You are a sales manager with a brand-new sales team. And this team is comprised of young salespeople. They are enthusiastic and eager; however, they have limited sales experience. There is SO much to learn in sales.
Where do you start?
Where should you focus to ensure their success in sales?
Here are three areas to consider when teaching and coaching young sales professionals:
#1. Teach and instill the habit of learning. Fact. We live in a world that change is a constant. Business changes. Customer’s needs change. Competitors change. In a world where change is a given, continuous learning is a habit which ensures current and future sales success. If you don’t have a learning sales organization, you will be obsolete and non-relevant in six months.
Assign books and podcasts for your team to listen to and read. Allocate time in your group sales meetings to discuss how the new learnings can be applied to their day-to-day selling situations. Your sales team will hit their happiness quota and sales quota because when you know better you do better. Sales becomes easier and more enjoyable when you know what you are doing!
#2. Teach your young salespeople to embrace feedback. The reality is that you are going to screw up as you are developing selling skills.
That is great! Because it means the salesperson is trying new sales skills and approaches.
However, human beings tend to take things personally. As a result, they also get a little defensive when receiving well-intended and well-needed advice from their boss.
Remind your young salespeople that feedback is a form of caring. Renowned psychotherapist Harris Stratyner, Ph.D., coined the term “Carefrontation.” In very simple terms, it means I care enough about you to give you input about behaviors that will improve your personal and professional success.
Reframe feedback and you will help younger salespeople to improve their ability to hear and apply feedback and coaching.
#3. Teach the EQ skill of delayed gratification skills. Delayed gratification is the ability to put in the work to earn the reward. Teach your sales team to avoid the pull of instant gratification.
Put in the work to learn new selling skills and habits.
Put in the work to practice these new selling skills.
Mastery is accomplished through repetition. Mastery is difficult. There is no such thing as an overnight sales success. Remember it takes 21 days to make something new a habit.
Instill, teach and model continuous learning, asking for feedback and developing delayed gratification skills. Help your young sales professionals achieve the success they deserve and desire.
Good Selling!
