Each day your team comes to work they arrive with a purpose. This intention may not always be evident or align with future aspiration, but they come to work, nonetheless. The situations that salespeople encounter are as unique as their actions and the reactions, as a result of those circumstances. Consider the role that money plays in the ebb and flow of a business transaction. Factors such as; low or inconsistent margins, poor customer relation scores, confrontational customers and of course, the all too common defeatist managers. All of these influence and ultimately drive down the overall effectiveness of a sales team. As a manager or company leader, determining the mindset of the sales team can be a challenge.
Do you interrogate them as they arrive for work or just ignore them? Are the sales team beginning their day with the proverbial coffee-clutch huddle? There is a more pro-active and productive approach to influence the intentions of your sales team.
A slew of external conflicts come to life in most sales environments resulting in a dichotomy of emotions. As a result there are a significant amount of distractions that lead to the mood altering circumstances. The manager is tasked with the responsibility to understand the activities at play. Then in the appropriately manner, find ways to re-focus negative energy into a mutually beneficial outcome. So, how does a manager take something as dynamic and complex as the sales landscape and build a road map for success?
Team meetings are an effective tool for reinforcing goals. These meetings should be built on an encouraging and re-affirming platform supporting positive thinking and action. The process of team meetings can alter the course of a potentially negative situation into positive progression.
Here are a few simple steps to serve as a tool to guide your team through their day:
- Start by re-affirming simple goals.
- Speak in a positive manner encouraging mind, body and spirit that any goal can be accomplished.
- Simplify the goals so that they are understandable and perceptually realistic.
- Set five achievable tasks that are easy to commit to and can be accomplished in a short period of time. Remember, the project itself isn’t as important as making sure the person is on task. Momentum is key to creating results.
- Sign-off on the tasks prior to leaving that day. It’s important to make the salesperson responsible for his/her productivity. Having them sign off on their objectives holds them accountable for their respective level of success.
Sometimes all people need is a little encouragement, group acknowledgment and positive energy. The sales manager(s) must command responsibility for the emotional energy of the staff. Success is a choice as is failure, so make sure your salespeople chose wisely by influencing the intention. Make a conscious effort to improve the quality of life for those with whom you work with.
Provide individuals with a clear and concise road map to reduce uncertainty and instill accountability. All leaders are the key holders to greatness. The burden of dealing with a wide variety or personalities is a job requirement. All managers must inspire the results they demand. Stay on the lookout for those who look for reasons to fail. Generally, the underachiever will attempt to bring others down, in the process of finding fault in something or someone to excuse their mediocrity. Separate the confused from the disillusioned and teach focus and discipline.