Call a salesperson what you will — account executive, marketing rep-resentative, sales team member, the list goes on. The reality is that sales “management” is no longer the optimum way to bring out the best in your team. Sales “coaching” is.

A decade ago, sales managers could barely spell “coach.” But within the past few years, sales representatives have reported being coached as a top reason for their success.

So is this a gimmick or the newest hot phrase to sell books, seminars and teleconferences? I don’t think so. As a professional coach, I have seen countless businesses change their entire approach toward sales and the management of their sales team through coaching — and they’ve got the new accounts to show for the effort.

Most sales managers want to coach, and most salespeople want to be coached. But many sales organizations are struggling with how to make this happen and to change the way they do business.

What Is Sales Coaching?

A 2007 study of 2,000 salespeople by the Sales Executive Council found that salespeople who received three or more hours of sales coaching per month on average reached 107 percent of their quota, compared to 88 percent of quota for salespeople who received little or no coaching. The Chally World-Class Sales Executive Report identified sales coaching as one of the top seven benchmarks of world-class sales organizations.

So what is sales coaching and why does it have such an impact on a sales team? The answer lies with each salesperson being coached.

A generational paradigm has taken place under our noses: The people we have in sales today are very different from the old guard. This generation of reps has been “coached” throughout their entire lives, and the last thing they want is a boss. Sales coaching improves the performance of your sales team because you work with sales reps instead of having them work for you.

The sales coach does not always call the shots with his or her sales team; he or she looks at the time spent with the team as developmental, not evaluative. Coaches not only encourage their team but also take a shared ownership in their team members’ success.

Overcoming Coaching Obstacles

There are three obstacles that can get in the way of sales coaching: 1) directing and not collaborating; 2) not spending enough time with your team; and 3) talking and not listening.

Remember that there is a fine line between managing and coaching, evaluation and development. In sales coaching, there is less directing and more collaboration.

By directing a salesperson, you will miss the chance to see where he is on the motivational and/or learning curve. You will also miss the opportunity to know how each individual salesperson sees a certain situation and what he would do to remedy it.

Directing voids almost all interaction because when you are too busy directing, you are not listening and probing. If you think coaching sounds a lot like sales, you are correct.

Another coaching obstacle is making the time for your sales team without interruptions. Your reps need to know that they are the most important people in your day. You need to give them your presence. You also need to follow-up with general calls or emails to check in and see how they are doing.

Doing all of the talking and not really listening to your salespeople may move your agenda ahead, but it does little to engage them for sustained growth, either personally or professionally. All sales leaders have an agenda. You have a quota to hit, goals to achieve and you have a boss to report to.

Be careful not to let your agenda get in the way of your coaching because that could negate any true growth. Make coaching a part of your agenda.

Coaching is a culture that must envelop the entire organization. Coaches need to be coached themselves. You cannot have a sales coach who is managed by a boss. This just does not fit. If you are an HME owner who is bossing your coach in hopes that he will coach your team — wrong.

Develop a Sales Coaching Process

To begin the sales coaching process, you must first understand the five steps of sales coaching:

STEP 1: Connect with your rep.

• Pay attention to the relationship between you and your salesperson. This will make both of you more comfortable.
• Establish rapport. Let your team know you are there to help and that you will be working together to improve the situation.
• Be hard on the issues, not on the people. Coach people, manage processes.

STEP 2: Compare perceptions.

They talk first. Sixty-five percent of all sales managers open their coaching sessions by asking a question. By asking questions you will:

• Learn where the salesperson is on the curve.
• Discover his insights, skills and judgment.
• Be able to give specific feedback and direct your coaching.

STEP 3: Consider ‘obstacles.’

Get the salesperson’s perception of the obstacle. One common example of a sales obstacle for HME company reps is getting past the receptionist to see the referral source. Another might be if your sales rep says the referral source will only see him if he brings lunch.

Talk about your perception of the obstacle. In the case of the stubborn receptionist, for instance, find out what your rep has done so far to get past her. In the case of taking in lunch, ask what the referral source means: Would “lunch” be for a lot of people?

Spend up to 30 percent of your sales coaching on these two actions.

Once you reach an agreement about the need for change, help the salesperson consider what is blocking his progress to the desired behavior. Offer alternatives in getting past the receptionist: Maybe there is a better time of day to visit when the office isn’t crowded and she isn’t so busy. Discuss what your company would gain if your rep does take lunch to the referral source.

STEP 4: Remove obstacles.

The salesperson removes an obstacle based on dialog from Step 3. As the sales coach, you add value and encourage the decision about getting around that obstacle.

STEP 5: Commit to action.

What needs to be done? Turn your joint decision into an action plan, and give it a timeline. Put some detail into the action steps, as they will be the map for the success of the salesperson. With the receptionist, for example, this might mean going with your sales rep to help. Summarize the action plan.

Start Coaching for Success

So what is stopping you from sales coaching today? You have the basic tools, now all you need to do is develop your plan and stick to it. The investment of your time in coaching your sales team will be a deposit in the future success of your business.

With 20 years of experience, Ty Bello is a Registered Corporate Coach and the president and founder of Team@Work, a business coaching organization specializing in the assessment, development and coaching of individuals and teams in the HME industry. You can reach him at [email protected] or 260/493-7965.

It’s Really Pretty Simple

• Understand what sales coaching really is.
• Overcome sales coaching obstacles.
• Develop a sales coaching process for your business and your team.
• Start coaching for success!