True story… I was talking recently with an agency-side market research professional that I’ve known for a long while. He not only heads up one of the primary service lines for his firm, but he’s also responsible for revenue generation for his team… the true definition of a ‘seller-doer.’
We talked about some of the challenges he’s facing in the marketplace, and as I asked some questions about his selling environment, the conversation slowly transitioned to a number of internal issues he’s facing – most of which, sadly, are far too common in our industry. And none of which are his fault…
Lack of Direction
He described his onboarding as, “Here’s your desk… now go sell some projects to support your team.”
Generally, I’d respond with, “Seriously?!”… but I’ve heard that same story too many times over the years to be surprised. If you want your seller-doers to succeed, you need to set them up for success. That should include on onboarding program that covers:
- your firm’s history and current status
- an introduction to and time with/shadowing colleagues
- a review of your firm’s internal processes and resources
- training on your CRM and other technology platforms
- full reports on clients/revenue in his department
- a list of former/lapsed clients
- a list of current clients not doing business with his department
- a list of any recent inquiries/new prospects
- an understanding of his sales ‘territory, ’ if applicable
- a review of sales goals and compensation
I understand a business owner’s desire to get his or her revenue generators out into the field as soon as possible, but with a ‘good luck & go get ‘em’ start… there’s really only one sure outcome. Failure!
Missing Expectations
This conversation occurred because he reached out to me. He was concerned that his efforts weren’t resulting in many early sales successes. In response, I asked him what expectations his boss had of him. He shrugged. What about sales goals? More shrugging.
His boss had sent him out into the world with little direction (see above) or what to expect and within what time frame. That is, there was no discussion about what success, mediocrity and failure look like.
Like any role in any organization, if an employee knows where the ‘goal line’ is, they’ll figure out how to get there. But if not, they’re likely in for some flailing and failing!
No Communications
So, my next question was, “Well, have you talked to your boss about these issues?” His response, “Not really… he’s super busy.” How about a weekly or biweekly sales conversation? “Nope.”
Of all the things that could have the greatest impact, regular communications between a seller-doer and his or her boss is #1. This interaction allows the seller-doer to get his or her questions answered, review the pipeline, get coaching on in-field challenges, discuss existing clients, get feedback on sales activities, etc. And yet his boss had no time for him. Sad.
Conclusion
Success in selling comes down to two things: good sales people and even better sales management. And while there is a litany of tasks that sales managers are responsible for, perhaps three of the most important are the ones we’ve outlined in this article…
- Direction: Be clear on what you want your seller-doers to do and the best way for them to get there.
- Expectations: Let your seller-doers know what success looks like. Be crystal clear on sales goals and the comp plan.
- Communications: More than anything, be available for your team. Be a resource. Be a manager and a coach. Your primary role is pretty simple… to help your seller-doers be successful.
Being a sales manager (regardless of what your actual title is) of seller-doers is a big challenge, particularly if sales management is not your full-time job. But it’s critical to helping your firm reach its revenue goals. Following the basic guidelines above can help lay the foundation for a successful program.