In this episode, John Golden talks with Geoff Ketterer, a sales expert who works to restore failing teams. Most sales teams fail because of inept leadership, lack of teamwork and slow follow-ups. Geoff shares some very basic ways to handle these problems and create a high performing and motivated team.
Signs of a Struggling Sales Team
Geoff says there are a few clear warning signs:
- Missed Goals: The team keeps failing to achieve the set sales targets.
- Low Morale: The sales people are demoralized and uninterested in their work.
- Lack of Teamwork: Conflict and competition hamper performance.
- Slow Lead Follow-Up: The team has a slow time in responding to new leads.
These issues make it difficult for teams to perform and retain customers as they should.
Leadership Makes the Difference
Geoff thinks that leadership is the key to whether a sales team will be successful or not. A good leader would inspire the team, provide direction, and create a good atmosphere. Managers should not accuse the sales people but instead check on how they are managing the team and try to change that.
The Power of Tracking the Right Metrics
This paper aims at exploring what numbers sales teams should watch in order to tell whether they are on the right track. Unfortunately, not all companies pay attention to the number of closed deals as there are other factors that matter. One key metric is “speed to lead.” Research shows that it is important to respond to the lead as soon as possible. The longer you stay without responding, the higher the chance of not closing the deal.
How to Handle Slow Lead Follow-Ups
If a team is slow in responding to leads, it could be because they have not put in place a process. Geoff has some quick tips, which include using automation tools or creating a Slack channel to notify the reps when there is a new lead. These are small changes that can make a big difference.
Building a Sales Team That Cannot Lose
A good sales culture is one that is both inspirational and disciplinary. Sales crews require motivation, but they also require a reporting structure. It is important for leaders to appreciate people’s hard work, encourage teamwork and set goals.
Controlling the Behavior of Difficult Teammates
One negative thinking individual can be a set back to the entire team. Geoff suggests that the leaders should act and define some guidelines for collaboration. It is just like in sports, every player has to contribute to the team’s success and not only for his or her benefit.
Playing to Team Strengths
Instead of trying to address the weaknesses, Geoff advises concentrating on the strengths. If a sales person is good at generating leads but lacks the skills in turning them into clients, they should work with a skilled closure. This way, everyone works on their strong points, and the team works efficiently.
Salespeople must know what they are expected to do and what will happen if they do not accomplish it. Leaders should define objectives and goals, monitor the process and provide comments and feedback. This in turn makes the salespeople more efficient and motivated in their work.
Always Be Hiring
Even if a company does not have any vacancies, the sales managers should always keep their eyes open for potential candidates. It is beneficial to conduct interviews for potential candidates on a regular basis so that it will be easy to replace poor performers when the need arises. This way, businesses always have talented individuals who can replace members of the team if the need arises.
Conclusion: Turning Sales Teams Around
Geoff’s advice can help any failing sales team to improve. The key steps include:
- Watching on the numbers that matter most (including the lead response time).
- Establishing a good and encouraging team environment.
- Taking advantage of the potentials of each salesperson rather than their weaknesses.
- Providing salespeople with certain goals to achieve and making sure they know the consequences of not achieving them.
- To always be in a position to employ the best talent.
Therefore, using these simple but effective ways, sales teams can increase their performance and obtain more sales.
Our Host
John is the Amazon bestselling author of Winning the Battle for Sales: Lessons on Closing Every Deal from the World’s Greatest Military Victories and Social Upheaval: How to Win at Social Selling. A globally acknowledged Sales & Marketing thought leader, speaker, and strategist, he has conducted over 1500 video interviews of thought leaders for Sales POP! online sales magazine & YouTube Channel and for audio podcast channels where Sales POP! is rated in the top 2% of most popular shows out of 3,320,580 podcasts globally, ranked by Listen Score. He is CSMO at Pipeliner CRM. In his spare time, John is an avid Martial Artist.
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