“A little more time, please!” There are seven million and one things on my mind and Feliz Navidad is stuck in my brain since my last visit to the bodega. And the quarterly reports are looking sad and lonely with deadlines looming and sales projections crying to be thrown up in the air while gasoline in one hand and blow torch in the other hand work together to make light! Yes, it’s that time of year again…
Motivational quotes, employee incentives, and even handwritten thank you notes on my favorite 100% cotton note paper are just not cutting it for my sales team. The end of the quarter is coming up and I’m really looking forward to hitting the finish line strong. Not to mention, collecting on that extra bonus while earning the respect and attention of other Sales Managers is simply blissful (insert smily face).
If you’re a Sales Manager trying to lead your team to a solid finish this year but are stuck in a funk because you’ve tried pushing, motivating, guiding and empowering your sales team(s) with one-on-one coaching sessions, webinars, incentives, and anything that’ll help them close deals but no progress has been made then, frown face, you clearly have a problema. And time is running out!
Here are the top 3 reasons Sales Professional don’t close strong at the end of the year:
IDENTITY CRISIS. Sales professionals take up the majority of their time identifying Decision Makers. Identifying the Decision Maker on a deal can save a ton of time, energy and bullshit. I mean, just think of all the lunch money and adult beverages you can save by simply getting the Decision Maker to give you a straight “Si” (that’s yes in Spanish) or “No” (that’s no in Spanish) with a smile. ***Side bar – everyone smiles in the same language. Go ahead, try it. No one is looking plus it’ll make you feel better:).SHHH It’s a Secret. Being silent until success hits and a deal finally closes is fair but no bueno! My 3rd grade teacher use to say “sharing is caring” but in the sales world that cliché may be considered dangerous or detrimental for fear of sharing too much DNA of a deal. Silent sales professionals could cause a major collapse in team collaboration.JUST DO IT. Taking measured and strategic action is vital. The holidays create a crazy energetic vibe that undoubtedly freak everyone out. There’s no doubt everyone wants to leave a meaningful legacy and close several major deals in their lifetime but lack of realistic planning fogs the mind and two things happen. You take action but not the right tactical approach. Or you do nothing at all and adjust the deal close date to 3 months out.
All of the above mentioned issues are real and happen to 75% of Sales Professionals. Here are three quick tips to help sales teams develop a game plan with focus, motivation, and excitement about getting to the finish line and reaching their yearly goals.
THE PTP METHOD (PTP = PINPOINT THE PROBLEM). Don’t spend thousands of dollars without really understanding el problema (the problem). Look for simple solutions like DealCoach Pro to help sales reps qualify deals, get real time coaching, and increase collaboration between managers and teams.Touch with technology. Bill Golder co-founder of Deal Coach Pro says technology can be a real asset with regards to collaboration in real-time. Salespeople appreciate input and ideas from others, but often prefer it to be at the time they need it vs. waiting for a team meeting or scheduled call. Software tools like Deal Coach Pro can provide an efficient platform to drive collaboration and coaching from across the organization in real-time.
Chill out. The moment you start acting like your career is a blessing, it starts being one.
Whether you are a Sales Manager or Sales Professional know that people do business with people they trust and admire. And getting real time coaching on creating actionable and realistic goals can influence a relationship and get you to the finish line!
Feliz (almost) Navidad!
Sixcia (Six-See-Ya)