensure that it is addressed during a training session.

The 7 Competencies For Coaching Salespeople Are:

1. Results Oriented - Great sales coaches are passionate about winning. They are dedicated to achieving all-win solutions to situations.

2. Human Resource Management - Great sales coaches are able to manage the process of aligning human capital with organizational goals.

3. Vision - Great sales coaches are future-oriented. They develop an exciting picture of what could be.

4. Attitude - Great sales coaches maintain a friendly, positive and enthusiastic outlook.

5. Professionalism - Great sales coaches project an image of maturity and integrity that creates credibility.

6. Interpersonal Skills - Great sales coaches - display a consistent ability to build solid relationships inside and outside the organization.

7. Leadership - Great sales coaches are able to drive business results by aligning the vision, mission and values to enhance business value.

Summary: Sure, you need sales training that focuses on product knowledge, but you also need sales training that focuses on improving "sales performance." This means that you need to look at what a salesperson is actually saying and doing when they are in direct contact with a potential buyer. Utilizing the proper training techniques, you can help your salespeople become powerful representatives of your company.


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