build a customized management plan that will turn talent

Build a Customized Management Plan that will Turn Talent into Performance

https://www.thecenterforsalesstrategy.com/

Table of Contents(CLICK THE SECTION TO JUMP TO SECTION)

Page 3 Introduction

Page 5 Coaching Achiever

Page 8 Coaching Competition

Page 11 Coaching Responsibility

Page 14 Coaching Work Ethic

Page 17 Coaching Discipline

0 Coaching Positivity

Page 23 Coaching Relationship

Page 26 Coaching Individualizer

Page 29 Coaching Activator

Page 32 Coaching Accelerator

Page 35 Coaching Learner

Page 38 Coaching Problem Solver

Page 41 Conclusion

© www.TheCenterForSalesStrategy.comCoaching Sales Talent


IntroductionBetter Talent = Better Performance

Hiring decisions can be some of the most critical decisions a company makes, and it's essential to start with talent. When a new hire has the right talents for success in the role, they learn and grow quickly, more easily achieving success.

But it’s not enough to make great hires. Even the most talented people need coaching and development to maximize their strengths and reach their full potential. When a manager hires top talent and then invests in their development and engagement, both the individual and the company grows.

Our sales talent assessment guides our clients to hire and coach superior sales talent. Our talent assessment accurately predicts success in B2B sales roles and also provides leaders with a better understanding of the candidate’s innate strengths and weaknesses.

When sales managers understand the innate strengths that lead to success in sales, they can make better hiring decisions. With a strong understanding of how their people are “wired,” they are also able to create customized coaching plans that help each seller to increase their sales performance.

This eBook is going to focus primarily coaching people to maximize their innate strengths in each area measured by our talent assessment. Each section includes:

• Qualities of each theme

• A brief definition

• A description of what that theme looks like in the field

• Tips for successfully coaching and developing that theme

Click the links in the Table of Contents to skip directly to each Talent and learn more about coaching each one. Or read about them all! You’ll find that when you are armed with the right instrument, you'll be able to make those critical hiring decisions and e�ectively turn talent into performance!


4

What’s the Di�erence Between Talent and

Personality Assessments?Click Here To Find Out

https://blog.thecenterforsalesstrategy.com/talent-and-personality-assessments-whats-the-difference-and-what-to-look-for


Coaching Achiever

IN THE FIELDHere’s What You Might Find an Achiever Doing Day-to-Day

Know someone who always shoots for the top and oozes self-confidence when they get there?

They may not compete with others as much as they find themself focused on their own success

and the rewards that go along with hitting their goals. This go-getter enjoys keeping score and

pushing themselves to be at the top of their game!

Motivated by many things (including money, personal rewards, and recognition), this

Hard-driving achiever finds it exciting to capture a prize that they’ve worked hard to earn.

Therefore, they always bring their A-game and push themselves to do more than expected.

They may crave some elbow room to make the decisions

that impact their business and success, but don’t make

the colossal mistake of thinking you should leave them

alone. While they want some room to operate, they also

want their manager to remain at-the-ready in case they

need them to clear the road of obstacles or celebrate their

great success.

Management needs to understand the Achiever

completely and give them exactly what they need. Recognize that they want to play the leading

role — not a supporting cast member.

Sound like someone you're trying to develop? When hiring and coaching salespeople with great

intensity in Achiever, you need to make sure you manage them the right way.


The key to coaching and developing this

self-motivated individual: Focus on what they do well.

6


Provide Them with a Quantifiable ObjectiveThey'll enjoy keeping score so they can ensure they're on target for success.

Focus on Their Wins When you take the time to replay their successes with them and discuss what worked and why, it lets them know they’re on the right path and motivates them to repeat that accomplishment.

Uncover Their Personal Goals and Motivations

If you haven’t already, take time to conduct a Growth Guide with this high achiever. The Growth Guide tool will help you understand their hot buttons so you can give them the right carrots to stay motivated.

Break Down Large Stretch Goals into Milestone Goals Achieving success along the way is a strong motivator to keep heading toward the finish line of a goal.

Assign Accounts Others Have Struggled to Develop

A challenge feels good to a strong Achiever, and winning over a tough client will reward them with a strong feeling of triumph.

Give Them Some Elbow Room Leave room for them to make decisions that a�ect their business and income, but never leave them alone.

Never Leave Them Alone They’ll need heavy doses of feedback and recognition to remain engaged over the long-term.

Celebrate Successes Immediately

After reaching a goal, take time to replay their win, celebrate their success, and then reset that goal, so they never feel stagnant.

Have High Expectations for Them Make these expectations clear.

Treat Them Like a Superstar Behave as though you're their agent. Make sure they have lots of good, private rehearsals to hone their craft and provide them with everything they need to consistently give their best performance. Also, try to always be in the audience as their biggest fan.


TIPS FOR SUCCESSFULLY COACHING AN ACHIEVER

With these tips in mind, be cautious about characterizing this salesperson based on one single talent. This driven business developer is a unique blend of talent and will need to be coached

based on a clear understanding of all their strengths and weaknesses.

7


Coaching Competition

Individuals with intensity in this talent are fiercely competitive and see every opportunity as a

chance to win. Self-starters, they measure their success by being the best, closing the sale, and

getting paid for their accomplishments. These salespeople prospect for new opportunities,

drive rate and increase their customer’s success. For them, losing is not an option!

IN THE FIELDHere’s What You Might Find a Competitive Seller Doing Day-to-Day

You know that super-competitive seller on your sta� — the one who

always compares themselves to coworkers as well as the salespeople

across the street? They don’t just want to win; they have

to win! Play for fun? Never! Not when it comes to large,

lucrative sales — or even a game of Candy Land with the

kids. The fun is what happens when they win. They

measure themselves on many scorecards and can report

their performance numbers whenever asked. Driven for

success, you can expect them to lose sleep at night if they

don't come out on top.

As you can imagine, one of the most frustrating things that can happen to that highly

competitive salesperson is a dry spell. This challenger needs to feel as though they’re scoring

points regularly, or they’ll begin to worry that they've lost their mojo and will quickly become

frustrated.

They may also sometimes struggle with a fear of failure because when winning is this important

to you, losing hurts! The highly driven scorekeeper may choose not to participate in a contest

that they're not sure they have in the bag, and that can limit their growth and achievement.


The key to coaching and developing this individual

and keeping them engaged: Stay on your toes.

9


Paint a Clear Picture of What Winning Looks Like for Them Discuss their goals and exactly how they’ll be measured. If you measure it, they’ll pay attention to it.

Give Them Long-Term Stretch Goals Make it clear how they can score points. Further generate excitement by letting them know how they measure up to the competition.

Suggest That They Write Down Their Goals Once written down, post their goals in a place where they'll be seen every day.

Create a Spirit of Competition Whenever Possible Look for opportunities to create a contest or incentive opportunity to really grab his attention.

Use Competitive Language Examples of competitive language include, “I bet you could…” or “I bet you can’t.”

Identify How They Like to Be Recognized Demonstrate how e�ort leads to reward.

Let Them Know How They’re Doing Compare their successes to the team as a whole and to your top performers. They’ll naturally keep score themself, but you can feed the fire by giving them access to the measurements.

Recognize That They Will be a Sore Loser Give them the opportunity to vent their frustrations in a private setting. O�er compassion and empathy when they need it and then give them ways to win to get back in the game.

Remedy a Loss for Failure Identify a quick opportunity to win. Set a goal that will challenge and excite them, so they can’t resist getting back in the game.

Don’t Let Them Get Bored Look for greener pastures. Keep them challenged and make sure they always feel as if they are growing. If they’re new, provide them with many wins right away, even before they’re the top performer. Discuss the things that they do each day that are “better than others” or “better than you would have expected."

Celebrate Their Wins Do this in the way that is most meaningful to them: pat on the back, quick call at the end of the day, post-it note on their desk.

Reset Goals Quickly Once they achieve goals, a quick reset will help build strong momentum and prevent them from feeling stagnant.


TIPS FOR SUCCESSFULLY COACHING A COMPETITIVE SELLER

Keeping score against others as well as their own previous best, these salespeople are driven to

win, and they hate to lose!

10


Coaching Responsibility

A salesperson with lots of talent in Responsibility can typically be trusted because they know

right from wrong, and they do what they say they will do. These values-centered individuals sell

with integrity and work hard to move their clients toward the decisions that will benefit their

business. They’re also team players and driven by team success.

Ethics are everything to them. Having the trust of clients, management, and their team is their

main goal. They're motivated by knowing they did what they said they would — earning others’

trust while overachieving expectations.

IN THE FIELDHere’s What You Might Find a Responsible Seller Doing Day-to-Day If you’re lucky, you’ve got salespeople on your team who

are driven to do the right thing and come through for

others. The seller with this talent always follows through

and proves time and again that you can rely on them.

They always come through for clients by selling the

solutions they know will fit their (the client’s) needs and

deliver optimum value and results.

When they make a promise, they’re true to their word and instinctively does the right thing — no

thought required. They have high standards, and you’ll find they hold themselves accountable to

those standards — and they expect the same others! Driven to do good work, they’ll only take

credit for what they have earned.


The key to coaching and developing this individual, who is most focused on

helping clients, delivering results, and pleasing others:

Up your game.

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Notice Their High Ethical Standards

Recognize when their standards create trust

with the client and help to build the sale.

Create a Sense of Purpose

Align the organization’s mission, vision, and

values to theirs to create buy-in.

Set Clear Expectations and Let Them

Know You’re Counting on Them

If they know what is expected, they’ll push

themselves out of a comfort zone to make

sure they’re delivering and keeping their

word.

Keep Your Word

Work to live up to their high standards by

following through on what you promise.

Show up for meetings on time and always

come through on your word. Don’t make

promises you can’t keep.

Let Them Know How They Can Make a

Di�erence

Discuss what they can do to help the team

be more successful. Help them see how

their contributions are making a di�erence.

Provide Recognition

Do this when you observe them doing the

right thing (and be sure not to recognize

those who don’t). Receiving meaningful

praise will drive them.


TIPS FOR SUCCESSFULLY COACHING A RESPONSIBLE SELLER

With a reliable moral compass and a strong value system, you can

trust these sellers!

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Coaching Work Ethic

A seller with strong Work Ethic is eager to fulfill their responsibilities and always works best with

others who also pull their own weight. They’re fulfilled by achieving challenging goals and

creating quality solutions. These career-minded individuals typically want to work with the

company long term.

IN THE FIELDHere’s What You Might Find a Seller with Strong Work Ethic Doing Day-to-Day You know who we're talking about — the salesperson who usually gets in early or stays late and

seems to cram so much into their day that they have to walk and talk faster than everyone else

just to get it all done. They’re fun to manage because they love to work

(and you never have to push them). But they’re intense.

While you enjoy their relentlessness when it comes to

checking tasks o� their to-do list (they can be kind of like

a dog with a bone), sometimes they’re a little too

impatient.

This seller is at their best when they feel highly

productive, and they’re energized by hard work. Focused

on producing quality work that they can take pride in, they’re compelled to roll up their sleeves

and put in the hours to do it right.


The key to coaching and developing this individual: Clear the obstacles from

the road so they can move!

15


Give Them Very Clear Expectations

Along with clear expectations, also provide all the tools needed to get a job done well. Make sure they know exactly what success looks like because if they have to backtrack and redo work that’s already done, it will feel like a tremendously frustrating waste of time.

Respect Their Need for Speed

Don’t keep them in meetings any longer than you have to, and don’t take their foot-tapping, iPhone scrolling, and clock watching personally. They can’t help it! Show up for your weekly meetings on time and respond to their emails as soon as you can. Respect their sense of urgency, and tell them exactly when you'll have time to give them your full attention.

Appreciate the Time and Attention They Put into Things

When you notice the e�ort they put forth, it fires them up to want to do more! Make sure you notice their productivity, let them know when you’re “wowed” by their e�orts, and tell them that you appreciate their time and intensity.

Discuss Priorities

Ensure they’re working on the most important and urgent tasks first since they could get caught up in a secondary priority and find it hard to pull themselves away.

Don’t Make Them Take a Vacation Day

People with strong Work Ethic aren’t really at risk of burn-out, and they're actually energized by the work they do. The greater danger would be allowing them to feel unchallenged or bored.

Respond Quickly

Can you respond to their questions in an email? Quick responses, even bulleted items, will often work best.

Respect their Time

Keep your individual meeting short, organized, and highly productive. Challenge yourself to make their meetings so productive and useful for them that they look forward to the next one.


TIPS FOR SUCCESSFULLY COACHING A SELLER WITH STRONG WORK ETHIC

Always giving it their all, these individuals work hard and bring it 24/7!

16


Coaching Discipline

A salesperson steeped in the strength of Discipline is detailed, organized, and needs very little

supervision. They manage both their work and time very well because they’re determined to

achieve and sustain maximum productivity. They meet deadlines and become known for their

quality and accuracy.

IN THE FIELDHere’s What You Might Find a Disciplined Seller Doing Day-to-Day Most managers agree that it’s a true pleasure to manage salespeople who have strong Discipline

because they don’t need to babysit them, check up on them, or clean up their messes.

A seller with this innate talent is buttoned-up and

organized — and best of all, they have a system for

everything, which means they also have terrific

follow-through. They manage time well, so they’re never

late, and they fill their free moments with productive work

to ensure that everything gets done. Their desk is

immaculate, and their to-do list is always in-hand. Need a

file? They know exactly where it is in their color-coded

system!



buttoned-up individual: Maximize their

organizational skills.

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Give Them A Lot of Leeway This will help create the systems and processes that work best for them. They know how they work best, so let them work that way! Don’t require them to use a specific tracker or notetaking tool if they have a system that would be more e�ective for them.

Don’t Surprise Them If you want them to present a segment in your sales meeting, give them a heads-up well in advance. They’re going to want their presentation to be spot-on and will value being given the time needed to do that. As a general rule of thumb, they’ll be at their best when they feel overprepared.

Give Them a Strong Sense of Control Allow them to give input on everything from the location of their desk to the day of their weekly sales meeting.

Provide Clear Expectations

This allows them to build a roadmap for success. Remember, checking things o� their to-do list gives them a strong sense of completion and accomplishment. Give them the opportunity to do that often.

Provide Encouragement If perfectionism is getting in their way, tell them, “your 90% is better than most people’s 100% and I don’t want perfection.” Encourage them to take risks, praise learning, and have them commit to a deadline which will drive them to push through their reluctance.

Match Them with Complex Accounts Match them with complex accounts that have many moving parts and require a higher level of attention. They'll be able to keep everything moving without letting anything fall through the cracks.

Give them the Details And don’t hold back! Share as much information as possible and give them time to think through the details and ask you questions.

Assign Them as the Task Tracker When working with a team, assign them to play the role of keeping everyone on track. They could build the agenda, prepare the critical path, and organize the follow-up.

Check Yourself Ensure that you show up to meetings on time and prepared.

Show Recognition Recognize high-quality work and refer to it as an example for others.


TIPS FOR SUCCESSFULLY COACHING A DISCIPLINED SELLER

Structured and organized, this salesperson can build and follow a plan and see

it through.

19


Coaching Positivity

A salesperson bubbling over with Positivity is adaptable and energetic, and they are wired to help, serve, and guide their clients. Action-oriented, they will create solutions that support the needs of their clients focused on what can be achieved rather than the obstacles.

These sellers are upbeat and passionate in a way that can often be contagious to others. They engage clients and prospects and get them excited to move forward in a positive direction.

IN THE FIELDHere’s What You Might Find a Seller Filled with Positivity Doing Day-to-Day

It’s easy to see why you hired your seller filled with Positivity. They’re a pleasure to talk with, and they easily won you over during the interview process!

Their clients and coworkers love them as well — how could they resist? They build instant rapport with others, and they’re just overall fun to be around! Eternally optimistic, this seller takes things in stride and sees the world in a glass-half-full kind of way.

Most managers agree that one of their greatest charms is their ability to adapt well to change, and remarkably, in tough times, their enthusiasm often spills over onto others, which helps them see the bright side of things. Like anyone else, this idealist has tough days, but their resilience allows them to bounce back from disappointment, get past rejection, and remind themselves that tomorrow will be better.

A true people-person, they love being out and about and interacting with others as much as possible, but they’re not always just a social butterfly. They're often driven to help those around them and filled with seemingly endless amounts of energy to please clients and make things happen.

When hiring a new seller, most managers are drawn to the magnetic personality of this candidate and may move quickly to bring them on-board. As long as they have a consistent mix of strengths in other areas as well, this seller can find opportunity and success pretty quickly. But beware! The bright and shiny talent of Positivity can cause “glare” during the selection process, which makes it very di�cult for an interviewer to remain objective and recognize areas of potential weakness. Due diligence is a must!


The key to coaching and developing this upbeat

salesperson: Capitalize on their optimism and energy!

21


Praise Them Often Praise can be addictive and a very powerful motivator for people with such high Positivity. The more praise they get, the more they’ll want!

Celebrate Their Successes And share their enthusiasm! Make sure you know how they like to be recognized so that you celebrate these accomplishments in the most meaningful way. A handwritten note? A high five? A cup of co�ee to relive the exciting details?

Show Empathy Intense Positivity doesn't make this seller happy all the time, but it does cause them to feel emotion more intensely than others. This means they may have higher “highs” and lower “lows” that they’ll likely want to share with you.

Encourage Them to Network They make great first impressions and will serve you well when out representing the company.

Call on Them to Champion Issues When you need the rest of the team to support issues, this is the seller to call on. Their enthusiasm can be contagious; make sure they’re well-informed to use both emotion and facts to gain support.

Play the Bad Cop When Necessary If their ability to stand their ground and convince clients to make smart decisions is not strong, they may default to people-pleasing. Step in when necessary to set boundaries with the client and allow them to be the good guy.

Ask Specific QuestionsAsk them specific questions about the needs, challenges, and opportunities that they uncovered in client meetings. They're likely to walk away feeling highly optimistic and may not realize that they didn't dig as deeply as they could have.

Ensure Clear Contracts for Next Steps At the end of every client meeting, ensure that the next steps are clearly understood and stated.

Give Clear Feedback on Sales Performance Their intense optimism may lead them to think they’re doing a great job, even when they’re not meeting your expectations.

Ensure Excitement About the ProductMake sure they’re excited about the product and idea and proud to represent them – others will feed o� their excitement because their enthusiasm is contagious.

Use Them as Your Change Agent When change is around the corner that may make others uncomfortable, this seller will see the upside and be able to point out the positive for others.

Give Them Specific Networking Goals Encourage them to attend community events as the “face” of the company so they can use their connections to continue to add to the funnel.


TIPS FOR SUCCESSFULLY COACHING A SELLER FILLED WITH POSITIVITY

Adaptable and energetic, these sellers make it a point to help others.

22


Coaching Relationship

A seller with top-level strength in Relationship creates deeply personal connections and forges

strong bonds with their clients. They enjoy getting to know their prospects and customers, and

they easily pick-up on the nuances of how each person likes to be treated. Socially expressive,

these sellers work well with others and support their team’s goals. They often close and grow

business as a result of their desire to connect and support others.

IN THE FIELDHere’s What You Might Find a Seller with Strength in Relationship Doing Day-to-Day You know this salesperson! People always said they should go into

sales because they’re so likable and others often seek

their advice. This outgoing salesperson can turn an

acquaintance into a true friend in no time because they

put people at ease and genuinely care about them. They

gain energy from being with people and find they can

make conversation with anyone! At work, their team spirit

can buoy the entire group.

Salespeople with an intense Relationship theme create

deeply personal connections and easily bond with their clients. They enjoy getting to know their

clients and how they like to be treated. They'll work well with others and support their team’s

goals.


The key to coaching and developing a seller with strength in Relationship:

Leverage their people skills to get results.

24


Get to Know What’s Important to Them as a PersonMake sure you're clear on their personal

goals and how they want to grow so you can

support them and cheer them on.

Give Them Networking GoalsEncourage them to attend community

events and follow up with new contacts in an

e�ective way.

Uncover Their Interests Make sure they’re calling on businesses and

categories they love. Make it about selling to

“people” and not businesses.

Pair Them with New Team MembersThis will help your new hires feel welcome

and give your seller the opportunity to help

mentor those on their team.

Encourage Them to Leverage Strong Client RelationshipsDo this by asking for introductions to new

business and referrals. This will be a powerful

way for them to keep their new business

funnel full.

Encourage Clear Planning Encourage them to build a clear plan to

super-serve her key clients each year and

place dates on her calendar to ensure strong

follow through.


TIPS FOR SUCCESSFULLY COACHING A SELLER WITH STRENGTH IN RELATIONSHIP

These “people” people easily connect with

prospects and clients and they grow those

relationships over time.

25


Coaching Individualizer

Those with strength in the talent of Individualizer sell through strong, personalized relationships. They ensure they’re knowledgeable about their products so they can resolve client issues, exceed expectations, and deliver on promises. Client satisfaction is what they're working for and the outcome they get.

You’ll find these salespeople understand that everyone is di�erent, and they individualize their approach for each prospect and client. They strive to provide highly customized service and exceed the expectations of others at every time. Their intuition and desire to serve reduces the number of issues that arise, but when there is a problem, they find a solution that resolves itquickly.

IN THE FIELDHere’s What You Might Find an Individualizer Doing Day-to-Day Their coworkers and clients love them, and you can always count on them to come through for you. They're like the Dr. Phil of the o�ce — ready to listen, give advice, and help near-strangers through tough times!

You can spot this relationship-builder a mile away. Their network is broad and deep, and they have the kind of friendships where people would do almost anything for them. As their manager, you've probably found that your hands are tied with their accounts. You can never move them around because their clients wouldn’t hear of it! They buy the seller as much as they buy what they’re selling.

If you were to survey their clients and ask why they like working with them, you would hear things like: “I can trust them… they care about me.”

“They often know what I need even before I do.”

“They can always tell how I’m feeling, and they help me feel more comfortable about things.”

“It’s important to them that I see results; they seem as invested in this as I am!”

“They never use a cookie-cutter approach. They know MY business, and they know ME.



relationship-driven Individualizer: Connect

deeply and earn their trust.

27


Show Genuine Interest in ThemMake sure you know what’s going on in their life and show genuine interest in them. Remember, nothing fulfills this salesperson more than developing and growing strong relationships. And for them to feel happy in their job, those relationships can’t stop with clients! They also need a close relationship with their manager.

Match Them with Needy Clients Assign them clients that need that extra hand-holding and want to feel taken care of. They’ll likely be able to handle the needy ones that others struggle with.

Encourage Them to Leverage Relationships They can do this by actively seeking referrals, testimonials, and introductions to new business. Help them build this in as a significant step at the end of the sales process.

Ensure They Don’t Become a “Professional Visitor” This means always stopping by, scheduling lunches, asking about the kids… but never getting the sales because they’re worried that asking for money will damage the relationship. Insist that they define a valid business reason for every call they make and frequently discuss next steps and specific timelines.

When Reviewing Accounts, Talk About More Than Numbers Ask them about the relationships they’re developing and the people with whom they’re working. Help them spot opportunities for increased spending that might benefit that client and further grow their partnership.

Encourage Case Study Development Encourage them to develop case studies around clients’ success stories that demonstrate their understanding of unique client needs and how their solutions address them.

Set Expectations for Them to Meet One-on-One with Clients Because they’re highly intuitive and able to read people’s emotions from body language and facial expressions, they’ll do their best work face-to-face.

Challenge Them to Sell Products and Services That Have Natural Deadlines This will create a built-in sense of urgency for them. If they’re a people-person, but lack courage or the strength of persuasion, a no-budge deadline will make them more inclined to push the process forward without feeling greedy or pushy.

Measure Client Retention Rate Encourage them to share how their strong client relationships lead to consistent sales growth.

Make Sure They Believe in What They’re Selling Their ultimate goal is to provide value and results for clients. If they're hesitating to close, they may not fully believe the client will get results.


TIPS FOR SUCCESSFULLY COACHING AN INDIVIDUALIZER

These trusted advisors sell through strong,

personalized relationships.

28


Coaching Activator

Salespeople gifted with the strength of Activator have confidence in their ability to develop

strong solutions that meet the business needs of their clients, and they work to build and grow

business rather than simply maintaining their accounts. Refusing to give up easily, they will work

with the client as long as it takes to get it right and produce a satisfying experience.

Persuasive by nature, these sellers take initiative to find better alternatives and move the sales

process forward. They need less instruction than others and are more resourceful at finding

answers when problems arise.

IN THE FIELDHere’s What You Might Find an Activator Doing Day-to-Day This seller is more “ready-fire-aim” than “ready-aim-fire”

but don’t think that they’ll go o� “half-cocked.” They’re

highly solution-focused and simply anxious to get people

onboard. For them, it’s second nature to take initiative,

create client urgency, and get things moving!

Call reluctance? Rarely. Creating a sense of excitement

and interest, this seller is filled with swagger and wired to

get their foot in the door so they can make things happen.

Comfortable prospecting for new business, they’re also highly discerning. It’s got to be the right

prospect, product, and solution for them to engage, but when it is, they can easily find a way to

convince people to meet with them. Chances are they can also be pretty convincing when they

want something from their manager too!


The key to coaching and developing this make-it

happen seller: Hear them out as they will want to

share their opinions.

30


Appreciate Their Down to Business Style Be receptive to their upfront and

straightforward manner and mirror their

style.

Encourage Them to Partner with Their Clients

This means including them in brainstorming

and collaborating often to create strong

buy-in.

Provide Additional Negotiation TrainingNurture and grow their innate skills for

persuasion and practice tough negotiations

until they feel comfortable flying on their

own.

Rein in Their Need for Speed

Put the brakes on them if they attempt to

move the sale forward too quickly,

potentially missing the clients’ true needs.

Recognize Their Ability to Develop Strong Solutions for the Client

Praise their ability and help them find other

opportunities to use the knowledge they

gained during that sale.

Ask Their Opinions Often They’ll have many ideas on how to solve

issues, so hear them out and encourage and

respect their ideas.

Involve them in Challenging Situations

This is where their persistence and ability to

break-through will make a di�erence.


TIPS FOR SUCCESSFULLY COACHING AN ACTIVATOR

Persistent and persuasive, these salespeople are able to generate interest and

get people moving!

31


Coaching Accelerator

Those with great intensity in Accelerator can remove potential obstacles in the sale and keep the process moving forward all the way to a signed contract. To guarantee they do what is right for the client, they anticipate and resolve issues immediately, ensuring that the sale moves forward and that ultimately, the client is satisfied.

These sellers realize that business must grow to survive. They set high standards, drive service

excellence, and stand by these standards to ensure success and continued business.

IN THE FIELDHere’s What You Might Find the Accelerator Doing Day-to-Day They're highly assertive, exceedingly convincing, always taking charge of situations (even when it’s not their job), and a natural closer. They just can’t help building a case for what they believe in and they relish the opportunity to change people’s mind so they finally see things their way.

There’s no doubt about it— they love to sell! And they’re really good at it.

Don’t you wish you could take just a little bit of that persuasiveness and “get it done” attitude and sprinkle it on all of the other sellers on your team? If only it were that easy! The talent of Accelerator that is behind this innate sales ability is one of unteachable qualities that separate the “best” from “the rest” in sales, and although you can coach someone who has it, you can’t give it to someone who doesn’t.

Accelerator is pretty magical to watch — especially when combined with people skills. The seller blessed with this strength mixture has a good sense for how others are feeling and easily picks up on their buying signals. Their strong sense of urgency keeps the process steadily moving forward, which allows them to continually help people make di�cult decisions and overcome any objections that might get in the way. They build trust and makes sales happen.


The key to coaching and developing this take-charge

seller: Support them without micromanaging!

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Celebrate and Recognize Their Ability to Get Significant Growth of Sales

Their ego is nice and healthy, and it feels

great to hear appreciation on successes. But

make sure you also focus on the value they

bring to clients and their quality of service

since it’s important for them to be

recognized for the impact they make on

other.

Match Them with Tougher Clients

If others have struggled to close with hard to

handle clients, give those clients to them.

Make Sure They’re Maximizing Each Opportunity

They’re not afraid to ask for big dollars.

Ensure they maximize all opportunities.

Don’t Misread Their Need for Answers as Disrespect

Understand that they’re self-directed and

will want to know why decisions have been

made. Come prepared with information - or

better yet - include them in some of the

planning. Getting their buy-in will always

help!

Focus on the Value That They Bring

Focus on the value they bring to clients and

their quality of service as well as sales made.

Arm Them with A Lot of Information and Resources

This will help them feel informed and

confident that they have an edge in the

market.

Provide Them with Additional Training

They will benefit from skill development in

areas of their natural talent. For example,

negotiation training will utilize their innate

strength and help them hone their craft.

Let Them Lead

Consider giving them opportunities to

showcase their talents, run a segment of the

sales meeting, or demonstrate successful

selling to new hires.


TIPS FOR SUCCESSFULLY COACHING AN ACCELERATOR

Focused on the finish line and clearing the road

of obstacles, these salespeople solve issues and make sales happen.

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Coaching Learner

Salespeople who lead with Learner crave knowledge about their job, and they benefit from their

naturally higher level of awareness. Always thinking about ways to solve problems, they ask

questions and apply their knowledge to ensure their client’s needs are met.

These individuals are lifelong, proactive learners who seek opportunities to become

subject-matter experts in their work. Mastery of their job is critical for them, and they typically

enjoy educating others in areas of their expertise.

IN THE FIELDHere’s What You Might Find the Learner Doing Day-to-Day With the need to dive in and know more about the products, this strong

Learner asks many questions to satisfy their curiosity cravings. They

are most confident when they’re the expert on any subject

and enjoy others seeking their opinions.

Research-oriented, they enjoy seeking information and

digging deep enough to strike gold. Sometimes they may

lose track of time when they’re working on learning.

Clients benefit from their expertise since they always have

an answer at-the-ready. They’re creative, up-to-date on

the latest information and trends, and excited to apply their knowledge to a given situation.

They’re highly focused on ensuring the client’s unique problem is solved and their needs are met.


The key to coaching and developing this Learner:

Provide opportunities for them to grow in their areas

of expertise.

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Provide Ongoing Education

Especially in the areas of their interest, so

they’re always on the leading edge.

Knowledge is power to them!

Encourage Creative Thinking

Suggest that they keep an idea folder or

inspiration file to jot down creative ideas that

they can refer to when needed.

Keep Them Informed

Arm them with lots of information,

resources, and training, so they feel like they

have an edge in the market.

Change up Their List from Time to Time

Recognize that they may get bored easily.

Also, encourage them to come up with new

products to sell and new categories to call

on to keep them engaged.

Inspire Them to be The Expert

Is there a business category they can “own?”

Give them the support and confidence to be

the leading go-to person in the o�ce in the

areas that interest them most.

Let Them Teach

Let them show o� their expertise and shine

in front of others. Ask them to present at a

sales meeting or contribute to your company

blog. They’ll take pride in the respect they

earn from others.

Provide Detailed Answers When They Have Questions

Their need to know “why” is intense, so

providing them with many details will feel

deeply satisfying.

Ensure they don’t Overwhelm the Client with Possibilities

They’ll see a wide variety of options and

viable solutions, which can often become

confusing. Help them narrow down all their

ideas and determine which few they might

develop further.


TIPS FOR SUCCESSFULLY COACHING LEARNER

These naturally curious salespeople serve as

subject matter experts, consulting and teaching

those around them.

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Coaching Problem Solver

Puzzle-solving salespeople filled with the talent of Problem Solver can easily spot the root cause of a situation and get to the bottom of it. They’re wired to isolate a specific issue, create smart solutions, and make things right.

These individuals are e�ective at needs analysis and they provide clients the best products and solutions to achieve positive results. Thinking about ways to creatively unravel obstacles they reflect on the issue until they find an answer.

These are the people that others naturally call on to help because they unravel the problem and work hard to fix it, their minds never stopping.

IN THE FIELDHere’s What You Might Find the Problem Solver Doing Day-to-Day Bet you love the Sherlock Holmes you have on your sales team! They’re analytical, hyper-focused on solving the puzzle, enjoys research, and always knows where to find the answers!

Their mind is a hungry sponge, soaking up every bit of information and storing it deep inside so it’s always right there when they need it. Or, when someone else needs their help! That makes them the ideal advice-giver for others — that and the fact that they view situations completely di�erently than most.

It’s almost like they’re looking at the world through an entirely di�erent lens. They pick up on things to which others are blind, and they can assemble a bunch of seemingly random pieces of evidence into a meaningful vision. Now that’s talent! We call it the Problem Solver talent.

The best thing about the salesperson chock-full of Problem Solver is not even that they’re so good at solving problems. It’s that they’re good at finding problems! They’re a top-notch detective able to uncover the needs of clients that others missed and match those needs with a creative, customized solution. One-size-fits-all package seller? Never!


The key to coaching and developing this Problem Solver: Encourage their

super-sleuthing but keep them moving forward!

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Include Them in Brainstorming Sessions Often Creative thinking will strengthen their talent, keep them sharp, and make them feel juiced! Plus, they’ll have some good stu� to contribute.

Encourage Them to Have an Open Mind While they will naturally prepare themselves by researching the industry, the company’s website, the product or service, and the individual with whom they are meeting, you may need to remind them not to assume they already know the answers.

Don’t Let Them Call it a Day After Unveiling Their Genius Idea Hold them accountable to always asking for the next step.

Remind Them to Slow Down Check-in regularly to ensure that the client is on the same page, since their mind moves faster than many.

Let Them Show O� Their Expertise and Shine in Front of Others Ask him to present at a sales meeting or contribute to your company blog. He will take pride in the respect he will earn from others.

Don't Take Their Grilling Personally They may pepper you with questions and always want to know WHY you made the decision you made. No reputable detective would be able to help themself.

Recognize They May Get Bored More Easily Than SomeChange up their account list, encouragethem to come up with new products to sell or new ways to sell, and constantly be thinking of valuable training opportunities so they’re always on the cutting edge.

Seek Their Input and Ask for Their Suggestions Do this when dealing with an issue - even if it doesn’t directly involve them or their clients. They will have many ideas and enjoy being seen as a resource to others, so encourage them to share.

Challenge Them to Innovate And come up with a better solution to problems they encounter and remain open to their suggestions when they share them.


TIPS FOR SUCCESSFULLY COACHING PROBLEM SOLVER

Able to anticipate problems and quickly address them, these

salespeople remove the obstacles that get in the

way of a sale!

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Conclusion

We hope this has given you some fresh ideas for coaching and developing each of the unique people on your team based on their talents. Although we selected a handful of coaching ideas for you to try, there are certainly more that are available.

With these tips in mind, be cautious about characterizing any individual based on one single talent. Each person is a unique blend of talent and will need to be coached based on a clear understanding of all of their strengths and weaknesses.

Once you have a good understanding of the full picture, consider making a list of three things you should always do and three things you should never do when managing that seller.

Most importantly, remember that their talents won’t change – so your coaching has to.

At The Center for Sales Strategy, we spend a lot of time working to help our clients Turn Talent into Performance.

Stay up-to-date on the latest Talent trends and topics by subscribing to our blog!


We’d love to hear what coaching strategies are working for you!

Contact Us

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