Coaching, Mentoring, Encouraging & Managing a Sales Team - Part 1

I realize many of you already know some of the stuff I'm writing about today, but even though you know it, sometimes a reminder will jog your memory and make you think and re-focus on it.

The purpose of camps and training for pro athletes is to get them ready for the season. They get ready for the season by conditioning themselves running as well as practicing things they have done since they were children. Can you imagine a baseball team having spring training without any batting practice? Nope, me either. How many times has a pro ball player tried to hit a pitch before he steps into spring training? Tens of thousands of times is my guess. But they aren't there to learn hitting as a new skill, they are there to hone a skill they already have.

But little league is different. As a little league coach, the focus is teaching new skills and practicing the fundamentals until they're done well and come second nature to the player. A Sales Manager with an inexperienced team needs to help them develop into top professional sales people. Green {meaning inexperienced in this context. I feel the need to clarify since today is Earth Day ;-)} sales people need a Sales Manager's help to learn, among other things, the fundamentals of business and the fundamentals of sales. They might need to learn how to dress and speak to convey a professional image. The Sales Manager needs to teach them about the product and the benefits of the product to the user. They need to be coached on handling legitimate objections. They need to learn how to call and introduce themselves to prospects, to get the prospect's attention and interest and also learn the purpose of the call, SEAL THE DEAL. Sealing the deal can mean different things.

If your business has no relationship with the prospect it can mean closing the sale for an inside sales person selling a low cost commodity or making an appointment to meet face to face for big ticket items. It can also mean finding out the person you contacted is not the right person to speak with for your product, and getting the contact info for the right person. If you've developed a relationship with the person you're speaking with, they might add them to the call and provide an introduction for you. This is very desirable because a warm call meaning the ice has been broken and they are speaking to you on the recommendation of someone they already know. This removes some of the natural hesitation / defenses people have when a person they don't know calls them to try to engage in a business transaction.

And make no mistake, sales people, GOOD sales people are skilled, they're not just order takers. They add value to your company in numerous ways. I'll write about the value a good sales person adds to your business in my next post.

Thanks for reading. Please, any comments or questions are appreciated.