It is a new year with new sales quota’s and goals. Did Santa bring you a nice Christmas Bonus for 2019 or were you part of the 50% that didn’t hit their number? The numbers of selling are staggering. 50% of Sales People make one call. 80% of sales are made between 7 to 12 calls. Only 10% of Sales People make more than 5 calls.
If you just called back, you would be an above average sales person. Even more staggering is the 70% of Sales Managers that don’t know how to coach Sales People. It is very common for companies to hire top sales people and make them Sales Managers. What does that make them? It makes them a Manager of Sales People. So why do so many Sales Managers play the role of the Super Sales Person?
Since only 30% of Sales Manager have received training on how to coach sales people, that leaves over two-thirds playing the role of the Super Sales Person. I can fix it, I can close it, I can…. That makes for dependent sales people who are unable to think for themselves and need constant help from their manager. We want to shift from manager to a leader that coaches their sales people to do their job on their own.
This can be difficult for Sales Managers that don’t know how to coach who commonly end up in this back and forth with their sales people who need help.
“Hey boss, I need help with my quota this month.”
Manager – “I see you are behind on your quota, Steve.”
Rep – “Yes, I need help.”
Manager – “Hit your number.”
Rep – “I want to, but I need some help.”
Manager – “I am too busy telling other members of the team to hit their numbers. Good luck with that.”
It may sound funny, but it happens more than you think. The manager doesn’t know how to help. It would be completely different if it went as such…
“Hey boss, I need help with my quota this month.”
Manager – “Sure, what is going on?”
Rep – “I can’t seem to get customers to call me back.”
Manager – “Why do you think that is?”
Rep – “I don’t know. It seems after I end the conversation and agree to follow up in a week or so they don’t respond.”
Manager – “Do you think a different approach would work?”
Rep – “Sure, but I don’t know what that would be.”
Manager – “How about at the end of the meeting opening up your Outlook calendar and getting them to commit to a date and send them an invite…”
By encouraging the sales person to look at what they are doing and getting them to own the process, things start to progress.
Please join me on my webinar “20 tips to Crush your 2020 Sales Plan” on January 9th. I will be going over 20 things Sales People, Sales Managers and Leadership can use to crush it in 2020.
Good Selling,
Steve
Check out our blog page here for more information and other topics of interest, or drop us a line at sales@innovia.com.
