Sales Performance Coaching is defined as the ongoing practice and process by which Sales Leaders empower and support the learning, growth and sales performance improvement of an individual sales person, by clearly defining their goals, mapping out a strategy for their accomplishment and then providing regular guidance, feedback, insight and direction to ensure successful execution.
To achieve sustainable and real behavioural change requires much more than simply sending your people off to another sales training seminar or workshop program to be “trained.” To get a measurable improvement and have your sales people begin to do things differently will require a different approach. As the saying goes, “if you keep doing what you’ve been doing, you’ll keep getting what you’ve got!” If we want to see behavioural change we need to use proven adult learning strategies and behavioural change tactics to boost and enhance sales people’s capabilities.It is no secret that we learn best by doing. There is no question that we learn best when we are actively involved in what we are learning. However it’s not just enough simply to “just do!”
Sales Performance Coaching is very much an experiential “learning on the job” experience. As Sales Performance Coaches we coach in the field and in the meeting room. A Sales Performance Coach meets regularly with their sales people in their working environment and focuses on the critical issues the sales person is currently facing and the actions required to improve that specific area of sales performance.
As a Sales Performance Coach you will support your sales people to cut through all the “stuff” that comes at them on a daily basis. You will empower them with clarity and focus and where needed equip them by instruction and the tools required to execute their specific action plans.
Sales Performance Coaching is a function of 4 core practices of development:
Teaching involves providing the sales person with the skills and the knowledge they require in an effort to help them understand what they need to know in order to change their current approach.
Consultation involves identifying and analysing the specific issue or situation at hand and assist the sales person to clearly define the goal and map out a plan for their accomplishment.
Coaching involves helping the sales person to effect a change by self discovering the answers and thereby make adjustments to their current behaviour or approach.
Performance Management involves ensuring the sales person stays on track and accountable to the measurable performance activities required to achieve the goal.
Sales Performance Coaching will not guarantee overnight success. There is no “silver bullet” solution to increasing sales production. However, working regularly with your sales team, coaching, mentoring, guiding and supporting them, you will help them to grow their individual businesses.