Sales Management. Simplified.: The Straight Truth About Getting Exceptional Results from Your Sales Team

by Mike Weinberg

It is not acceptable to tell the salesperson that he needs to “show improvement.” Spell. It. Out. Specifically, what kind of improvement? “Johnny, I understand that you may not necessarily be able to close X number of new deals or Y dollars in the next sixty days. However, we need to put a firm stake in the ground to evaluate your progress. Here’s what I am asking you to commit to as a demonstration that you are serious about turning around your performance (the following numbers are for illustration purposes only and have no meaning): In the next sixty days, you need to have 1. Secured eighteen discovery meetings with named target accounts 2. Created eight new opportunities in the pipeline, two of which need to reach Phase M and two more need to get to Phase N. “Johnny, are we clear on the expectations?” Johnny nods. You continue, “I’d like you to write up a mini-plan naming the specific existing accounts and prospects that you are going to pursue for those eighteen meetings. Within two days, I also want to see your planning calendar for the next two months so I can arrange to spend some time working with you in the field. And you and I will begin meeting every week instead of every month. When we meet each week, first you’ll update me on your progress and then I’ll be happy to spend the rest of the time helping and coaching you. All right, Johnny, repeat back what we just agreed on so I know we’re on the same page.” The second critical characteristic for a successful rem...

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