JAN 2015
ESSENTIALS FOR INSPIRING YOUR SALES TEAM
I
t can be difficult to keep people loyal in direct sales
since in this industry, people tend to always be
looking for the “next big thing.” However there is a lot
that can be done to keep a direct sales force not only
loyal, but also motivated and consistently hungry to
succeed. Following are the four points I have learned are
most important.
1. Provide clear direction.
Perhaps the most important part of keeping a sales force
motivated is providing a clear direction. If you aren’t
able to provide a clear vision of the path the company is
heading down, then you can’t provide your sales force
with deliverables to prove the company and its team
members are actually heading down that path. Without
the vision and steps to get there, you won’t be able to
keep your sales force motivated. On the contrary, the
best leaders have a clear vision of where they want to
take their organization, and are therefore able to
mobilize troops to accomplish seemingly impossible
goals.
2. Be likable.
Positioning yourself as a “likeable” and respected CEO
is imperative to maintaining a loyal and motivated direct
sales force. With employees, you can force people to
follow you even if you’re not respected. In direct
selling, your sales force is a “volunteer army,” so they
get to decide who they work for, how long they work
and where they work. If people don’t like and respect
you, they won’t stay with you.
3. Be transparent and communicate.
Communication is key in any relationship, including that
of a direct sales team. Keeping the company in the news
and then sharing the good news with your sales force
creates a sense of pride for the brand they work for.
Also, keeping your sales force updated on what the
company is doing allows them to be part of the bigger
conversation, and shows they are valued. The sales force
is not always located near a company’s headquarters,
but oftentimes dispersed across a wide territory. Video
updates from the CEO are a great way to keep team
members that may be located far away feeling closely
connected and can help break up the distance.
Another part of communication with your direct sales
force is ensuring the messages being communicated are
the same across the board. Something that speaks to this
is the phrase “one voice, one vision.” When messages
become mixed and diluted, trust between the sales force
and company leadership become strained. Monthly
video updates allow company leaders to implement the
“one voice, one vision” strategy, assuring the sales foce
by communicating the same message over and over that
the company is staying on the path they were told it is
going down. Transparency and communication go hand
in hand. A monthly video is one way to provide this.
4. It’s all about the product and the opportunity.
Just as important as the points above, you need to
provide your sales force with the best opportunity
possible and a product they are proud of. It’s crucial the
field believes in the product they are selling, since in
today’s market there are so many copycats out there.
Essentially, if you don’t have a real value proposition,
you won’t be successful..
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