Performance Coaching
In 2009, a report by the Corporate Executive Board found that 90% of sales organizations planned to train their sales managers to improve their coaching skills.
“Progressive organizations recognize that in a down economy, efforts to improve the coaching skills of frontline sales managers have a greater ROI compared to other similar training investments made on sales reps, in terms of their direct impact on overall sales performance.”
– Corporate Executive Board.
We would argue it’s the smartest investment you can make, down economy or not. The quantity and quality of coaching a sales person receives is the single biggest lever available to improve the performance of your sales or customer service team.
Unfortunately, too many sales managers simply manage to the numbers, rather than coaching to the opportunities. The lagging indicators or the trailing numbers (closing %, quota attained) are usually the ones that receive the most attention and drive the conversation between the manager and sales person often sounding like this:
“Tom, I’m been looking at your results for last month. You’re just not closing enough business. I need you to close more, ok?”
Tom knows what to do, but does he know how to do it? Does this sound like any of the coaching interactions happening within your organization?
However, results happen because of a set of activities and behaviors executed effectively time after time potentially across thousands of team members. We help your managers identify the activities and behaviors that drive the desired results, and then coach to the frequency and effectiveness of those activities; making the sales process a sustainable part of your company’s sales DNA.
Elements of performance coaching include:
- Relevant and engaging coaching
- Setting expectations
- Performance urgency
- Observation
- Demonstration
- Certification
- Accountability and action
Learn more about our coaching methodology and process.
