How to get the most
out of your sales team
by john chapin
G
etting the most out of your sales team will most
likely take some work and effort. That said, here’s
a fairly straight-forward, step-by-step process that
will maximize team sales and performance.
remove the roadblocks
Roadblocks include: paperwork, computer work, order
entry, and all the other day-to-day items that don’t have
your salespeople in front of a prospect or customer. These
should all be delegated to highly capable, competent
people. The only activities that pay your salespeople, and
ultimately you, are: prospecting, presenting, and closing.
In addition to those three activities, your salespeople
should also be spending about 20% of their time building
relationships and following up with current customers,
especially the top 20% that give you 80% of your business.
Other than those four activities, everything else is a
roadblock that should be taken off their plates.
provide the right environment
Once you’ve removed task and activity roadblocks, you
need to provide a supportive environment which is
conducive to doing business in. This is a professional
environment of positive, proactive people which includes
the tools necessary to sell at the highest level possible. CRM
tools, telephone systems, e-mail, technology, and all other
support items should be in place and run smoothly and
efficiently. The environment needs to be void of negativity,
negative people, red tape, and any other obstacles that slow
down or hinder business. You may also need to personally
pave the road and help your people out. This may include
playing coach, running interference, being an advocate, or
otherwise providing assistance to get the job done.
develop sales skills
Now that your people are spending the most time possible
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in front of prospects and customers, the next step is to
ensure they are as effective as possible when they are having
those conversations. Your salespeople should have wellthought-out, scripted answers to everything they need to
say in a prospect or client interaction. Their presentation,
all answers to objections, closes, and anything else they
might possib H