Chances are high that if you are not a coach, this post is going to ruffle your feathers. In fact, if you have been reading my blog and think I am nuts, do not bother with this one. That said, this is not a personal assault on your ego, it is an opinion, albeit a tested one.
METRICS FOR THE SAKE OF METRICS DO NOT MAKE FOR MORE SALES!
If you look at life in the terms of simple math, then my statement is faulty. In theory a sales rep that makes forty calls a day and produces $50k in revenue a month, will increase their sales to $75k a month if they increase their dials to 60. Hogwash! Even if short term gains are made, metrics for metrics sake, or metrics for increased sales sake are just plain ridiculous. The rep will always rebel against demands if no value is associated. For those at this point that think I was one to dislike high levels of activity, I WAS ALWAYS AT THE TOP OF THE ACTIVITY STACK RANK. If you were supposed to make 60 dials, I made 80; two hours of talk time, I did three; twenty connects a day, I tried to do thirty. The thing is, no one made me, I saw the value of productivity. However, there were people at the top of the revenue stack rank, right beside me, that put their efforts into other areas. We did things differently.
So, with that pointed and strong willed opinion made, what is the answer for turning turtles into hares? The answer is motivation. If you begin with, do more and you make more, most reps will turn off to your advice. If you begin with, help me understand how you tick, or let me get to know you, then and only then can you as a coach build programs to motivate an individual. Begin with everything we have built into the plan thus far:
1. Clear expectations of results
2. Interviewing individuals and getting to know who they are as people
3. Build them up from their successes and support them when they fail
4. Dive into what is inhibiting them from realizing their potential
If you have built these practices into your plan, it becomes easier to motivate the individual. This is not the time for pep rallies, nor a time for micro-management. It is a time to think about what you want to achieve. If the rep is not making enough dials or going out on enough visits, usually there is something behind it. Either they have lost the fire for the process, or the work has become ordinary. Talk to them, and try and discern what part of their everyday has become mundane. Remember, sales is a repetitive chore in many ways, and it take several boring steps to get to the fun ones. The boring and repetitive tasks are only enjoyable, when as individuals we are focused and can visualize their purpose. This can become challenging as we start to slip down the stack rank. All too often a good rep climaxes, and if as coaches we do not have tools in place to avoid it, they decline in activity and productivity.
An effective way to build up productivity and maintain it is to continually use the tools in front of you. When you train newcomers, only let them learn from your highly active people. When you commend your stars, promote the grueling part of their accomplishment, not just the win. Point out the highly active achievements in public settings, making it abundantly clear, while you do not manage to them, you acknowledge these efforts. Take the opportunity to make challenges based on different activities. Change up the parameters and allow for all of the people that work hard to thrive. Do not just have dial/appointment contests, but sometimes award people for number of e-mails sent, or the number of times they helped another. Think of all of the ways your team is productive, and set motivators for each realm.
Another effective tool is to set the challenge individually. As I shared in the last post, you can dig into when they were most successful, and challenge them to work through why. Once they uncover the habits that brought success, you can put together a plan to get them back to those methods. If they remember themselves, it is far more powerful than heavy handed advice.
If you properly inspire your audience, they will believe in your suggestions. “Make more calls, and you will make more sales,” will fall on deaf ears. “As you have stated, when you were at your best, it appears you were making more calls,” will hold them accountable and promote change.
If you have read this entire post and can integrate this philosophy into your management style, your plan is that of a coach.
Here is where a real coach shines. This is your opportunity to co-create a strong plan of action. It is your chance to forge a relationship built on trust. One on one meetings should begin with learning. Learn your report’s desires and ambitions. Go back to the questions you asked when you first hired them. Draw on what you already know and adapt to a coaching style that co-relates to the people in their lives that influenced their professional career. Then open up a little bit and share who and what helped you in your past. Consider the amount of time you will be spending with this person, it is essential that both of you understand how to relate.
All too often, one on one meetings start with the numbers, metrics of activity, deals in the pipeline, analysis of the forecast; this sets a tone of mechanical activity that lacks personality. I like to start my one on one meeting much like I start a conversation with my wife. I ask my report how their week went, and then just listen. I probe a bit; are they having any troubles? Did something really good happen? Then I build this into some suggestions for the next week.
Finally, I review their actions against their expectations. We set review where they were successful, and where they could still use some support. We run through scenarios for change, and look for new ways to build on the week to come. This is the thing to focus on, the week to come. We have only the ability to learn from the week before, as it cannot change, so dwelling on it is time wasted. Its value lay in the ability to convert behaviors in the weeks to come.
I was on the train home yesterday (a Friday), and instead of furiously working away at one project or another, I was fortunate enough to have one of my reports sitting next to me. We had an impromptu, yet powerful one on one meeting. This particular representative, whom I have been in charge of for less than a month, is having a hard month. He is at about 25% of what he did in his best month, which is about 80% of what my expectations will be next month. He has been with the company for over a year, and is obviously frustrated by his previous guidance and lack of production. I took the opportunity on the train to do a little digging.
I started by asking him about his best month. I asked him the following questions:
1. What was different about that month? He replied that he was in the office an hour early and really worked hard. He added that he was more consultative and played on the qualifying of his accounts. He knew how to show the prospects what they needed.
2. I then asked him about his activity.
a. How many calls did you make a day? He replied 30 (In our business every call is a connect – I feel lucky about that!)
b. How many people did you demonstrate the service to a day? He thought a minute and decided on an average of two a day.
3. I then asked him how many calls he was making now. He admitted it was less, and shared that he felt his calls were lower because he did not want to make them for the sake of it. He did not think they had the same value because he was running cold.
4. Finally I asked him about the amount of demos. He admitted they were at an all time low.
This was my chance to turn a situation around. I had already examined his accounts in our CRM and knew he had almost 1000 in his name. With a week left in the month, my immediate conclusion was short term victory would translate into a stronger relationship, and an ability to guide him in the future. The only answer for now was to motivate him to increase activity beyond 30 dials a day. I could not however just tell him to do that and expect long tern buy in. Yes, I am his boss, and if I told him to make 40 calls a day he would. He may even see results. What would be missed is an opportunity to teach him about behavior, and show him my ability to grow with him.
So I started by analyzing his best month. I asked him how it felt to get on a roll and close deals by asking the right questions up front. I led this memory of excitement into challenging his beliefs that we run hot and cold. I shared with him that if he thinks he is hot, he will get hot; if he thinks he is cold he will stay cold.
Then I moved into his activity. I explained to him that if he had 30 connects a day, and it translated to 40 demos and 15 deals a month, then he had a ratio of 1 demo in 15 connects or 1 deal in 40 connects. This was also a ratio of 1 deal every 2.67 demos. I took my time with this, sharing the value on knowing these numbers, and how we could work to improve on them. I shared that there were only three ways to increase his success rate; to not change the ratio and increase the number of connects, to improve the ratio of connects to demos, or to improve the ratio of demos to sales. We concluded together that over the next couple months we would work on examining his habits and improving the ratios, but he acknowledged that for now activity was the only short term solution. Here was my chance and I took it! I challenged him to try and double him activity for the last week of the month. I offered to work with him come Monday on how to maximize his time and get through calls at such a furious pace. I told him the goal was to fly through and avoid conflict, only talking to decision makers, and not pushing too hard with influencers.
The goal was to get him to 75% percent of his best month, which meant doing twice as many sales in the last week as he did in the first three. I stressed that this could only happen by focusing on the easy opportunities and again offered to help him to discern and close those sales.
We separated and I sensed a feeling of opportunity in both of us. Monday will be the judge of this meeting, and it is up to my rep to take the advice. The point on this story is it is easy to build a plan for individual meetings ahead of time; you can review the behavior of your report and prepare for how to make change, but if you lead the decision instead of probing and building buy in, your plan will not take. Give them the power to make their own decisions and your reps will rarely let you down.
Nothing distracts a sales team faster than poorly executed team meetings. Most of my peers in the past, considered the meetings a mental check out. At one of my jobs, the meetings were so ordinary that I would start to slip into a narcoleptic state similar to what happens to me on a city bus. I believe that most team sales meetings taking place around the world are pointless and the group could have been better served if the management team had sent an e-mail.
That said, I believe a properly executed team meeting is the catalyst to true team greatness. Champions are bred from great talent. Talent alone can only take you so far, but a good plan can develop stronger habits. By getting an abundance of talent in one room and telling them the upcoming events, or sharing company data, or trying to motivate them without collaboration, you are wasting your best resources; people and time.
Instead, I suggest framing each and every meeting. Design the first part to share successes, develop an atmosphere of open dialog. Reward people for being outspoken in meetings, not with material items, but with appreciation and memory. Reflect on points from previous experiences in meetings, and show the team you pay attention. Lead with the positive, and then have a plan to address the concerns of those who have challenges. Open the floor to your leaders and let them help others overcome objections, manage problem situations, build value propositions, and close. You went to the trouble of sourcing and training potential champions; now have them be your leaders on the sales floor. Empower them with respect and make that public.
I try and always have a theme for meetings, whether it be an educational topic, or a strategy point. Although I try to avoid using acronyms or other “corny” motivational devices, in my new role I was recently building out a meeting guideline for my company’s new sales strategy. My focus was on Activity, Change, Integrity, Expectations, Value, and Execution. I realized that this spelled ACHIEVE. What was I to do but center the meeting on that acronym? We had great open dialog on the topics, and while I drove (it was the first meeting with my new team), there was plenty of communication and collaboration. I am proud of my new team for their immediate willingness to open up and communicate.
One critical mistake that many managers make is a fly by night approach to training. It is imperative that every team meeting involve some form of education. Make the lessons short and fun, for retention in the work place is minimal. It is unfortunate that so many executive teams hire out their sales trainings. Not because the trainers are not talented, but they have to cram lessons into a few short days. The sales team is often distracted by the lack of productivity and has trouble focusing on what could benefit them in the long run. Deliver lessons with a clear focus, using examples from your own experience, or that of a team member. This carries weight and can only build more momentum with the team. Also, review the lessons of the past with new examples of team members utilizing the concepts. Great sales people are always looking for proof that ideas will help them succeed. Watching their peer develop a new talent brings out the competitive nature of the team.
Finally, do not skip sales meetings at the end of the month. THIS IS A HABIT THAT DETRACTS FROM THE VALUE OF THE MEETING. Nothing should be considered greater than the gathering of superstars. Some alternative suggestions:
1. If it is the end of the month, make the meeting about the pipeline. Use team guidance to get as many strategies to close pending deals as possible.
2. Change the meeting to early in the morning. Make it motivational and get everyone excited about the potential for the end of the month.
3. Arrange to have some special treat; awards, guest speakers, or anything that will lighten the mood. The end of the month can be stressful, and a break that provides a relaxed environment can actually make the time left better spent.
Have fun in your meetings and you will have fun on your sales floor.
Have fun on your sales floor and you will be one step closer to having a team of champions.
I would like to preface this post with an apology to all. On the 8th got on a plane to Orlando for my first day in a new role. I started as the Director of Sales at Demandforce. The rigors of the last ten days have kept me from writing. It is with great joy I steal away this time to continue this series. I hope to avoid further breaks, especially any of this length.
Now on we go. In almost every sales environment I have worked, a closed deal is a finish line. Those few representatives, my peers or my reports, who saw the value of continuing the relationship immediately after the sale, were always the most successful. It was not the potential to up sell the customer, or the possibility of repeat business that aided their increase in productivity. It was the customer service that fostered a relationship that provided value. Their customers became resources for references and referrals. These clients became proactive; they would take the time to talk to other prospective clients, and always seemed to know someone else who could benefit from the product. It was an investment that always produced results.
So how do you develop this particular habit in your sales team? Most sales people are hopping from one close to another, even something as important as putting notes in the CRM, or updating a forecast, is seen as a waste of time. The habit starts with the leader of the sales organization. Whose time is seen as more valuable than the person at the top? If you can find the time to call on the customer base, and produce opportunities for the team by doing so, others will see the value. If you always have a customer a call or e-mail away, that would love to tell others about your goods, you can share this philosophy with your team.
Take it a step further. Get on a first name basis with your clients. Build a relationship beyond what your company does for them; really promote getting to know who they are as individuals. If you can accomplish this as a team great opportunities will come from it. Always work hardest with the most gregarious and outspoken, even if at first they are not the happiest. The least content are the ones to turn around. If you can address their concerns, they are going to share their stories with others. If you build a strong network of outspoken and appreciative customers, you will develop a source of lead generation. Qualified candidates for your wares will come to you, already assured of the quality of what you offer.
Jack Mitchell, again I bring up “Hug your Customers”, explains it better than anyone I have read or heard. You have to start the sales process with the people, and then work on the service, and the product will take care of itself. When developing a plan to build a referral network from your customer base, you must find people that have the character to build these relationships. The signs are obvious:
1. Do they call you by your first name and repeat it often?
2. Are the happy to take time to share with you personal tidbits?
3. Do they inquire about your day, your feelings, and your time?
4. When they leave the interview, or when you hang up the phone, do you remember them?
5. Did you leave the experience wanting more?
I think Simon Cowell from American Idol relates this perfectly (Yes I watch, I have a teenage daughter, how could I not?). When lambasting a contestant for giving a lackluster performance he often says that no one is going to remember it in the morning. If a candidate is forgettable, they will not stick in the mind of their clients. Great sales people come up at dinner parties and social events thousands of miles away and possibly in two parts of the globe at the same time.
Once you find the right people, get them started on this habit from the first sale. Have them send thank you letters, signed in pen. Have them check in a couple weeks after the sale, even though another group may as well. Have them call ahead when new features or advances are available, especially if they are free. These quick calls are the foundation of reciprocation. If you give this kind of service, you will achieve results.
As I stated in the beginning of this e-mail I have started a new opportunity. In the first week, I have done many things, but the most important thing I have done is begin to call our customers. All I am doing is introducing myself, and possibly helping them with a question or two. Six months from now I hope to have one hundred new allies in my company’s cause. What could be better?
No need for a cute tag line here. Let us get directly to the most puzzling part of any plan. What makes it so hard for our team to close deals? The truth is that most deals are lost long before this stage. It is not noticed, because most plans fail to offer a pre-close checklist. This is a simple list of all the stages of the sale and the work put into them. For the talented, it can be stored in the mind, but for most it should be in the CRM. As coaches we can help by building a template that includes:
1. Contacts and their roles
2. Pain points
3. Budget and financial timeline
4. Objections and how they were handled
5. The core value proposition by org and contact
6. Closing strategy
We have covered how to build 1-5 and now it is time to plan for strong closes. It is rarely as simple as calling and asking for the sale, yet THAT IS A CRITICAL PART OF THE PLAN THAT MOST REPS IGNORE. When value is presented and objections are handled, it is time for your contact to buy. Remind them of this. A good closing strategy points to the Value Proposition and the handled objections.
Prepare your team by coaching them on every account in the pipeline, every week you meet and it is still in the pipeline. If they are at the final stage of a sale, it is time to start stating purpose and asking for the sale. Remind them of the work done, the value established; do not allow them to search for new objections. A great closing strategy is delivered with power and authority. You are the expert now, not just on your offering, but their company and why they need your offering to survive.
One mistake, we as managers all too often let slide, is that the rep is trying to close the wrong contact. If you are closing, you have to be closing to the decision maker. If you are a rung or two away from the DM, you are wasting your time. This is where you can help. Strategize on ways to get to the DM, they rarely mind if you are really going to succeed in selling them something. All too often a rep fears going to the top, that they may upset their contact. This is a sure sign that you are not ready to close a sale. If your rep gets to the DM and they are unaware that a decision is pending, the sale was not in the closing stages after all. New trust must be formulated, and the trust was broken by the contact, not the rep. If you are honest with the DM, usually this misunderstanding plays in your favor. Either because it escalates the opportunity, you now can reset your timeline, or you learn that there was not a real opportunity in the first place.
I am of the opinion that you need not ask permission to call over someone. In fact, asking and getting a no, is far worse when you want to make that call, then making the call and having your contact find out and react. Our job is to sell, and that means building trust, however it does not mean being abused. Deliver a value reminder to the DM, share the objections handled, and ask for the sale. If they are not willing to move, you can move on.