One of my favorite sales trainings relates to the understanding of selling vs. non selling activities. It is a common theme and an important skill for high level sales people to master to stay at the top of their game. On ki work, I have listed a 7 part full cycle sales training for startups. The third lesson I give reps relates to this focus. Many wonder why this is so important to outline it in a training to sales evangelists at startups. Well, if there are two things a sales evangelist have to deal with is an abundance of expectations and an even great landscape of unkown opportunity.
So much of this day to day can get lost in non selling activities, for distinctions read this post on selling and non selling activity. It is easy to get lost in the long list of tasks that are outside of selling activites, but in a startup, where so many have to where multiple hats, the sales people on the fornt lines should focus on one. SALES!
If we burden the sales evangelist with non selling activities they will fail. Why? Because they have to work harder at crafting the perfect sales opportunity. They have less resources, fewer customers, no long lasting case studies, no peers, new ideas, and if good interested prospects. So, teach them to focus on the things that make sales and put on a hat and help them with those things that do not. Whether you are their manager or the CEO, take off that ego hat and get your hands dirty. Yes, you can do some of their administrative tasks, yes you can help them with their pipeline, I mean you take out the garbage and clean up the kitchen….right? How much revenue does that bring in?
When I was at Demandforce, one of our failings was not supporting our sales team enough. The person I took the sales team from, then eventaully and willingly gave it back to, had a superiority complex that inhibitied him from really helping his team. He thought my willingness to do so was a weakness. I feel that it is a strength to be willing to help your sales team succeed, no matter what it takes.
So, the next time a rep can lose an hour doing some menial task that will not bear fruit, walk on over and get them back on the phone or out the door. Believe me, they will not only appreciate it in the moment, but when they get that extra sale, also on payday…and so will you.
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Great post, Karl! Thanks for the reminder that one of the jobs of sales management is to take the obstacles away from the front line sellers. Allow the specialists to focus!
Tim Rohrer - Sales Loudmouth — September 4th, 2008 at 6:49 pmYou point out a key element of attaining employee satisfaction in a sales job: the ability to focus on selling while minimizing peripheral activities that don’t generate revenue (assuming you have the right person in the job). Sales management training should focus on this fact.
Skip Anderson
Sales Training — September 5th, 2008 at 6:08 amGreat post Karl. I frequently tell my team that you can be very busy and still get nothing done. It is important that we help our reps focus on selling activities and not on just clearing their desk of “busy work”. A lot of time can be spent in unproductive meetings, unnecessary research, mailing brochures, etc… It is important that we ask the question what is this task doing to advance a sale and if there is not a clear answer set it aside and work on a higher priority task.
-Brad
Brad Trnavsky - Sales Blog — September 7th, 2008 at 10:47 amThis is great advice. My company is developing a sales force and it is easy to see how the menial tasks can get in the way. Its simply critical to keep the sales reps selling.
Utah Sales — January 29th, 2009 at 11:44 pmI have just come across this site have have found it informative and interesting. Even in these economic time one has to keep ones sales staff motivated and selling, great post.
Wendy @ Gopher Promo — August 18th, 2009 at 10:08 pmAn interesting blog I have come across, sales is really the hub of any business that sells stuff and this is the place where people have to be the most happiest with their work and jobs thanks for an interesting post.
Sue | Promotional Gifts — August 19th, 2009 at 12:27 am