The most important part of any sales manager's job is to give her salespeople what they need to succeed. This can include anything from setting up a sales training program to firing a salesperson who just doesn't cut it (because in that case, what he needs to succeed is a different job!). But it usually includes some form of coaching.
When something goes wrong, it's often easier for someone outside the problem to figure out what caused it. A salesperson who is suddenly not making enough appointments might not realize that his script has gone stale and he sounds like a robot when he makes his cold calls. In these situations, the sales manager is ideally placed to both identify the problem and help to fix it.
Not all sales managers are good at coaching. Some prefer the administrative side of management, while others like to spend as much time as possible on the front lines selling. Fortunately, coaching is a skill anyone can learn on the job. It might not come as naturally to some managers, but anyone can become a competent coach with practice.
In many ways, coaching is like selling. A sales manager must figure out what is holding the salesperson back and then guide them into realizing it for themselves. As with sales, this is often best accomplished by asking questions rather than coming out and telling the salesperson what he must do. In the above example of the salesperson who is struggling to make appointments, the sales manager might ask questions like, “What is your cold calling process?” and “What exactly do prospects say when you call them and they turn you down?” These questions help salespeople to identify the problem and the solution instead of cramming it down their throats.
Good coaches take time with every salesperson, not just the top and bottom performers. Each member of the sales team has areas where they're doing well and areas where they need improvement; sales coaches should applaud the former and help with the latter. Often the best way to evaluate a salesperson's strengths and weaknesses is to go into the field and watch him operate with prospects. Ideally a sales manager should shadow each salesperson at least once or twice a year.
While it's important to spend time with each member of the sales team, realistically most of the sales manager's time will be spent with the salespeople who are having the most trouble meeting their goals. A salesperson who is trying hard but just isn't able to succeed may need an intensive coaching program. Such a program involves several weeks of observation and assistance by the sales manager.
Coaching won't do much good with a salesperson who doesn't realize that he has a problem. Any salesperson who blames his poor performance on outside factors simply won't take a coaching program seriously. In this situation, it may be necessary to let the salesperson fail or even get rid of him before his attitude contaminates the rest of the team.
By Wendy Connick
http://sales.about.com/
When something goes wrong, it's often easier for someone outside the problem to figure out what caused it. A salesperson who is suddenly not making enough appointments might not realize that his script has gone stale and he sounds like a robot when he makes his cold calls. In these situations, the sales manager is ideally placed to both identify the problem and help to fix it.
Not all sales managers are good at coaching. Some prefer the administrative side of management, while others like to spend as much time as possible on the front lines selling. Fortunately, coaching is a skill anyone can learn on the job. It might not come as naturally to some managers, but anyone can become a competent coach with practice.
In many ways, coaching is like selling. A sales manager must figure out what is holding the salesperson back and then guide them into realizing it for themselves. As with sales, this is often best accomplished by asking questions rather than coming out and telling the salesperson what he must do. In the above example of the salesperson who is struggling to make appointments, the sales manager might ask questions like, “What is your cold calling process?” and “What exactly do prospects say when you call them and they turn you down?” These questions help salespeople to identify the problem and the solution instead of cramming it down their throats.
Good coaches take time with every salesperson, not just the top and bottom performers. Each member of the sales team has areas where they're doing well and areas where they need improvement; sales coaches should applaud the former and help with the latter. Often the best way to evaluate a salesperson's strengths and weaknesses is to go into the field and watch him operate with prospects. Ideally a sales manager should shadow each salesperson at least once or twice a year.
While it's important to spend time with each member of the sales team, realistically most of the sales manager's time will be spent with the salespeople who are having the most trouble meeting their goals. A salesperson who is trying hard but just isn't able to succeed may need an intensive coaching program. Such a program involves several weeks of observation and assistance by the sales manager.
Coaching won't do much good with a salesperson who doesn't realize that he has a problem. Any salesperson who blames his poor performance on outside factors simply won't take a coaching program seriously. In this situation, it may be necessary to let the salesperson fail or even get rid of him before his attitude contaminates the rest of the team.
By Wendy Connick
http://sales.about.com/
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