You’re looking at sales figures and sigh.
Half your team is on plan. A couple are just a little behind plan and then—there are your stragglers—the ones that tend to eat up your mental bandwidth.
How do you coach these under performers to be top performers?
Is it a fit issue? Is it you? Or, is it lack of teamwork and mentorship? Let’s examine all three.
#1. A fit issue. The first area I advise sales leaders to look at when dealing with performance issues is their hiring process. Wha-a-a–t—the person is already hired. What good does that do me?
I get it, however, if an underperformer doesn’t improve, you’ll be back in hiring mode. And if you don’t take time to inspect your hiring process, you will be back in the exact same place—sighing.
You help your sales team get clear on their ideal client profile.
You have to do the same in your hiring practices. Get crystal clear on the attributes of your Ideal Sales Profile.
Herb Brooks was the 1980 Olympic hockey coach who led his team to gold. When recruiting players he said, “I’m not looking for the best players, I’m looking for the right players.”
Who are the right players for YOUR team at THIS time?
Sharpen your interview questions to determine if your potential candidate is a good fit, one that will help you win the “gold.”
- What’s the hardest you’ve ever worked? This question doesn’t mean that you’re looking to hire a workaholic. It does mean you’re looking for someone who knows and believes in the value of hard work needed to achieve goals. Years ago, I had a salesperson who was complaining because she wasn’t achieving her goals. She also wouldn’t attend early morning networking events which were necessary to grow her book of business. She lacked the work ethic needed to build a book of business.
- What’s the most difficult feedback you’ve ever received? I don’t know about you but managing eggshell salespeople is not my strength. If your candidate doesn’t provide an example, it could be a red flag. They’ve never sought out feedback OR when they received it, they simply ignored it. Down the road you could have a coachability problem which turns into a “grow-ability” problem.
- Tell me two or three new selling skills that you’ve mastered? Does this candidate have an appetite and aptitude for learning? In this fast-paced business environment, only the learners of the world will thrive. Underperformers often aren’t learners. They are a depreciating asset.
#2. YOU.
Ouch…this one stings. You could be the problem. You’re consistent about holding one-on-one coaching sessions. However, those sessions are more about pipeline inspection versus pipeline coaching.
News alert. Your salespeople can read reports and see the numbers.
Your job is to CHANGE the numbers. When you are conducting a pipeline inspection, look for patterns. Your underperformer is really good at filling the top of the funnel but their deals get stuck in the middle of the funnel. Coach to the data provided by the pipeline inspection.
“When you asked to set up meetings with other buying influences, what happened?”
- You might discover that your underperformer isn’t assertive enough to ask for meetings with other decision makers. Focus your coaching on developing their assertiveness skills so they stop meeting with people who have time but no authority.
“When you asked the prospect what made them open to considering another vendor, after they’ve been working with XYZ for ten years, what was the answer?”
- If your underperformer didn’t ask this question, it tells you that they are uncomfortable discussing the sales elephant in the room. Focus your coaching on non-productive belief systems to stop the flow of practice proposals.
“Where does this initiative or change fall on their list of priorities?”
- If the answer is, “I don’t know” there is a good chance your underperformer is falling into the assumption trap. They assume if a prospect is willing to meet with them, they are serious about making a change. Focus your coaching on helping the salesperson ask ALL the qualification questions to ensure they have a committed prospect in their pipeline.
#3. Lack of mentorship. It takes a sales village to win and retain business. Sales managers, you can’t be—nor should you be—the only one providing support, advice and encouragement.
One of the best ways to build a sales team and scale revenues is to create a mentorship culture. Set expectations around the behaviors and attitudes associated with a mentorship culture.
- On this team, no one goes it alone. This is especially important in environments where the team is dispersed across the country or the world.
- We mentor and help our teammates win and succeed. This means participating and contributing to group sales meetings, even when you’re exceeding quota. (Listen up seasoned reps.)
- We share best practices. No hoarding of information or winning strategies is allowed. The competition is outside of the building not inside the building. Your underperformers hear and learn the practices of top performers.
How do you coach an underperforming salesperson?
Avoid hiring non-coachable salespeople. Prevent the problem in the first place!
Evaluate your coaching skills. Are you engaging in pipeline inspection or pipeline coaching?
Create a mentorship mindset and culture.
Equip your underperformers with the tools to become top performers.
Good Selling and Leading!