Producer… Rainmaker… Account Representative… Salesperson.
Whatever you call the person in this role, there is no more valuable function in any organization than the individual or team that completes a sale for products and services.
A skillfully trained sales team can generate new prospects that can lead to enormous returns for a company. But no matter how good a salesperson or team is, certain pillars must be in place to support the efforts of any stellar sales team.
It’s the job of the sales support team to handle administrative and other office duties for the sales team. Sales assistants, automated sales programs, or enhanced customer service can be helpful support tools to any sales organization. These tools free up the sales team to focus on the demanding and lucrative business of selling.
Based on my experience, three critical but foundational pillars must be in place to reinforce an effective sales team. After all, without sales, what’s the purpose of operating a business?
Use the following sales support tips to make your sales team stronger.
1. Understand That All Employees Sell
Sales support personnel perform many functions that help sales representatives do their job more effectively. Even if they don’t realize it, everyone from the warehouse crew to the bookkeeper support sales in some way.
They stock and deliver inventory. They arrange appointments for customers and prospects. They notify the sales team of problems that might affect customer relationships. They manage incoming receipts and outgoing expenditures. They handle customer phone calls, e-mails, and letters.
Most employees don’t understand or appreciate how their jobs contribute to—or take away from—sales efforts, customer retention, and company growth. It’s no surprise that a lapse in the speed or quality of service leads to customer dissatisfaction. The result—a loss of the business gained by the salesperson’s diligent efforts, a loss of future sales, and reduced profitability for the company.
2. Ensure Sales Managers Know How to Sell
Today, sales managers who do not perform or have not performed the same job as the people they manage, don’t have the same credibility as those who do. It’s tough to really know what it’s like out there from behind a desk.
The primary responsibility of a sales manager is to cultivate salespeople, both in quantity and quality. However, knowing firsthand how to sell and overcome sales challenges increases the likelihood of training success. To keep the sales manager’s skills sharp and make management time more efficient, consider providing the manager with an administrative assistant.
3. Boost Training, Planning, and Preparation
Never cut training costs, particularly in hard times. The harder the times, the more critical it is to provide training. It’s important to train your sales staff before you turn them loose on your customers and prospects. If you don’t, you risk damage to your reputation and loss of sales.
The success or failure of 90% of all sales calls is determined prior to the first call. Even experience is not a substitute for pre-call planning. Some plan on the way to the call. Some don’t plan at all. But your sales champions always pre-plan. Champions can spend as many as three hours planning for a 15-minute sales call. The better you train your sales team, the better the results for your entire company.
To close more business, successful sales people take advantage of training and collaborate effectively with their support teams. Sales people who use a variety of support and educational resources have more time to focus on prospecting, selling, and keeping their clients and employer satisfied.
To get more information and receive other no-cost special audio downloads, reports, articles, blog posts, and more, visit Ron Hequet where I cover valuable topics that every person wanting to grow their business or career needs to know. And, if you’re ready to take your business to the next level, get a free assessment from me personally at Free Business Assessment or for those wanting to build your career go to Complimentary Coaching Assessment