Sales & Marketing Management - March/April 2008 - (Page 6)

BRIAN TRACY UNIVERSITY Simple behaviors that create a top sales team energy, enthusiasm and commitment of your salespeople—and motivate them to spend more time prospecting, presenting and closing—by regularly practicing a few simple behaviors: I. Communicate clear expectations. Make sure each salesperson knows exactly what he is expected to do all day long, day in and day out. The primary de-motivator in the workplace is unclear expectations. Out of all your responsibilities, the ability to get the very most out of your salespeople is where you can make the greatest contribution to your company. Every skill or behavior you learn that motivates your team will increase sales activity. According to research from Columbia University, the average salesperson works only 20% of the time (about 90 minutes per day). The rest of the time is spent coming in late, chatting with co-workers, surfing the Web and so on. When is a salesperson actually working? Only when he is face to face with a prospect, generating sales. All other activities are secondary to that one because generating sales is what your company depends upon. Your job is to keep your salespeople focused on doing this more and more often each day. Studies show the number one factor behind a salesperson taking, staying at or leaving a job is the sales manager. Because you are the boss, everything that you say or do raises or lowers motivation, and thus sales performance. You can dramatically improve the II. Practice participative management. results. The greatest indicator of sales success is often the self-esteem of the salesperson. One additional point: When you praise a person in front of other people, especially higher-ups or their peers, the praise is multiplied in its impact on the future performance of that person.Always begin every sales meeting with a period of praise for your charges’accomplishments. IV. Keep them informed. Salespeople Salespeople need to feel that they are involved in the decisions that affect their lives and their incomes. Take the time to sit down with your salespeople, as indi- need to know what is going on in the company and in the market. Hold weekly meetings with your sales team. Prepare an agenda that consists of a list of all your team members. Go around the table and have each person explain what they are “Because you are the boss, everything that you say or do raises or lowers motivation and the performance of your team.” viduals or in groups. Talk about the market, the customers, the products or services and the activities necessary to fulfill sales quotas. Ask for their input. III. Praise them regularly. Most salespeople have what psychologists call “insecurity of status.” Even if they win the award for the top salesperson for the month or the year, the very next day they begin to question their ability. For this reason, salespeople need a continuous flow of praise and encouragement from their managers. Praise them for small efforts as well as for large doing and how it is going out there. Invite questions and comments. V. Practice the three C’s of motivation: concern, consideration and courtesy. Practice the Golden Rule and treat each person as you would like to be treated if your situations were reversed. Remember, selling is difficult work. Your salespeople face rejection and disappointment every day. The way that you help them to overcome discouragement is by treating them with value and respect. This builds loyalty, commitment and motivation like nothing else. Brian Tracy is one of the top sales and management trainers in the world. He is president of Brian Tracy University online (www.briantracyu.com), which offers certificates in superior sales management and high performance selling. 6 SALES&MARKETING MANAGEMENT MARCH/APRIL 2008 www.salesandmarketing.com www.salesandmarketingmanagement.com http://www.briantracyu.com http://www.salesandmarketingmanagement.com http://www.salesandmarketing.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Sales & Marketing Management - March/April 2008

Sales & Marketing Management - March/April 2008 Contents Editor's Letter Brian Tracy University Sales Marketing Management Cover Story: Lessons From the Master Maximum Mobility Training Technology Incentives/Motivation Travel/Meetings Book Excerpt - Value Merchants The Way I See It - End the Discounting Habit

Sales & Marketing Management - March/April 2008

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