10 KEYS TO DRIVING THE SALES PROCESS THROUGH A HIGHLY EFFECTIVE TEAM
Define the customer’s requirements
First define “who is the customer?”
Customer segmentation
What process will the sales organization take to consult with customers and create market-specific tactical approaches to customer requirement
Needs analysis Customer interviews
Define the organization’s expectations of the field sales organization
Growth and market share
Market segment focus
Channel strategy
Pricing plan
Define the roles and responsibilities for the sales organization
Identify key skills and attributes
Business development vs. account administration
Key roles in the field team and the inside team
What are the expectations for the field team? (travel, focus, account management, growth, etc.)
Geographic issues
Perform a GAP analysis to assess current state and “what good looks like.”
Territory management and account prioritization
Three levels of value-added: (product level, company level, and individual level)
Move through three levels of territory coverage: geographic, zone, and opportunity.
Market entire systems—do not just peddle products.
Work with reps to develop their plans:
Ask what is their plan to grow, replenish, and multiply efforts?
Who are their 20% that make up the 80%?How do they support them?
Have they done their need assessments?
Ask “what is their #1 job priority?” (Answer: identify and satisfy customer needs profitably)
New phrase to adopt: “We won’t ask for your business until we have a plan to help improve your business.”
Teach a new method and goal for each sales call:
Increase sales
Reduce costs
Improve productivity or profit
Reward the “doers.”Make sure compensation and rewards line up with best performance as well as organizational goals.
Always be recruiting-
People who consistently produce results
People that are highly motivated to sell
People that own great relationships with their customers.Customers view them as invaluable to the relationship
People that have thinking capacity, are quick on their feet, and can read a situation.
10 KEYS TO DEVELOPING THE EFFECTIVE SALES TEAM 1.Develop the right compensation a.At risk vs. guarantee formula must drive desired performance b.Consider KPI’s in addition to revenues/profit c.Tied to goals for the entire organization
2.Must have the right field sales organization personnel—and if not—train and improve or replace a.Assessments—reps must be those that: i.Consistently produce results ii.Are highly motivated to sell iii.Own great relationships with customers and are viewed as invaluable. iv.Have great thinking capacity and are quick on their feet and can read situations b.Forced rankings and 80/20’s c.Roles & responsibilities d.Technology and reporting e.Sales skill development, role play, training, etc.
3.Measurement a.Use the right reporting systems, whether simple weekly reports or CRM systems. b.Communicate expectations and publicize organizational and team #’s c.Make sure everyone knows the score
4.The coach, not the quarterback a.Let the sales person take the lead. b.Use curb-side coaching: i.Pre-call planning to flush out what is needed ii.Post-call review of what went well and what can be improved iii.Every call may not need this level of coaching—but it needs to happen at some level c.Focus first on what is done right. Provide positive recognition for good work.
5.Time in the field with reps: a.60% of the time b.Use the position outline during drive time as a “review of meeting job responsibilities.” c.Instill a sense of entrepreneurship d.Build trust and a solid relationship-with meeting the goals always at the top of the list
6.Appropriate mix of time spent with A, B, and C players—don’t spend majority of time with lower performers. a.Spending time with an “A” player will produce more results that spending the same amount of time with a “C” player
7.Performance conversations a.The manager must prepare—and let the rep know to be prepared b.Never a surprise.Manager should always be communicating and informing the rep on how he or she is doing.
8.Identify and manage the various generations of sales people: a.Age differences mean that different reps have different motivations b.Perform your own needs assessment for each rep c.Manage the sales rep types: i.Commercial visitors (40%), 1.Sell on the basis of emotion, 2.Usually on a routing system, 3.Measure activities vs. results ii.Product-oriented peddler (50%) 1.Very little questioning of needs, 2.Very little CNA, 3.A lot of emphasis on feature dumping and closing iii.Consultative seller (10%) 1.Understands customer needs and requirements, 2.Builds his or her knowledge of the customer’s customers, 3.Develops a convincing value proposition based on above needs, 4.Guides customers to good decisions to achieve a win-win.
9.Be certain you are helping the sales organization with job satisfaction: a.Are you helping develop their career and earning potential? b.Do their opinions count?Do they have a voice in the organization? c.Does the mission of the company make them feel like their job is important? d.Are they part of a team that is committed to quality work? e.Do they have opportunities to learn and grow?<!--[endif]-->
10.And lastly, you must develop a consultative selling culture.This one quality can open more doors with more customers than by nearly any other means.