Discover SG Partners latest blog articles. Learn from a wide range of topics including sales, leadership, emotional intelligence and sales team recruitment. The best information you'll read today.
Maybe my voice changed.
Have a listen and ask yourself a couple of questions
Does the content make sense?
Do I enjoy the way the content is shared?
Is one of the speaker Michael and if not, what’s going on here?
Have a listen and let me know what you think happened here
Do your people really understand you? Understand where you want to go and how you will get there with their help?
Do you really have alignment to your goals/ambitions? How would you know?
Recently I have been assisting a client with their growth ambitions.
We teased out what these were in a strategy session with the leadership team. We articulated the gaps to achieve the said ambitions of the owner.
Now how are we going to work on the gaps. 3 projects were identified.
One of those being a growth culture.
Starts with alignment.
We have been working on 3 guiding principles for the business and the appropriate above and below the line behaviours. When each one was created by the leadership team they then needed to engage their various team members to get their buy in - this has gone very well.
The leadership team thought this was all done - no no no. This is a continual engagement I explained. How are you going to weave this into everyday communication within your team? How is this going to become part of your company language?
In the time of COVID it’s now easier than ever to conduct sales coaching based upon sales leadership being involved in prospect/client engagements with their sales people.
And yet some are not doing the virtual ride alongs - here is a video revewing the opportunities and some tips
Your sales emails are crtical to your sales effectiveness. How your structure and write these emails will dictate how quickly you will get the desired response.
Emails are part of our communication strategy so let’s take time to understand even more how to be even more sucessful at writing them - read this blog for some insights.
Read MoreIf you have ever wanted to change sales behaviours I bet you discussed, told, bribed (commission and bonus) and even yelled and still not get the change yo are after.
To assist sales leaders in their efforts to drive change we assist them to put into practice positive sales performance dashboards. Check out the blog post
Read MoreThey want to grow.
They don't know whether they have the right salespeople or sales managers to achieve that growth.
They need a better understanding of how to effectively manage their people daily.
They don't know why their salespeople aren't doing what they have been asked to do.
They don't know if their salespeople can do more (or how much more).
Their company isn't exceeding its goals.
Their competition has a better market share.
Their margins have been slipping.
Their salespeople are caught in a "comfort zone".
Management is accepting mediocrity from its sales force.
One of the keys to the success of any program is knowing what we are working with as a first step. SG Partners conduct personalised leadership and sales team evaluations that enable us to tailor-make the change program.
We all know how successful sports stars compete, they practice and play to their strengths. Well, why not take the same attitude to sales? How can you work more effectively with the team you already know and have right now? In doing so, you automatically give yourself a distinct advantage and very likely differentiate yourself. Do you know your sales teams strengths and how to work with them?
Are your people Hunter or Farmer types?
Do they prefer setting the opportunity up rather than closing it?
Who in the team prefers to be more technical rather than consultative sales approach?
The interesting thing is that most salespeople do not know their strengths and potential growth areas. When we assess them and deliver the results, they usually say, "That's me, and wow, I did not know that’s where I play at my best… I normally just do what I do.” You deserve the very best sales team. From acquiring the very best, you can achieve the results you never thought possible.
How easy would it be if you could see your teams proof of skills and abilities?
If you are reading this article, it is likely you play a crucial role in your sales team and are seeking ways to improve your sales team's performance. Fortunately, I have got 6 ideas to improve your sales team, you might not have thought of...
Who is best at developing new business and who is best at managing existing business? Who prefers setting the opportunity up rather than closing it and who is more technical than via application knowledge sales? The interesting thing is that most salespeople do not know their own strengths. When we assess them and deliver the results, they will often say “That’s me, and wow I did not know that was where I play at my best.” If you are aware of their strengths, you can redefine their roles, then plan growth strategies accordingly. Download a free sample of our evaluation here.
Great managers can improve sales team performance by sharing their own experiences with their employees. Enforcing an open-door policy and trading ‘war stories’ with your sales team for learning purposes, will strengthen the culture and increase your salespeople’s’ loyalty and motivation.
There are sales managers out there who believe they need to be liked by their team, others lack skills or the confidence to assert themselves over a salesperson, or they simply do not have the authority to hire and fire and it is leaving their sales team with a lack of direction and accountability.
It is time to get trained on creating and managing KPI’s and processes, and how to hold each salesperson accountable to them. Before you ask, this is not a direct contradiction from, ‘be a mentor, not just a manager’ point. In fact, it directly relates: an army drill soldier can be both an authority figure and mentor, as a sales manager you can too!
Knowing what drives your team and how to reward them correctly could make all the difference. Consider this, in 2007, 54% of the sales force were Extrinsically Motivated, by 2011, this dropped down to just 27%. In 2017, from the most recent 350,000 salespeople assessed, that percentage dropped an additional 70% to just 8%. The shift from Extrinsically (money based) to Intrinsically Motivated (internal reward based) renders commission based bonus-plans a thing of the past.
If you don’t already have one, this is a sheet/checklist that defines your company’s ideal client attributes. Think in terms of size, industry, buying habits, budget, business alignments and situation factors; the list goes on. Once decided, each member of your sales team should be held accountable for memorising this profile thus be able to identify the essential qualities before conducting any business. Align your pursuit of new business with this profile. Over time, as the business grows or changes, so should the ideal client.
Sales have moved on from features and benefits selling. It's changed from ABC – Always Be Closing. It has changed from SPIN – why? Well, guess what, your clients/buyers have moved on and changed, so shouldn’t your team too? I got some questions for you:
Is your sales team selling like they were five years ago?
Using the same show-up and throw-up routine?
STILL meeting/talking to the same level of people they have always done and are comfortable with?
Still believe rapport building is talking about sports for 30 minutes?
If you do not know the answers to these questions – perhaps you should be worried. Answering "Yes" to these questions – you should be worried! Finally, if you were thinking, “What's the problem?” - you're obviously not worried but you SHOULD be terrified! How many will you implement?
Too many times I have seen the ‘money on the brain syndrome.’ Symptoms include valuing money over your employee’s professional development, refusing to spend on training and ignoring the data which spells out why investment now equals long term success. There are many ways to create a sustainable sales force whatever your budget; stinginess should never factor into the equation.
Would you drive your car without fuel? What makes you think you can grow your sales without investing in your sales team? Find the time and money to invest in your sales team and see above!
I am constantly shocked to hear of the lack of coaching or the underestimated value of it. In fact, a recent study found 73% of sales managers spend less than 5% of their time coaching. Sales managers consistently fail to understand that sales team must be coached in a consistent and personalised manner. Focused sales development solutions will lead to sales performance optimisation.
Knowing what drives your team and how to reward them correctly could make all the difference. Consider this, in 2007, 54% of the sales force were Extrinsically Motivated, by 2011, this dropped down to just 27%. In 2017, from the most recent 350,000 salespeople assessed, that percentage dropped an additional 70% to just 8%. The shift from Extrinsically (money based) to Intrinsically Motivated (internal reward based) renders commission based bonus-plans a thing of the past. Download a copy of our free sales candidate screening sample and say goodbye to the days of dodgy recruits.
Accountability is the first thing that motivates human and your sales team. Link any coaching efforts to the sales team’s performance. If their numbers are down, and you are the sales manager, hold yourself accountable. A conductor’s job is to make the moves for the team to follow. Accordingly, the better your coaching, the better they perform.
Expect deficiencies and be prepared to work to fix them, accordingly, do not be scared when you discover one. Always look at your ratios to add, minimise, refine your coaching to coordinate with the sales team performance. To help them do thing differently to achieve, you should
Set an accountability system
Monitor them accordingly
Coach them closely
Give them faith in their abilities
Be their reference
Be credible
Be consistent
Ships do not sink because of the water around them, they sink because of the water in them.
The same goes for business; if your team is underperforming, you could find the company sinking before your very eyes.
Ergo, hiring a bad salesperson can cost your business thousands; the same amount you could be making by hiring a good one. Unfortunately for anyone who has made a disastrous hiring decision, there are five stages of grief to battle before you see the light.
At this initial stage, you are still buying into the fact this person is right for the position, for your organisation. It takes a while for the news to sink in, and even when you can see it coming a mile away. Bunker down, this stage can linger on uncomfortably for weeks. To push forward; fight the urge to protect them, you need to get critical about your team. You want different outcomes. Therefore, you need to think about them differently.
It is normal to spend some time in this phase, but some people get stuck here and cannot move forward. That is self-defeating because that ‘anger’ attitude is a HUGE barrier to moving forward and making the big decisions.
You start promising yourself that you will be more careful next time. You will do this though in the hope things will change. Some miracles will happen, to demonstrate nothing different needs to be done.
Therefore, I keep what I have – better the devil you know. This is a normal feeling. How motivated are you to change the outcome you deserve?
The fact is that you can change the outcomes by selecting, who to invest in and who you will not. Bouncing off this decision, you WILL find another great employee. You will get through this! Congratulations on reaching this last stage, now to take the next actions to save your ship and move into calmer waters.
RAISE the BAR - Do not allow under-performing to continue
TRAINING - Targeted to the needs of the team
HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE
RECRUIT - Recruit ‘A’ Players only, using the SG Partners Sales Assessment Tool – Download a Free Sample here
“The goal of leaders is to create more leaders, not followers!”
Many years ago we would be about to conduct a sales training workshop, when we got feedback that some of the participants may not change, and therefore would just go through the motions of participating.
This is not new.
Many training workshops have been held, on many subjects, and yet some participants revert back to what they have always done, its unfortunately common.
What this does is keep us focused on ensuring people are having a great experience and receive ‘aha’ moments – and I mean plural moments.
We have consistently structured our workshops around personalisation – around the organisations go-to market strategy, their products/services, their marketplace and especially their people attending.
I already knew that during a previous workshop one participant left after the first day lunch – refusing to come back. Knowing this, I played on him – as an example to others.
He came back after our lunch break – yeah, we had a win. I focused very hard on engaging with everyone there – assisting them in understanding mindset blockages they were having and the benefits of re-framing.
Some of the attendees has been in sales for 30 years – I was going to have to provide some personalisation to get them to buy in. The feedback forms confirmed I had been successful.
At the end of the first day, one of those participants who indicated they would not change said to me, “Michael, this is the very first time any organisation has invested in me, thank you”. That person is now a very successful sales manager (who I have since coached) and he sends his people to our Super Sales Clinics whenever he can – because We Give a Shift.
A video discussing why sales people blame price as the reason they lost the deal when really they do not know the real reason.
Read MoreRecently SG Partners assisted a client to recruit a great BDM.
Rather than just set off and start creating the candidate pool, SG Partners started working with the client in understanding what would make a great BDM.
In this case the company needed to grow their client base they needed to hire a person most adept at hunting, who are not afraid to fight to get new business and who are not bashful about getting paid for the value they and your company deliver.
Hunting skills – The needed salespeople who will hunt, who are more interested in generating new business and new clients than being comfortable managing existing business. The BDM must have the mindset that they will go get a larger share of the market rather than just trying to maintain it.
Value Selling Skills – In tight economic times, your potential customers are making decisions about how to spend their money. This BDM must be able to discuss in a way the prospect cares about, ROI and value. Budgets are being heavily scrutinized. Companies are clamping down on spending. The BDM must have discussions that focuses on the value to the client, not just the price.
Comfortable Discussing Money – This key trait is closely related to Value Selling Skills but has additional implications. The BDM needed to be adept at selling value, they needed to be comfortable discussing money.
Reaching Decision Makers – The BDM must be able to get to the real decision-makers, rather than being stuck at lower levels. The BDM must resonate with those leaders who are also making tough decisions about how they allocate resources. This is part selling competency and part mindset.
Supportive Buy Cycle™ – The business landscape has been changing rapidly and therefore companies are reacting in unexpected ways. Decision-makers may be supportive of purchasing today but may reverse their decision tomorrow. Therefore, if possible, the BDM needed to instil a sense of urgency to get it done. If a BDM has the tendency to think things over, comparison shop, and demand the best deal when they are shopping for large items in their personal life, they may allow or even expect that same behaviour from prospects and customers.
The problem is that in a contracting economy where budgets are being scrutinized regularly, sellers cannot afford to let buyers linger over decisions. Now more than ever the BDM needed to be efficient in creating a sense of urgency or they will find themselves missing out due to indecision or budget cuts.
These are just a select few of the traits that we can measure to enable business leaders to make better decisions, and I see these items as integral to success in the current environment. Your company and marketplace may require additional customised traits.
For instance, when it comes to emails:
Open rates increase after 12 p.m. most days, with the most active period being between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. (Mail Chimp)
Tuesday emails have the highest open rate compared to other weekdays. (Experian)
33% of email recipients open emails based on subject line alone. (Convince and Convert)
So, are your salespeople really thinking about when they send their emails and what the subject lines are all about? And what about the body of the email - are they consciously thinking about the type of person who is receiving their emails and what they would want to read and how they will be reading the email?
So many people send emails when they should be ringing. So many people send emails because it makes themselves feel good because they can tick an activity off their to do list.
So many people use the wrong tonality in their emails, the wrong perspectives and are not thinking enough about the recipient.
For instance, when it comes to voicemail:
The average voicemail response rate is 4.8%. (InsideSales)
The optimal voicemail message is between 8 and 14 seconds. (The Sales Hunter)
80% of calls go to voicemail, and 90% of first-time voicemails are never returned. (RingLead)
What message are they leaving, is it engaging enough to warrant someone calling them back. Are they coming across as a salesperson or as an interesting person? Are they coming across as a problem solver?
On the phone,
tone is 86% of our communication. (ContactPoint)
words we use are only 14% of our communication. (ContactPoint)
the best times to call are Wednesdays and Thursdays from 6:45 to 9 a.m. and 4 to 6 p.m. (RingDNA)
80% of sales require 5 follow-up calls after meeting. (Scripted)
44% of salespeople give up after one follow-up. (Scripted)
Are they giving up, making excuses for not constantly reaching out? Are they consciously aware of how they come across? Are they spraying instead of engaging? Are they reaching out with the right intent?
Social Media
Sales reps using social selling are 50% more likely to meet or exceed their sales quota. (Liz Gelb-O’Connor)
73% of salespeople using social selling as part of their sales process outperform their sales peers and exceeded quota 23% more often. (Aberdeen)
Do they understand the platform? Are they utilising LinkedIn/twitter and other platforms as another way to engage? Are you as a leader fostering this platform?
Self awareness around our self limiting beliefs as sales leaders and sales people
Read More
