Because we sell CRM systems, we naturally deal with lots and lots of salespeople, and we consider our sales reps at heart. And we salespeople are an interesting lot.
A few of us like technology, others don’t. A few can sell just about anything; others are more specific and focused on what they sell. Some are highly-technical, while others are just more instinctive about their products. We have come across smart salespeople who are friendly, good-natured, and easy to talk and some are irritable. Sociable and unsociable. Hard-working and lazy. Positive and negative. For being a great salesperson there is no single recipe. So for a manager, it becomes challenging to manage this crazy group? How do you kick-start them to increase their potential? How do enable them to sell as much as they’re able?
To me, it comes down to three important strategies to achieve a specific goal.
Data Exchange
Within the business domain, flourishing entrepreneurs consider the crucial role of information in steering their decisions. The more important information available, the more data driven decisions can be formed—a principle that is considered true for sales professionals as well. Preceding to interacting with a lead or connecting with a prospect, collecting pertinent information is the most important. Has the lead or prospect got into any previous contact? What communications were they having on our website? Which products could attract their interest? Who could be the competitors, and where are they positioned ? What obstacles are they facing, and who am I interacting with? These are just a bunch of the important questions that are layed down. The hunger for knowledge and information is insatiable.
In reflex to such requirements, managers illustrate a willingness to communicate information with their sales team members, typically regulated with the help of an online Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. Such systems are formed to amass substantial, current date, and accurate information. The attention is on encouraging the sales force with bountiful detailings to regulate their roles. Investment in top notch CRM systems is common, as such platforms communicate reminders, alerts, and messages to the team members, assuring no information slip through the cracks. Workflows are cautiously crafted to support in closing deals and encouraging relationships. Considering the interconnected nature of sales, customer service, and marketing, managers assure that the gathered detailings are shared seamlessly.
Possessing the most systematic information and actively sharing it is the most important in energizing a sales force. This is a continuous and iterative process, as detailings are subject to constant change. Introducing a robust process to uphold the accuracy and reliability of information contributes notable to the success of sales team members. Following this, forming a culture of healthy competition tends to become the next important step.
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Create an environment of competition.
Smart salespeople are always good competitors. They always want more and always keep hunting. They hate to lose whether by their competition or by another salesperson at the company. For then competition can be fun and they enjoy it. But more importantly, competition can be a highly productive way to kick-start a salesperson.
We worked and experienced with many clients who know this. Their sales managers pit their sales force against each other. They set targets that every salesperson is tasked with meeting. Each salesperson’s score – month and year to date are displayed publicly. They reward the sales force with the most sales, the highest average sale, the most improvement, the most activity. Also, they never punish or call out those that perform poorly – the numbers speak for themselves. The ones performing the best are offered gift cards, dinners, cash bonuses, and vacations, and a token of appreciation. These prizes are a nominal cost to the companies but the paybacks are usually significant.
This is not a new way. For the past many years we have been seeing this practice over and over. And it really works. Competition, particularly among sales force who value it, works. Creating this environment will work for you too, particularly if you include lots and lots of mentoring/guidance.
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Be a guide.
The process of annual employee evaluations is in most of the companies. Growing organizations are realizing that their employees, particularly the half of them who are from the millennial generation are asking for more continuous feedback about their performance. Employees want to know how they’re doing at work. They want to ensure that what they’re doing is right and appreciated. And they also certainly want to know that if what they’re doing isn’t good so that they can take corrective measures.
That’s your job. As a manager and guide, sharing valuable information and creating an environment of the competition will produce better results from your sales force. And the best way to maximize those results is for you to get closely involved with the sales team. There are always going to be the star performers who sell products out of the box with their talents. However, like others, they also need feedback guidance to keep performing well.
For them, you are the guide and cheerleader. You’re the source of inspiration and the mentor. You need to take those numbers, along with the sales person’s attitude and work ethic, and together create personalized goals for salespeople. You should always make yourself available for the sales force to answer questions and check-in proactively. This can be by email or text but it will always require a little face to face discussions as well. The best performing executives are constantly mentoring their teams – both as a group and individually. All the data in the world can’t make up for this.
Some Other Ways to Kick-Start your SalesForce
Optimize your Website
Improve your website effectiveness through landing page software that makes pages with clear messages, content that motivates prospects to act, and contextual language that clearly relates to your ad copy. Tap the sales teams for prospect hot buttons or consistent questions so marketing can create landing pages that compel the prospect and supply more engaged leads.
Align with Marketing
Get your sales department on the identical page with marketing when defining what your company’s ideal leads seem like. Better communication between your departments means fewer leads left sitting on the table because they were marked as ‘not a fit. More collaboration will also result in improved revenue forecasting because sales can get a more complete picture of prospects yet to enter the sales funnel during forecasted periods.
Leverage Social Networks
Allow your sales team to use social networks throughout the day to connect with target audiences, answer all the questions which are popping up in conversations, and eventually understand the prospect much better. By including satisfied customer comments on your several social network profiles and landing pages, you provide shoppers the number one tool that they like to use right off the bat.
Conclusion
Just like there’s no silver bullet for getting the most out of your sales group there is no such thing as the perfect salesperson. However, there are few tried and true methodologies that have worked for years. Sharing data, creating an environment of competition, and being a guide is when combined is one of those. We have noticed it works again and again. There are a few things that time just cannot change.
