Below I have listed some of the criteria I believe to be important if you are to become a successful sales coach, these are the methods I have used personally very successfully over a number of years

CREDIBILITY
It is important that a sales coach has credibility with those he or she is mentoring.
That means they need to have walked the walk before they can talk the talk. They must have a successful sale background not necessarily have been the best but certainly in the top 10 % of achievers. This may sound contradictory to my previous statement, there is a lot more to being a successful sales coach than being a successful sales person, but you must have a score on the board before you can convince others to follow you.

Of course having a successful sales background is only the start, there are other disciplines required ensure success.

AVAILABILITY
Being available to your team is important, that is being on site when they return from their days selling, having your mobile phone  on and accepting calls regardless if it means after hours contact, being prepared to listen and act if needed, offer counselling and support as required.

I found that by setting aside 20 minutes each day to my team allowed them an opportunity to discuss any concerns they had, knowing they had my undivided attention during that timeframe. I would switch my mobile off and close my office door and it became “our personal” time. Client accounts, potential sales, progress to targets, even personal problems could be discussed knowing that confidentiality was guaranteed.

I found this process a great way to gain the confidence of my staff and even today I have people who still contact me seek advice. I must say it makes me feel worthwhile knowing I am still making a contribution.

MONITORING PERFORMANCE
When setting goals and targets too many organisations forget to monitor progress towards these goals.
In business I always abided by the principal that if you set a task then you must check progress towards it and act where appropriate. Remember “WHAT GETS MEASURED GETS DONE”

I acknowledged good performance and counselled where performance was poor. At all times my people knew exactly what my expectations where both from a results and work ethic point of view.I always held regular sales meetings where results were discussed and again good performances acknowledged.

Charts and graphs can also be useful tools when monitoring performance.

SALES MEETINGS
Regular sales meetings are important as they allow a cross flow of information from the sales manager and representatives.They must be inclusive with everyone being encouraged to contribute.An agenda must be set as this will formalise the meeting. Minutes should be taken with action points and timeframes for reporting noted. Copies of the minutes must be circulated to the attendees for they action.

I always found that by encouraging the sales representative to report on their week’s activities a healthy competitive spirit would evolve and results would improve

As a manager it is very important never to “put some one down’’ as it may inhibit ongoing discussion by intimidating the other attendees. If there was a disruptive influence within the meeting I would adjourn and have a quite word to the person concerned that normally worked.Sales meeting should always end on a positive note.

I introduced role plays into my meetings with myself as the representative and a nominated person as the customer. I invited people to put forward their most difficult objections whish I would endeavour to overcome. These role play session are followed by a question and answer session.

FIELD COACHING
Going out in the field with your sales people again build the team spirit and shows the sales person you are prepared to work at the coal face with them. Building their confidence in you as a person who can help them achieve their goals is another upside to field coaching.

You must plan your day well, understanding who is selling and whose observing. Always debrief after each customer visitation.

DELEGATION
Always be prepared to delegate where appropriate as it can be a great training tool. Ensure the task you set is understood and have a timeline in place to complete the task. Make sure you are available to assist if asked but don’t interfere.

GOOD SALES MANAGEMENT IS ABOUT LEADERSHIP.
BE LEADER NOT A MANAGER, PEOPLE MUST RESPECT YOU .
IF OFFERED A CHOICE BETWEEN BEING LIKED OR RESPECTED THERE IS ONLY ONE CHOICE…
RESPECT EVERY TIME.

I have used it very effectively over many years; there is however, a right way and wrong way to do it.

It must be understood that role playing can be very intimidating for those being trained therefore I always participated, either in the role of the customer or more often as the sales representative.By doing this I was able to maintain control of the situation and ensure the best learning scenario was maintained.

When conducting role plays ensure that those who are observing are taking notes as the question and answer session after is the most beneficial part of the exercise.

It is important that role play is conducted in a business like atmosphere. This helps all concentrate on the learning aspect of the exercise. Having said that there will be times when you may wish to stop in the middle to emphasise a point.

To add to the theatre I always let the trainees select a topic they struggle with, overcoming a particular objection, a closing situation etc. I would leave the room while they hatched their “plot” and would then return and commence the sale with the “customer”.

The debriefing after is very valuable as the open discussion allows people to air their concerns and in turn allows me as a trainer to address them.

Always ensure everyone has the opportunity to participate.

Role playing I believe can be a very positive training tool if used correctly. A real life scenario must be played out with the audience respecting the “role play theme” and just watching and taking notes.

A role play can be very intimidating for the trainee so I suggest the trainer acts in the role of sales person for the first couple of plays.

Finally, the debriefing   is critical as it allows questions and comments from all attendees. The facilitator must encourage full participation to achieve the best results. Remember a non threatening environment is essential if success is to be achieved.

It was accepted practise to have late boozey nights during the week and not necessarily have it affect your selling results, thankfully those days have gone and a much more professional attitude prevails among our top sales performers.

Customers now are more astute, competition is greater, companies now acknowledge the important role sales people play in their success and so expect more from their sales staff.

Most organisations now have their sales people’s remuneration tied to PMA’s and the resulting KPI’s normally reflect the tasks that the company demands.

KPI ‘s correctly implemented should be measurable and have a time frame, that is a commencement and conclusion date. These days measurement of customer satisfaction, call rates, new business penetration and other non core duties can be included in KPI’s.

Having said this the responsibilities of a sales representative in the 2000 era is far greater than it was in the 80’s.

If your are serious about your career then you should present yourself each working day at the peak of performance that’s without a hangover or sleep deprivation, you must eat healthy meals (and not the junk food that I used to enjoy).

Remember, first impressions count. If you don’t look capable of looking after yourself then you are not instilling to much confidence in your potential customer that you can take care of them.

Exercise regularly and ensure you have that happy balance between work life and family life. Make sure you include your partner in work by discussing daily events.

There are other interviews that organisations need carry out and they are for INTERNAL PROMOTIONS. The penalty for “stuffing up” this exercise can be huge in terms of poor staff morale, decline in productivity from unsuccessful candidates, the resignation of unsuccessful candidates and general employee dissatisfaction with the outcomes.

I always adopted an inclusive process when interviewing.

1. Always use a panel of up to 3 people.
2. Always set questions with marks out of 10 for measuring answers.
3. Allow meaningful discussion after the interview has finished, rotating the discussion leader.
4. Always finish the interview by asking the following question.
“If you were not successful in your application which the your fellow applicants do you believe could fill this position”

My experience suggests that the majority of applicants will name the same person and in most cases it will be the same person that the panel eventually agrees upon. This technique should be used as a tool to assist selection and not as the sole deciding factor.

A through debriefing must take place letting all applicants know what the panel perceived as their strength and weaknesses, and then implementing strategies designed to assist them in improving these specific areas. Appropriate training programmes normally are able to address these perceived shortcomings allowing the unsuccessful candidate to be better equipped at their next interview. 

Communicating the name of the successful candidate to the employees must be done at a general meeting by the “BOSS”
This demonstrates the total support the newly promoted individual has from management and allows everyone to collectively congratulate that individual. Management must monitor the short term reaction to the promotion as people can be poor change agents and a few “spoilers” may attempt to sabotage the appointee’s transition into their new role.

Remember the MBWA principal and use it.

Finally, meet regularly with the successful applicant over the first 2 months of their appointment. This allows them to use your vast experience and discuss their concerns and also shows your ongoing support for that person to other staff.

At the same time I have done a lot right and I believe I have pinpointed an effective recruitment strategy which if followed may help you avoid the costly mistake of employing the wrong person.

Firstly, whenever possible a selection panel should be involved in the recruitment process. Select key personnel to form the panel.

It is important to gather as much information and as many opinions as possible when deciding who to employ. Panel members see different strengths in those being interviewed and it’s important for those opinions to be heard. A list of pre-determined questions also needs to be available and each panel member marks the candidate with a rating out of ten on their ability to answer the specific question.

The panel discussion that occurs after the candidate has left should begin with the collation of the marks awarded to each question asked. Whilst I acknowledge that some on the panel may mark harder than others, the consistency of marking will remain throughout the entire process and so a range of opinions can be used to make the hiring decision. It is very important that the results of the marking and the commencement of discussion of the strengths of each individual candidate be rotated by the panel. Under no circumstances should the “boss” initiate each discussion as that may intimidate the subordinates to acquiesce to his or her opinion.

Where possible a fellow staff member should be a panellist as this will give ownership to the final outcome and thereby encourage a mentoring process to begin.

Unfortunately what you see at the time of interview is not what you may get in the real work environment, so the checking of references is absolutely critical, in fact I would not hire anyone whose references do not measure up.

I acknowledge that the interview process may place the prospective employee under artificial pressure; however a solid reference check should give a clearer picture of what the candidate has to offer and more importantly how that offering fits the job specifications required.

The first four weeks of any new employee’s career with a new organisation is the most critical and the employer needs to realise this and do whatever is necessary to ensure the transition is smooth and sensitive, and that their new employee is comfortable in this new environment.

Remember a poor hiring decision results in a loss of productivity, a decline in customer service and a reduction in sales results.

I believe that hiring correctly is the single most important ingredient in any successful business, large or small.
 

KEY POINTS

• Use the Panel selection method.
• Have a series of questions prepared, answers to be rated out of ten.
• Rotate markings and discussion sessions between each panellist.
• Check references thoroughly.
• Ensure the new employee is mentored and supported for the first four weeks of their employment.

I would also strongly suggest that a 3 month probationary period be agreed to. Terms and conditions of this can be worked out to suit individual circumstances, however this provides you with an out should the employment result in the worst case outcome.

As an employer you need to know what is going on in your business and to do that you need to be available and visible to your employees. Ask questions, find out what’s happening, be interested in your people, offer assistance where you can, answer questions, offer advice, and be involved where appropriate.

Your availability to your employees will also ensure that;

         “WHAT GETS MEASURED GETS DONE”

This is a business discipline I strongly recommend, if you give people tasks to complete then you MUST measure their progress. MBWA gives the employer the perfect vehicle to ask relevant questions in relation to those set tasks or goals.
I believe that no competent manager should ever be surprised in the work place, as there are a number of signals that indicate all’s not well with a particular employee. In no particular order, these are:

• A sudden and on going lateness for work or meetings.
• Lack of involvement in business discussions and drop off in performance.
• Quiet meetings with other staff members that suddenly stop with your arrival.
• A number of “sick days”.

The most important thing is that you recognise these changes and act upon them and to this end the MBWA principal will be of great assistance.

The key to the successful implementation of change is clear, concise and timely communication.

This communication can be in written form, by way of a series of meetings and also by “one on ones” with each employee. Where possible, involvement of key staff in the change process is helpful. Group discussions with key employees will ensure the “buy in factor” is achieved. It is however important that the employer controls these sessions sensitively, recognising that employees normally fall into 3 main groups:

LEADERS
Embrace change
Lead from the front
Initiate ideas

PARTICIPANTS
Non judgmental
Constructive

VICTIMS
Obstructive
Negative
Prophets of doom
Whingers

Recognising which employees fall into each category will help the employer deal with any issues that arise. Make sure everyone understands why change is taking place; again this comes down to communication.

KEY POINTS

• Clear, concise communication of pending change.
• Identifying into which category your employees may fall and having a plan to deal with any outcomes.
• Involve employees in the change process where possible.
• Understand how a potential change to the work environment can have a significant impact on people’s job security and therefore their commitment to you, the employer.
• Be sensitive and available.

I recommend to all business proprietors to take the time at least once every three years to review your progress toward your original goals. This review can be done with someone involved externally and should be carried out off premises, preferably on a weekend.

Look at the reasons you began business, your goals, product lines, customer  service standards, competitive activity, staffing requirements, financing, premises, expenses, insurances, in fact anything and everything that effects your progress toward your original goal.

You may find your original goal has changed and so needs to be reset, this is the time to do it.

Sometimes it pays to have an independent facilitator to run the review.

Good leaders look for people doing the right thing and acknowledge it loudly!

I have found this works really well as people want to feel good about themselves and will in fact work harder to get that positive recognition.  A note from the boss saying well done means a lot and guess what? It costs nothing!
Public praise lifts morale across the board.

Be a Leader not a Manager

In my experience the qualities of good leaders are as follows.

1. They must show empathy to their people.

2. They must demonstrate high levels of “Emotional Intelligence”

3. Have good communication skills.

4. Be able to lead from the front and not from a closed door.

5. They must be respected by their staff. (Sometimes there’s a choice between being liked or respected, take being respected every time).

6. Be fair and consistent when arbitrating disputes and give reasons for decisions.

7. Good leaders are inclusive.

8. Really good leaders practise the principal of MBWA

9. Good leaders are visible. As I have previously said the proven method of MBWA ensures you, as a leader is around the action. I believe good leaders must be seen and available to their people. This is a critical ingredient of the team structure.