Sales Manager Skills: How to Help Your Struggling Sales Pro
Your salesperson is struggling – we can help.
As a leader, mentor, or coach, it’s inevitable that at some point we’ll be called upon or need to help a struggling team member. Your sales manager skills here can make a world of difference and get them back on track – sooner, rather than later.
Whenever someone is struggling, we should approach the situation with a sense of empathy and curiosity – much like we do when meeting a prospective buyer for the first time. Be coffee worthy and get curious. What’s changed in their life recently – personally or professionally, to cause a shift in their behavior and/or results? This is a great opportunity to use one of our favorite Shore Consulting focus statements, “Tell me more about that.”
Take the necessary time to have a deeper, more meaningful conversation, so that you can really understand and identify the root cause of the recent shift. Are you dealing with a skill-related issue, a mindset issue, or both? In other words, is this a “can’t do it” struggle (which is about capability) or a “won’t do it” struggle (which is about motivation)? Knowing and understanding the root cause of the problem will enable you to have the right approach.
Don’t Wait on the Salesperson
On a scale of 1-10 (1 being amazingly easy and 10 being outrageously uncomfortable) how easy is it for someone to go to their boss and admit that they’re struggling to get results? It’s not easy – no matter how dynamic or approachable the leader perceives themselves to be. Chances are, your salesperson will only come to you as a last resort, or simply not come to you at all.
There is good news, however. You, as a sales leader, have the power to be proactive versus reactive, by opening lines of communication ahead of any struggles. Even something as simple as sharing a story about a past struggle you had, and how you overcame it, will go a long way in helping your team feel comfortable coming to you with their challenges. “How can I help?” or “I’m curious, what are you struggling with?” are also good conversation starters. And it never hurts to remind your sales pros that you are there to help grow and support them in being their best selves – and that ultimately, you’re successful when they’re successful.
Mindset
“Sales slumps are fun!” – said no one, ever. The truth is, being in a sales slump is mentally challenging for your salesperson – it shakes their confidence. So, as you work through their challenges, look for ways to restore their confidence in their ability to do their job well.
Skillset
Make training a part of your normal routine and block it on your calendar. Get out in the field as much as possible to see your salespeople in action. Oftentimes these observations are far more telling than results alone. Not only that but being highly visible to your people shows you care enough to be present.
Start with the fundamentals and celebrate the wins!
Break the sales process down into very manageable steps and only work and focus on one specific skill at a time. Remember to celebrate their progress and their behaviors before the results, and don’t move on to the next skill until mastery is achieved and their confidence has been restored. And it’s always best to start and end training and practice with an “I believe in you” message to encourage further practice and development.
Being in a sales slump doesn’t mean that they aren’t a good salesperson – it just means they’ve lost their way. If you can help them find their way back, you’ll not only change their world but change the world of those they serve.
