[Webinar] The Seven Insider Secrets of Building a Top-Performing Sales Team
By Brooks Group on 01 Aug 2007 at 08:36 am
Press the play button below to watch the webinar.
To view the questions and answers from the webinar… click on the comments links located at the bottom right
Tags:sales team motivation sales videos
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What is your advice on keeping top sales reps during an organization change? They tend to develop an early opinion of what is to come due to the changes and leave prematurely.
Thanks!
Tim,
The key is to assure them that any change will be initiated with their ultimate well-being and in consideration of their past, positive contributions in mind. Reassure them that any change will be well-thought through and thorough. Their job is to keep selling…and keep the eye on the ball.
Your job is to make sure they do!
Bill
In regards to getting out into the field, how can you be effective with this when you are managing home based employees?
Justin,
1. Make appointments to meet them at a restaurant or coffee shop and then either (a) go with them on appointments, or (b) work with them at their home as they work on sales calls, etc.
2. Don’t let the “home barrier” get in the way – it’s all about accountability!
Bill
How do you best recognize future top performers in the interview who are new to sales?
Maureen,
1. Past performance is the best prediction of future success. Look for a pattern of success…execution, performance, work product and completion.
2. Use some form of assessment to get “behind the scenes.”
3. Make them do something they don’t want to do. For example, write a business plan, prospecting plan, etc.
4. Ask them about the reporting structure of past customers – see how much detail they have about them.
Bill
No question just commendation. Great Job! Very informative and believable. Thanks.
Thanks so much, Jason!
Bill
What should the pay plan look like in the first 30, 60, 90 days after hiring a person. If they are a commissioned sales person?
Steve,
1. You should give them some sort of training salary! Don’t call it a “draw,” for example. What are their chances of selling successfully right out of the box, anyway?
2. Make it a livable wage – with opportunity to switch to straight commission. Make it apply for 60-90 days.
3. Frankly, if you can’t afford’em…don’t hire’em! Putting straight commission on someone right away is almost a recipe for failure for 80-90% of the people – you could lose a lot of potential superstars that way.
Bill
When an AE is prospecting (Investigate), actively calling prospects and trying to generate interest, the prospect will definitely have questions to determine if they’re interested in moving forward. How can I counsel my salespeople to NOT propose solutions or even enter probe until the client is sufficiently interested AND qualified?
Kevin,
Tell them to say this, “The worst thing I could do at this point is to give you a solution that would be, at best, misleading and, at worst, off target. Therefore, I’d like to meet with you, ask you a few questions and then make a targeted solution. I promise you this, though, if we can’t help you, I’ll tell you that and we can part as friends! What day next week would be best for you and I to meet?”
Bill