Right now, sales teams want to be empowered with actionable advice. Here are five simple actions sales leaders can take to keep their teams motivated and running smoothly.
TIP #1 Be compassionate
Understand that everyone — your reps, peers, colleagues and customers — is going to experience and process what’s happening in different ways. Practice your listening skills. Listen to understand, rather than to respond or judge. Strive to be honest and human. No one has all the answers, and we should say this to our teams. Ask for flexibility as you navigate through the current environment together.
TIP #2 Prioritize
Acknowledge that many goals of the business remain the same despite the environment we’re in. This steadiness can offer a normalcy that your team can depend on during times of change. It’s also crucial to understand that now is the time to be proactive. Determine, as best you can, what your customers need today and focus on delivering that. Right now, this approach is a key to maintaining long-term relationships.
TIP #3 Communicate
Communication is at the core of what the sales profession is all about. This is a time for leaders to flex that muscle and over-communicate. Consider sending regular short videos, segmented by team to tailor messaging. Don’t worry about the quality — this is a time that DIY is expected and welcomed. Check in frequently — team members aren’t running into each other in office hallways. Physical distancing isn’t a reason to fall out of touch — just the opposite.
TIP #4 Be direct
In the current environment, sales reps crave guidance. This is a time to be prescriptive with your team. Give reps a strategy to follow and a tone to adopt. Consider creating a customer messaging toolkit for reps. By carefully honing your talking points, you can help reps focus on being helpful and avoid appearing opportunistic in interactions with buyers.
TIP #5 Rethink recognition
How will you reward and recognize wins in this environment? This is an area worth revisiting, in a time when meeting quota may be impossible for many reps. Consider rewarding proactive, positive behavior. Also think about rewarding reps who are using this time to lean into learning and volunteerism.
