- Coaches can spot our strengths and impart the essential skills that allow us to develop a strong foundation of knowledge.
- The notion applies to selling as well, where the evolution of an expert sales professional depends on the managers' capacity to train individuals with the required skill set.
- Coaching strategies can be curated to achieve different goals for sales professionals.
There are examples galore to drive home the point and importance of coaching – be it on the personal or the professional front. Consider the arena of sports – would players like
This principle of coaching holds true for various disciplines, and the art and science of selling is one of them. Sellers encounter multiple situations that demand falling back on informed instincts that stem from an acquired knowledge. Consistent coaching helps acquire this deep knowledge and enables sellers to drive better results for themselves and for their organisations.
But make no mistake, sales coaching is different from sales training. Sales training is the time you take to build the skills of your team, practice new scripts, measure new methods, or redefine the sales process. Sales coaching, on the other hand, is the time you spend showing each rep how to use those strategies in their day-to-day process and is the key ingredient to creating a forward-thinking sales professional.
Selling has come a long way from product selling to solution selling, to now, perspective selling. New-age customers are looking to upgrade their automated buying experience by leveraging the human touch of an empathetic sales professional. Such a professional can utilise their knowledge as an advantage to provide a valuable perspective, thereby initiating a consultative dialogue with the customer and adding value for both parties. The creation of such a proficient sales professional depends on the managers' ability to coach the right skills in the right way and establish a culture of coaching in the organisation.
An effective coaching culture can also be a great sales enabler, directly contributing to building resource value, maximising productivity, and capitalising revenue generation. This cannot be achieved by a simple training exercise or periodic appraisals, especially in today’s virtual-first world. Modern sales professionals are not just deal-closers, they have now evolved into problem solvers. This translates to a need for superior coaching - far above the generic training on technical proficiency. Each sales team consists of a diverse group of people with unique skill sets. Because of this, customised learning and development strategies, such as one-on-one coaching, can bring about a profound transformation.
What is needed is an iterative and personalised approach, starting at the managerial level, that empowers a resource to grow and contribute to the success of the organisation. Incorporating this culture of coaching in the sales strategy can dramatically augment the sales capability and produce growth-minded selling professionals.
Coaching strategies can be designed to accomplish different goals for sales professionals.
- Skill building and employee retention
- Maintaining a competitive upper hand
- Better resource utilisation
- Inter-departmental collaboration
Sales coaching is both an art and a science. It’s one of the most important components of sales management. Do it well, and your team’s results will speak for you. So, begin incorporating the various sales coaching techniques, tools, and tips to help your team close more deals, boost revenue, surpass quota, and grow better. After all, creating record-breaking players requires patience and hard work!
Disclaimer: This article is authored by