I’m heads down writing my second book on an epic topic- sales management. My writing goals for this second book are very exciting. I plan on loading it up with lots of unique and memorable content for managers: Everything from trends/predictions for the 3.0 “New Normal” landscape to a pinpoint focus on the human side of managing—including motivating, hiring and coaching talent to become disruptive sales warriors.
Knowing the essence of each team member and customizing your coaching is the greatest gift you can give them.Once you understand their core character—the reason they show up every day, how they work, what they need to be motivated—you can begin to change behavior and drive the results you want to see.
With all the technology advances and changes taking place today, no one has yet managed to create an app that can give you a quick insight into your team members as individuals. You have to learn to do it the old-fashioned way: by watching, listening, reflecting—and understanding what to do with the information you just gathered. But if you manage to pull off this trick, your team will love you and people will call you the “Inside Sales Whisperer.”
The good news is that more managers are coaching more—walking into the cubicle and observing what reps do on the job, and then giving pointers. The better news is that they can be even more effective by remembering and using some basics.
Here’s a check-list to prepare you to be the inside-sales whisperer in your organization. When you sit in the cubicle with your team members, be sure you review their performance on each of these points:
1. Seating: Where do they sit? Who do they sit next to? How long do they sit for? How ergonomically comfortable are they?
2. Visuals: What do they have around their desk? Any hanging pictures/prints? White board? Cubicle toys? Is their cubicle cluttered?
3. Work pace: Do they work fast? Slow? Are they detailed? Erratic?
4. Prospecting momentum: How’s their prospecting muscle? Are they warmed up? Is there an ease and fluidity in their outreach efforts or are they rusty?
5. Time management: Are they efficient with their time? How are their multi-tasking skills? Can they quickly shift from one skill to another or are they singular in their approach? How balanced is their workload? Are they slow and hanging in the “comfort zone,” or do they look frazzled?
6. Tool IQ: Do they have lots of programs/screens open? How are they utilizing their tools? Are they productive? Do they have templates designed? How are their keyboard skills?
7. Pre-call Research: How much time are they spending on sales intelligence before making the call? Are they using this as an avoidance measure?
8. Outbound skills: How well is their call objective determined? Do they take control of the call or do they chase their prospects away? Are they ambitious with what they want to accomplish? How focused are they? What is their level of concentration?
9. Vocal presence: What do they sound like? Is their voice authoritative, clear? Is their tone pleasant? Interesting? Do they have power in their voice or is it muffled?
10. Qualification: How brave are they when it comes to questioning? Do they have good questioning instincts? Do they follow a roadmap or are their questions out of sequence?
11. Solution knowledge: Are they clear when explaining and educating? Do customers understand them?
12. Active listening: How’s their note-taking? Do they capture the right amount of information when documenting it into the CRM? Are they really hearing what the customer is saying, or just what they want to hear?
13. Customer relationship skills: Do customers like them when they are talk with them? Do they have the ability to quickly establish rapport and gain trust? Are they friendly? Are they understood or do customers struggle?
14. Partner worthiness: How well do they negotiate partnerships? Do they establish two-sided partnership with strength or do they sit back and wait?
15. Attitude: Are they open to being coached? How self-aware are they? Are they motivated? Enthusiastic? How do they handle feedback? Do they improve after being coached? Are they diligent about it?
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