1-Managing means helping sales representatives
Sales representatives have three main missions: acquire customers, build loyalty, and develop the contribution of each customer (average basket). To achieve this, they (normally) define their sales action plans. However, in practice, we see that this is sometimes a difficult exercise that requires a real step back. During one assignment, we were able to read on a sales representative's action plan "open more prospects," without further detail. The intention is certainly commendable and relevant. But this objective does not in itself constitute a structuring action plan for their prospecting activity. It's an axis, but not an act: it lacks an operational dimension. In other words, to "open more prospects," should they intensify the number of prospecting actions they carry out, should they improve their targeting, or their quality? Spending several days prospecting with the wrong approach can be demotivating and counterproductive! Their manager had also noticed a decrease in motivation, without questioning them or prompting them to modify their action plan or sales strategy...
There are plenty of opportunities for the manager to support the salesperson in their thinking by providing real added value! On what criteria should priority prospects be targeted? How to adapt to arouse their interest? How to develop the average amount of signed contracts? How to optimize the commercial coverage of the sector to achieve the objectives? Managers therefore have an essential role to play with their teams! Provided that they lead them to ask themselves the right questions, provided that they help them to analyze their results. Provided that they distract them from the "what" (the objective to be achieved) to concentrate them on the "how" (number, type and quality of actions to be carried out). Thus, their commercial management, they empower and give autonomy to their sales representatives on the perception of their needs, the pragmatic means to implement to achieve their objectives. Prioritizing the construction of the path that will lead to the results rather than focusing attention on the latter has the advantage of allowing awareness and promoting engagement.
2- Managing Means Coaching Each Salesperson
When questioned about their relationships with their managers, many salespeople appreciate the trust placed in them, others their autonomy... Some, however, ask their manager to solve problems with clients or finalize a high-stakes negotiation. Managers from the field often appreciate this approach. With good sales skills, they conduct these interviews with the salesperson and generally achieve satisfactory results. But this is not a solution: from the point of view of the salesperson's progress, is it enough to watch their manager's demonstration? Asking the question is answering it: watching a tennis match does not make the spectator a seasoned tennis player! Increasing sales performance therefore implies acting on 2 fundamental levers: skills and motivation.
How do sales managers help their teams develop their sales, relational, or behavioral techniques? How often do they support them to enable them to reinforce or develop these skills? How do they help them develop their self-confidence and assertiveness? Only by observing salespeople in sales meetings can a manager establish a reliable diagnosis. This is essential to help each salesperson, individually and in a personalized way, to strengthen their strengths and work on their areas for improvement. By taking a genuine interest in their employees, the 'coach manager' brings them strong added value and helps them grow, while raising their level of requirements. They develop the skills and motivation of each individual. In doing so, the results are strongly impacted.
3- Managing means leading.
Organized at the beginning of each sales cycle or more occasionally, sales meetings remain special moments. Promoting exchanges between colleagues and the sharing of best practices, they are an opportunity to work on the means to be implemented to achieve the objectives. Here too, genuine attention must be paid to the format and content of these key moments: too many meetings sabotage themselves with endless slides, untimely exchanges, poorly defined or poorly controlled objectives. This results in general passivity, a lack of constructive actions, a feeling of wasted time, and even demobilization. So how do you run sales meetings to bring real added value? To help the team progress? To motivate them? And to impact future results? The starting point is to ask yourself what you want to get from your team at the end of the meeting. Is it the improvement of their negotiation skills, the opening of 10 new accounts in the coming semester, the appropriation of a new offer, a better sharing of information to sell to networks…?
The meeting must be prepared to achieve these objectives. The manager organizes the different phases of the meeting and chooses the most suitable facilitation methods from a variety of options (metaplan workshop, round table, case study, role-playing, etc.). The beginning and end of the meeting are, of course, key moments to which the manager must pay particular attention. The introduction gives meaning to the meeting, sets the pace for the day, and the conclusion puts the results of the meeting into perspective for the weeks or months ahead, highlighting the added value of the work done together. With a well-paced day, more interactions and participation, a dynamic of reflection, and decision-making, sales representatives and managers spend a constructive and stimulating time, which brings dynamism and energy until the next meeting.
In summary
Sales managers have powerful levers to grow their teams and impact their results. By activating them, they gain relevance and credibility with their teams. Thus, by focusing on the skills, motivations and relevance of the actions taken, they put pressure on the activity of the sales representatives rather than on the result alone. They thus allow them to develop their performance... and to have results!
How to manage your sales team and redirect your sales efforts in the current context? Find out in this webinar:
