Managers of sales teams want to encourage and motivate their people to reach better results, but their motivational statements are often rather distressing and discouraging. How to coach your sales team toward greater success when the pressure to achieve results is so big and the time for personal development of individuals is so small? Answers to this question were published on Salesopedia.com.
Reassure about your interest
Use both your words and actions to make it clear that you really want to help your people succeed. Coaching can work only in an environment of mutual trust.
Coach those who are interested
Coach those who want to develop themselves. There is no point in wasting time and energy on someone who does not want to change.
Plan together
Prepare an individual development plan together. Involving a particular sales rep in the planning phase of coaching enhances the chance of success.
Focus on one to three areas
Choose up to three areas to work on together. Too wide goals will not lead to success in any of them.
Focus on the best talent
Spend most of the coaching time with the sales reps with the highest potential, not those with the weakest results.
Coach by questions at the right time
Talk with your people about what can be improved at the beginning of a quarter or after business calls. Do not state anything, ask questions.
Encourage by praise
Watch what your people are doing well (not necessarily great) and praise them for it.
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