4 Reasons Why Training Sales People is Less Effective than Managing Them Well - Page 2
3. Nobody likes to be micromanaged. Sales training refocuses sales reps on metrics, personal or organizational, that are assumed to drive revenue. And, indeed, they may. But in the implementation phase, this new focus translates quickly into paperwork: call sheets, account strategies, etc. And paperwork is drudgery. So try managing only a few behaviors, instead of many. Michael Bosworth has a brilliant suggestion in his book Solution Selling. Ask sales reps to copy you on their follow-up letters to productive new business calls, specifically identifying the pain point their new prospect shared. Then send an email to the customers yourself (as CEO or sales manager), to let them know that you’re excited to learn your sales rep will be addressing this issue. Make yourself available, personally, for follow-up. You’ll not only encourage reps to make new business calls, you’ll eliminate all the fiction writing that passes as call reports.
4. Inspiration is more powerful than motivation. Forget the schmaltzy motivational posters. People just don’t respond positively to them. And in the long run, the same can be said for sales trainers. Sure, it’s fun to get pumped up at an event, but long-term inspiration comes from within. So instead of investing in seminars and workshops, let your sales force see your vision for the organization. Share your deep personal commitment to the company’s success and make note of those who respond viscerally. Talk with these self-appointed ambassadors about how they can lead their peers by example. And publicly praise brand-positive behaviors when they occur organically in the organization. Everyone wants to be praised. Eventually, they’ll figure it out.
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