Mike Weinberg’s new book Sales management Simplified really does give you the straight truth about getting exceptional results from your sales team.
Part One – gives you stories and examples to both look for AND watch out for.
Part Two – helps you dive in and amplify what your success AND what needs to change.
Here are my top take-away points that will help you turn your sales leadership and management UP to 11.
1. “The successful individual sales producer wins by being as selfish as possible with her time.” (pg 30) WHILE “The successful sales manager doesn’t win on her own; she wins through her people by helping them succeed.” (pg 31)
ASK yourself… “are you the hero or the hero-maker?” (pg 35)
2. Does your organization have sales role clarity?
My experience is that most b2b inside sales organizations (and as Mike points out b2b sales in general), do not have clarity.
Certainly some have SDR (sales development reps) that are looking for leads as well as ISR (inside sales reps) who are focused on closing business, yet even that delineation doesn’t actually give salespeople role clarity.
ASK yourself… if I asked each member of my team what their role is, would their answer be exactly the same?
3. “Salespeople are not paid to do work or to be busy. The job is to drive revenue.” (pg 57)
ASK yourself… what are the people on your team doing that doesn’t drive revenue?
4. Sales management can be broken down into three categories; Sales Leadership and Culture, Talent Management, and Sales Process.
ASK yourself… what activities are you spending time, energy, and effort on that DON’T fall into one of those categories?
5. Sales Culture drives EVERYTHING (see questions on pg 108-109).
ASK yourself… do you have a positive, energetic, results driven sales team?
6. Accountability Progression – Mike talks about starting with results, moving to pipeline, and then to activity. No that isn’t new BUT it is critical to use his progression to ensure you aren’t mired down in the activity if the results are there and their pipeline is full.
ASK yourself… when you have 1:1 meetings are they results focused?
7. Two questions to ask in your 1:1 meeting MUST be; name the new opportunities that are in your pipeline that weren’t’ here when we met last? AND what existing opportunities have moved forward in the sales process since last month? (pg 138)
ASK yourself… if a person on your team can’t answer either question – what have they been doing?
8. Set up a separate problem solving session. Mike talks about not being mired in the excuses or problem solving when you are having a results meeting with a salesperson on your team. My suggestion is to schedule a problem solving follow-up session DURING the results meeting to let the salesperson know they will have that conversation time with you as well.
ASK yourself… how often are you off the results track trying to “fix” THINGS?
9. Every salesperson MUST leave your sales meeting better equipped and more energized to do their job. (see pg 143)
ASK yourself… what are the attitude and energy level when people leave your sales meetings?
10. One of the most important activities a sales leader must do is observe their people doing the sales job – customer interaction! This is as true for your top performers, new hire, or mid-level salespeople.
ASK yourself… How much time do you spend y-ed in, observing, or on conference calls with your salespeople?
11. The collection of compelling customer facing sales stories is critical to your team’s sales success. They must be: “succinct, compelling, customer issue focused, differentiating” stories. (pg 193)
ASK yourself… does your team both have a well-crafted story of how you help your customers AND are they able to articulate it?
My recommendation is that you buy Sales Management. Simplified.: The Straight Truth About Getting Exceptional Results from Your Sales Team today, figure out what’s working for you AS WELL AS what isn’t, then choose one thing to change.
Not sure where to begin? Those 1:1 monthly results meetings would be the perfect habit to create!
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