Are You A Player, Or A Coach?

March brings March Madness. March Madness is the college basketball tournament where the 64 teams battle to find out who is the best college basketball team of the season.

While you are watching your team this year, I would like you to learn a lesson that every basketball coach has had to learn. The easiest way to learn this lesson is to do a little analysis. I would like you to count the number of times when the game is tight, one team is on the free-throw line, and the coach makes a substitution – himself.

Yes, count the number of times the coach doesn’t trust the player he has been coaching all season and puts himself on the line to make that winning shot.

I can already tell you the number: ZERO.

During a game, the coach can rant, rave, coach, and cajole, but he cannot play the game. He has to trust that the athletes he has coached all season will take his instruction, remember the skills they have practiced, and execute those plays as they were taught.

This doesn’t happen in sales. It is almost commonplace for the coach (the sales manager) to step in and drive the conversation. He puts his athlete, whom he has been coaching perhaps for years, on the bench.

So, let’s explore what would happen if suddenly you were required to stay on the sidelines while you watched your salespeople sell, and it was impossible for you to take over the sale.

First, you would need to become a much better communicator of the behaviors you want from your salespeople. You would quickly discover that vague concepts like “digging deeper” and “doing your homework” doesn’t get you predictable results on the playing field. You would notice that your team performed much better if you got specific about the behaviors you wanted to see. The exact question you want them to ask the client. The specific way you want a proposal to read.

And as you become more transparent and more precise in describing the behaviors you want from your sales team, you will likely want to observe those behaviors in practice. So there would likely be a dramatic increase in time spent rehearsing. The sales meetings would probably start looking like team practices. The one-on-one sessions would likely become individual clinics.

And what do you figure would be the content of the practices? I’ll bet you there would be a constant review of the fundamentals.

The late Dean Smith would practice the last two minutes of a game over and over and over. He would set up a scenario in which the team was nine points down, and they had two minutes to turn the game around. With every practice, his team became more and more competent in the fundamental mechanics of winning.

Imagine a salesperson who goes out to make a presentation to a client. When she arrives, the client says, “Oh, that project we discussed is no longer our top priority.” Does she know what to do? Salespeople who haven’t practiced the fundamental selling process may not know how to pivot. They may not know that the appropriate response is to put aside the presentation they brought and begin a needs analysis. Fundamental behaviors can be practiced in the office over and over again.

I have more to discuss on this issue, so please jump over to my longer article linked here.

Taking the Sales Agility Assessment is a great starting point for improving your current sales process. Use the unique report to help you implement new procedures to accelerate growth, revenue, and new sales.

Are You Coming To Beers & Biz?

Beers & Biz is an excellent opportunity to connect with other business leaders in the Cincinnati area and join some relevant conversations about today’s business challenges. It is probably the best networking event in Greater Cincinnati.

If you want to meet other B2B professionals and understand how to solve targeted business problems, this is the event to put on your calendars and attend.

There is no cost to the B2B professional networking group featuring topical roundtable discussion groups, open networking, and a featured charity. The group meets on the 4th Thursday of the month. We typically talk about business, have a drink (water, soft drinks, beer, and bourbon, too), and learn from each other. We stress networking with business-to-business professionals trying to expand revenue and offer great products and services to businesses.

Our next event is at 1605 Dana Ave. Cincinnati, OH 45207 (Just west of Listermann Brewing Co.).

Please register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/beers-biz-b2b-networking-tickets-244535701867 to reserve your spot and learn about the locations and times of future meetings.

Maximizing Sales Performance: The Power of Coaching

Business leaders know that the company’s success depends on their sales team’s performance. That’s why providing your team with the tools they need to improve their skills and achieve goals is crucial. Regular coaching sessions help your sales team grow and perform at their best.

Identify Areas of Struggle and Success

Coaching allows you to identify areas where sales team members are struggling; while recognizing areas of success. You help your sales team focus on growth areas by acknowledging what works well or needs improvement. This effort fosters a culture of continuous improvement and provides sales team members with the tools they need to be successful.

Be Specific and Constructive

It is essential to be specific and constructive when providing coaching and feedback and providing actionable feedback that focuses on particular areas for improvement. By focusing on specific areas for improvement, you can help your sales team make changes to improve performance.

Provide Support and Guidance

Regular coaching and feedback sessions allow sales leaders to work closely with each sales team member, providing them with the guidance and support they need to improve their skills and achieve their goals. This coaching can include setting individual sales targets, providing training resources, and offering personalized support for each team member’s unique needs. By providing this support and guidance, you can help your sales team to succeed and contribute to the overall success of your business.

Regular coaching and feedback sessions are essential for improving the skills and performance of your sales team. By identifying areas of struggle and success, being specific and constructive in your feedback, and providing support and guidance, you can help your sales team achieve their goals and drive success for your small business. Remember, investing in your sales team is an investment in the future success of your business.

Two Tall Guys Talking Sales podcast

Please check out the weekly sales wisdom I share in my podcast, Two Tall Guys Talking Sales. The episodes are short and to the point covering one sales topic in about 15 minutes. The last two episodes are:

Focus on One or Two Key Topics in Your Weekly Sales Meeting

Your sales meeting should discuss the highest priority topics that require immediate attention. For broader issues, it is recommended to use other venues. To stay on point, it is important to control the agenda and flow of the meeting. Additionally, meeting minutes should be kept short and focused on action items to ensure that tasks are completed following the meeting.

To promote growth, discussing one or two topics deeply rather than many topics lightly is recommended. This will encourage open dialogue and feedback among team members, which can help to generate new ideas and insights. It is important not to play with new meeting tools until you are proficient to avoid wasting time.

Assigning specific tasks to individuals following each meeting is also essential to ensure that projects progress. Additionally, it is recommended to have a team member present at each meeting to learn leadership skills and be acknowledged for their contributions. Following these guidelines can make meetings more productive and focused, and the team can work together to achieve their goals.

http://newsales.expert/2023/03/two-tall-guys-podcast-focus-on-one-or-two-key-topics-in-your-weekly-sales-meeting-episode-22/

Be Respectful – Start Team Meetings on Time, End on Time

Efficient and effective meetings are essential for the success of any business, and the EOS L10 meetings have become increasingly popular in recent times. It is important for all meetings to start and end on time, avoiding rewarding tardiness and respecting everyone’s schedule. It is crucial to address individuals who regularly arrive late in private. In addition, time management is key to ensuring that each topic is discussed within the allotted time frame, and sales meetings should be approached similarly to a sales call. By adhering to these guidelines, the sales department can increase productivity and achieve its goals promptly and efficiently.

http://newsales.expert/2023/02/two-tall-guys-podcast-be-respectful-start-team-meetings-on-time-end-on-time-episode-21/