Coaching Your Sales Team

If a superachiever such as Tiger Woods or a company such as General Electric can have one or more personal coaches, wouldn't your sales team benefit from coaching, too?

The success of your company is based on many things, but one of the primary components is the sales manager. A sales manager can make or break a company by motivating or malingering, by exhibiting an attitude that inspires or is indifferent toward the sales staff. Today's leaders recognize the importance of educating the sales team but also acknowledge the necessity of coaching individual team members consistently.

It is estimated that the average salesperson works at less than 50% of his or her capacity. Coaching improves that and allows the salesperson to live by design, not by default. It provides guidance and encouragement by helping individuals go where they could not go by themselves. It maps the road ahead so they are not wandering aimlessly, being deterred by imaginary roadblocks and taking procrastination detours. The salesperson becomes accountable not only to the coach but also to individual and company goals.

To be an effective coach, here are four steps to follow:

Step 1: Shadowing
Coaching involves your determination that each salesperson must completely understand the sales process. Therefore, you must observe each team member's selling process and skills in action.

This means that first you must commit to management by observation. Get out in the field with your foot soldiers. Free yourself of your desk, mobile phone, meetings, computer and all the activities that keep you managing instead of coaching.

Second, when observing the sales process between the salesperson and prospect, do not become involved in the conversation. It's vital that the team member understands in advance that you will not step in and take over any part of the selling procedure. The purpose of shadowing is to make observations that can give you insight into what works and what areas need improvement. So remember, in the field, you're shadowing, not sharing.

Step 2: Get the Salesperson's Feedback
The art of effective coaching involves first getting, not giving, feedback. Ask questions so that the salesperson can sit back and analyze what happened during the sales process. If you can help your students analyze their actions and form their own conclusions, they will be more willing to accept that a change in their approach might be in order.

Here are questions that elicit feedback and help a salesperson: