Most of us take our car in every six months for a check-up and every few years for a full tune-up.
Smart sales managers act like good auto mechanics. They get under the hood of their sales car and run regular diagnostics on their teams. So, before you add more “sales miles,” slow down and pull into your own sales service bay. And like a good mechanic, check for warning lights.
Below, you’ll find a few areas for inspection. It’s certainly not the complete list; however, it’s a good starting point.
#1. Inspect your hiring process. This is the most important process to check because your salespeople are the ones driving results. Gone are the days when we can hire lone rangers. You know, those individuals that work really well alone, are self-starters—and in some cases— don’t play well with others.
In today’s fast-moving world, it takes a sales village filled with sales mentors to navigate the accelerated pace of change.
Research shows that the average person processes as much a seventy-four gigabytes of information daily. That is like watching sixteen movies!
In the day and age of information overload, we can’t go it alone. We need teams filled with salespeople who are collaborative and team players.
Here’s a “road-test” question to get you started in your next interview. “Can you share with me a time when you helped someone else achieve a goal of which you received not recognition or credit.”
The answer will tell you if you’re interviewing a self-centered individual or person focused on helping others.
#2: Re-evaluate your ideal client profile. This is similar to your car’s wheel alignment. When your alignment is off, you burn up tires. When your team is pursuing targets that are not aligned with the value you bring, salespeople burn up time writing practice proposals for prospects that are never going to buy.
Evaluating your ICP requires a healthy dose of reality testing and creative thinking.
The reality is there are industries that may not need or value your services because artificial intelligence is now fulfilling that need.
Accept the reality and get creative. Look at new industries who still need and value what you offer. Think out of the box, get out of the box and let go of old ways of doing business.
For example, in my business, it means finding companies who are experiencing a LOT of change AND the team is stressing out and burning out. They value emotional intelligence skills such as emotion management, self-awareness, belief systems, and resiliency because these skills help their sales teams navigate through this perpetual change curve.
Hold a discussion with your sales team and ask:
- What are the current problems our clients are wrestling with that only we can solve or are best suited to solve?
- What are undiscovered challenges that our prospects and clients don’t even see?
Get clear on your ICP.
#3. Assess your sales messaging. Just like a car, a weak spark results in a weak start. Examine the language used in outreaches, email, or social media. Is it attracting your ideal client profile or is the message reflective of a problem that was an issue five years ago for your clients?
Apply emotional intelligence skills. Does your value proposition demonstrate empathy and expertise? When it does, prospects will stop and think, “Finally, someone who understands my world.”
When people feel heard and understood, likeability, credibility, and the desire to connect dramatically increase.
Let’s make sure that your 2026 engine isn’t headed for a roadside failure.
Replace a hiring process that isn’t vetting for team players and collaborators.
Realign your ICP to markets that still need and value your services.
Revamp your sales messaging so that every touch sparks interest.
Good Selling and Leading!