Sales Tip – Stop Micromanaging Your SalesStaff I was talking to a friend of mine the otherday who is a professional sales person.
She was telling me about how annoyed she’s becomewith her sales manager, and how he’s micromanaging the sales team.
She told me about how theyare now required to make 9 sales calls/day, they have to write a detailed call reportfor each sales call, and need to host at least 5 weekend events for their prospective clients.
Her manager has even eliminated office days, as he wants everyone making their mandatory45 calls/week.
When I heard her telling me this, I couldn’thelp but think of the message that is being sent to the sales team.
The shift has beentaken away from sales effectiveness, and is now focused on quantity instead of quality.
If you stop to think about this, during a normal 8 hour day, making 9 sales calls meansthat you have 53 minutes/call, including drive time between stops.
How much time can thesales person spend building a relationship with the customer in this situation? Thissounds more like an HMO healthcare plan than it does a sales team, doesn’t it? Throwin weekend events and evenings sitting at the computer writing needless call reports,and he may soon have a mutiny on his hands! So, if you are a sales manager, and you reallywant to increase the production and effectiveness of your sales team, what should you do? Hereare a couple of tips: Tip #1 – Manage to results, and empoweryour sales people The goal of a professional sales person isto sell.
So, let them.
Your job as the sales manager is to protect your sales people fromcorporate micromanagement so that they can spend their time doing what you hired themto do.
Make sure each member of your team knows what their sales goals are, and empowerthem to figure out the best way for them to achieve that goal.
Imposing a “9 calls/day”rule will only force your sales people to focus on hitting their number of calls, insteadof building relationships that will lead to long term sales success.
Tip #2 – Provide your team with the toolsthey need to be successful Make sure that your sales team has all thetools and training that they need to do the job.
Track and hold them accountable to generatingresults, and when they don’t, help them to figure out why they aren’t producing.
If you have an effective sales system, you should be able to identify the problem areasthat your sales person is having, and help them to overcome these problems.
Tip #3 – Stop trying to cover your butt,and start being a leader Most micromanagement is based on fear.
Whatif my team doesn’t perform? How will I show my boss that I am doing my job? Endless callreports and ivory tower edicts about how many calls to make/day stem from fear.
If you focuson your fear, and start implementing these sorts of practices, you’re fears are goingto become reality! Instead, get out in the field, work with your people, and find outwhat you can do to get rid of barriers, instead of adding them.
Become a leader for your sales team by removingbarriers and empowering them to do what you hired them to do, and you’ll get the performanceand productivity out of your sales team that you are looking for.
Happy Selling!.
Source: Youtube
