Is Your Sales Coaching Getting You the Win?

From InsightSquared and Steve Richard of Vorsight

We at InsightSquared heard Steve Richard, the CEO of Vorsight, speak at the OpenView Venture Partners Outbound Lead Generation Management Workshop.

He gave a talk titled “Qualitative Performance Measurement & Developing a Team of Rockstars”. We were so impressed that we felt compelled to compile our 12 favorite pieces of advice from his talk in this presentation.

1. Pulse on the organization

Are your sales reps aware of the company’s big picture and long-term goals?

1. Pulse on the organization

Is the sales team plugged into how the rest of the company is doing?

1. Pulse on the organization

Are they aware of what people are saying about the company and their team, both externally and internally?

2. Performance Improvement

Inspire your prospecting team to improve its performance so that the whole team can sell more stuff.

2. Performance Improvement

Let them know that there is always room for improvement and learning.

3. Good Messaging

Make sure all reps on your prospecting team are on the same page.

3. Good Messaging

It is critical that your reps are consistent in promoting the same message about your company, products, and services.

4. What’s working/what’s not

Are your reps’ prospecting techniques working?

4. What’s working/what’s not

Focus on repeating specific aspects that are working well and eliminating methods that are not.

5. Improve engagement

The best prospecting teams engage regularly, not just with clients, but also with each other.

5. Improve engagement

Reps who are well-engaged with their customers and teammates will develop better client relationships and more collaborative work habits.

6. Continued learning

Learning never stops. Instill in your reps an attitude of continued learning every day.

6. Continued learning

Encourage them to learn from mistakes and constantly seek new knowledge and prospecting methods.

7. Learn from each other

Collaboration is essential in a sales team.

7. Learn from each other

Help your prospecting reps understand that there is a great deal they can learn, not only from the sales coach, but also from each other.

7. Learn from each other

One rep who had great success with one method could share his tips and tricks with the rest of the team.

8. Retention

Amid the continued learning of sales and prospecting, it’s critical to constantly reinforce old lessons to ensure that reps are retaining that knowledge.

8. Retention

Review lessons from training in regular, one-on-one coaching meetings.

9. Confidence

Your prospecting reps should have the utmost confidence in their own abilities.

9. Confidence

Confidence will help them make the best calls, host the most effective demos, and close more prospects.

9. Confidence

As sales manager, it’s your job to encourage them and give them the occasional ego boost. Be sure to let them know that you appreciate their hard work.

10. Attitude

Positive attitudes are infectious. Your reps will look to you, the sales coach, to set the example.

10. Attitude

Spread positivity throughout your team from the top down, starting with you.

11. Teach problem solving

Sales coaching is not about telling reps what to do; it’s about teaching them how to do it.

11. Teach problem solving

The best sales coaches instill in their reps an ability to proactively solve their own problems.

12. Rewards

Sales coaching should not be all about constructive criticism and assessment. There should be plenty of opportunity to recognize your best performers.

12. Rewards

Rewarding top sales reps in a public setting gives the rest of the team a concrete incentive to work even harder.

Thank you for viewing our presentation!

You can visit our website at http://www.insightsquared.com/ and our blog at http://www.insightsquared.com/blog/

Photo Credits“Coach Don Lear” Courtesy of Ed Uthman“Steve Richard portrait” Courtesy of Steve Richard“Runner crosses finish line, Harvard Stadium” Courtesy of the Boston Public Library, Leslie Jones Collection“stack of wrapped biscotti” Courtesy of Eunice (sleepyneko)“At a dinner in his honor, Herbert H. Lehmen reads with Jacob Potofsky and David Dubinsky looking on, January 31, 1943” Courtesy of the Kheel Center, Cornell University“Materials Test Reactor” Courtesy of Idaho National Library“Teams Canada and Finland” Courtesy of Scazon“11th Annual Chicagoland Learning Leaders Conference” Courtesy of Dirk Tussing“Learning” Courtesy of CollegeDegrees360“Glass jars of every size” Courtesy of Ross Catrow“Wave your hands” Courtesy of Kevin Galens“Jeff Gives a Thumbs Up!” Courtesy of Infusionsoft Sales & Marketing Software for Small Businesses“Rubik’s Cube 3” Courtesy of Jessica Rossi“Ribbons” Courtesy of James Saunders“Salman Ahmad inspires the audience to sing and clap along” Courtesy of M. Elizabeth Williams, Girl + Camera LLC, and TEDx NJLibraries