Since I've spent so much time in the trenches, I've seen many salespeople and sales managers come and go. I understand that many sales managers are sometimes limited in what they can and cannot do. But, if I were king and had carte blanche, here's what I would do to increase sales and morale:
If I were the sales manager, I would STOP selling. I would divide all of my accounts among my reps. You can't be both a great sales manager and a great salesperson. It's not going to happen.
I would then teach and train my reps on how to prospect (telephone, email, social media). When they get an appointment, I would accompany them so they can sit, listen, and learn from a master.
Once they have mastered prospecting, I would provide additional training on the art of selling. Gradually, I would give them control of the appointments while I support them with specifications and content.
I would introduce "FUN" time. These would be dedicated sessions for prospecting. Too many of us treat prospecting like getting a root canal—we know it's necessary, but we don't want to do it!
"FUN" times would be engaging. I would have inspirational music playing in the office—louder during breaks and softer during call blocks. Call blocks would last 45 minutes with a 20-minute break in between. I’d schedule five of these call blocks during the day. During our 20-minute breaks, we would discuss responses and results. I’d sit in with each rep during the call blocks to listen in. I’d probably use my Aficio card and hand out $100 in $25 gift cards: one for the best attitude, one for most dials, one for the most promising appointment, and one for the most hang-ups. We need to make it FUN!
Inspirational color banners might sound hokey, but didn’t the first sales close you learned seem hokey too? Inspire, Ignite, & Motivate.
The toughest part of the job is product knowledge. Here, I would have to determine who is best suited for what. Should this person focus on IT services, or are they better suited for hardware? I don’t want them doing both—you’ll do one or the other.
I would set aside time each month to review the compensation plan and ensure my reps know it inside and out. Not understanding the comp plan leads to failure.
I would ensure that lead distribution is fair. Everyone gets the same number of leads.
I don’t want to hire people who need a job; I want to hire people who want a job. I would be involved in the hiring process to identify those who want to excel versus those who are content with the status quo.
Sorry, I didn’t keep these in order. I would also add LinkedIn prospecting blocks. I would ensure every rep has a premium LinkedIn membership and train them on how to leverage it. Oh, and I’d also make sure they all have a premium P4P Hotel membership!
I could probably go on and on, but it’s getting late. I’d probably never take a sales manager’s job—then again, one was never offered to me. However, I kinda like where I am.
Yes, if you have any sales questions or need some advice, please post a reply here!
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