(By Loyd Ford) You hear that selling is always a question of numbers. The more people you see, the more people you sell. Every sales manager knows this (and sellers do, too). Of course, you know that is true, don’t you?
But it isn’t exactly true. One of the biggest tricks you can teach yourself is not that you shouldn’t go see so-and-so because of XYZ (whatever fear is working on you). The biggest trick is to push, push, push to go see more prospects no matter what your brain tells you is a good reason to just send a text. Or an email. Or to skip it.
But don’t just go for a visit. Visiting doesn’t actually count when it comes to you getting paid.
If I had one opportunity to bring my sales team together each week, I wouldn’t waste it. I know you won’t either. I would find a way to explain my responsibility to the sellers I am charged with helping.
I would tell them that in each sales meeting from now on we will schedule one seller to present an active proposal they plan to put in front of a prospect in the coming week and I will do this selecting in advance a different seller for this presentation each week in our regular sales meeting.
Not A Time To Criticize
Without skipping a beat, I would make sure that everyone in the room knows this isn’t to single anyone out or to criticize anyone. In fact, we will be doing the opposite. We will be depending on all of us individually for support because we are stronger together.
You see, an exercise like this – one presentation in a sales meeting each week – allows all of us to watch, learn, contribute and encourage each other. And that’s important because sales is a tough business.
When you make this a part of your regular weekly sales meeting, it is important to share “No one in this room is exempt from the pressure of wanting to do well and having to face a series of tests each week that other non-sales co-workers never have to face. Selling. This process is designed to give you more confidence and to help you close more business regularly.”
You know that doing this exercise each week will strengthen the presentations your team makes individually. If you avoid criticism in this process and use this weekly opportunity as an opening to discuss, inspire, praise and improve, you can truly use this weekly exercise as a strengthening tool for your individual sellers. Even more, it will encourage more presentations by your team because their confidence will rise.
This exercise isn’t about doing this two or three or four times in a row. That’s for amateurs. Adding this weekly exercise is all about the consistency of your sellers knowing that this happens every single week and preparing….more.
The more people you see when you are prepared with the best presentations, the more people you sell. That’s the secret truth and it isn’t a secret at all. Go forth and have a great and confident week.
Loyd Ford is president and chief strategic officer at Rainmaker Pathway Consulting Works (RPC). They help local radio with ratings and revenue. Reach him anytime at 864.448.4169 or [email protected]. Read Loyd’s Radio Ink archives here.
