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Was ist ein Sales Coach?

Ein Verkaufstrainer ist ein Fachmann, der Verkaufsprofis dabei hilft, ihre Fähigkeiten und ihr Wissen weiterzuentwickeln, mit dem Ziel, ihre Verkaufsleistung zu verbessern. Vertriebstrainer können mit Einzelpersonen oder kleinen Gruppen von Vertriebsmitarbeitern arbeiten und eine Vielzahl von Techniken anwenden, wie z.B. Einzelcoaching, Rollenspiele und interaktive Aktivitäten, um Vertriebsprofis dabei zu helfen, die Fähigkeiten und Kenntnisse zu entwickeln, die sie für ihren Erfolg benötigen.

Verkaufstrainer können sich auf eine Reihe von Themen konzentrieren, darunter Verkaufsstrategie, Verkaufstechniken, Kundenbeziehungsmanagement, Kommunikationsfähigkeiten und Problemlösung. Sie können auch mit Vertriebsleitern, Vertriebsmanagern und Vertriebsprofis zusammenarbeiten, um persönliche oder berufliche Herausforderungen zu erkennen und zu überwinden, die ihre Vertriebsleistung behindern könnten.

Sales Coaches sind in der Regel selbst erfahrene Vertriebsprofis mit einer nachgewiesenen Erfolgsbilanz und haben möglicherweise einen Hintergrund im Vertriebsmanagement oder Training. Sie können mit Vertriebsprofis aller Ebenen zusammenarbeiten, von Berufsanfängern bis hin zu erfahrenen Vertriebsmanagern und Vertriebsleitern.

Insgesamt kann ein Vertriebscoach eine wertvolle Ressource für Vertriebsprofis sein, die ihre Fähigkeiten verbessern und ihre Vertriebsleistung steigern möchten.

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1. Was sind die Vorteile von Vertriebscoaching?

Vertriebscoaching bietet eine Reihe von Vorteilen für Vertriebsmitarbeiter, Vertriebsleiter und Unternehmen insgesamt, darunter

a) Verbesserte Verkaufsleistung: Indem es Vertriebsmitarbeitern hilft, ihre Fähigkeiten und ihr Wissen zu entwickeln, kann das Vertriebscoaching zur Verbesserung ihrer Vertriebsleistung beitragen. Dazu können höhere Umsätze, höhere Konversionsraten und eine bessere Kundenzufriedenheit gehören.

b) Gesteigertes Selbstvertrauen und Motivation: Vertriebscoaching kann dazu beitragen, dass sich Vertriebsmitarbeiter in ihrer Rolle sicherer und motivierter fühlen, was zu einer besseren Leistung führen kann.

c) Personalisierte Entwicklung: Vertriebscoaching ist in der Regel individueller als ein Vertriebstraining, da es auf die spezifischen Bedürfnisse und Ziele des Einzelnen oder der kleinen Gruppe zugeschnitten ist. Dadurch kann es Vertriebsmitarbeitern effektiver helfen, die Fähigkeiten und Kenntnisse zu entwickeln, die sie für ihren Erfolg benötigen.

d) Größere Verantwortlichkeit: Beim Vertriebscoaching werden oft spezifische Ziele gesetzt und die Fortschritte verfolgt, was den Vertriebsmitarbeitern helfen kann, ihre Ziele zu erreichen und motiviert zu bleiben.

e) Verbesserte Teamkultur: Vertriebscoaching kann dazu beitragen, eine positive und unterstützende Teamkultur zu fördern, was zu einer besseren Zusammenarbeit und Teamwork führen kann.

Insgesamt kann Vertriebscoaching eine wertvolle Ressource für Vertriebsprofis und Unternehmen sein, die ihre Vertriebsleistung verbessern und langfristigen Erfolg erzielen möchten.

2. Der Business Case für Vertriebscoaching

Hier sind einige Statistiken, die den Bedarf an Vertriebscoaching belegen:

a) Unternehmen, die in Vertriebscoaching investieren, erzielen im Durchschnitt eine Umsatzsteigerung von 8,9 %: Laut einer Studie des Corporate Executive Board verzeichnen Unternehmen, die in Vertriebscoaching investieren, innerhalb des ersten Jahres eine durchschnittliche Umsatzsteigerung von 8,9 %.

b) Vertriebsmitarbeiter, die ein Coaching erhalten, erreichen ihre Ziele mit größerer Wahrscheinlichkeit: Untersuchungen des Sales Executive Council haben ergeben, dass Vertriebsmitarbeiter, die gecoacht werden, ihre Ziele mit 63% höherer Wahrscheinlichkeit erreichen als solche, die nicht gecoacht werden.

c) Coaching führt zu einer höheren Produktivität: Eine Studie der International Coach Federation ergab, dass Coaching zu einer Produktivitätssteigerung von 86% führt.

d) Coaching führt zu einer besseren Mitarbeiterbindung: Laut einer Studie des Corporate Executive Board haben Unternehmen mit hochwertigen Coaching-Programmen eine um 7% niedrigere Fluktuationsrate als Unternehmen ohne Coaching-Programme.

e) Coaching führt zu einer höheren Kundenzufriedenheit: Eine Studie des Corporate Executive Board ergab, dass Unternehmen mit hochwertigen Coaching-Programmen eine um 13,5 % höhere Kundenzufriedenheit aufweisen als Unternehmen ohne Coaching-Programme.

Diese Statistiken zeigen, welch erheblichen Einfluss das Vertriebscoaching auf die Verkaufsleistung, die Produktivität, die Mitarbeiterbindung und die Kundenzufriedenheit haben kann.

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3. Individuelles Verkaufscoaching vs. Gruppenverkaufscoaching

Beim individuellen Vertriebscoaching arbeiten Sie mit einem einzelnen Vertriebsmitarbeiter auf einer Eins-zu-Eins-Basis zusammen, um ihm bei der Entwicklung bestimmter Fähigkeiten und Kenntnisse zu helfen. Diese Art von Coaching ist in der Regel persönlicher und auf die spezifischen Bedürfnisse und Ziele des Einzelnen zugeschnitten.

Das individuelle Coaching kann persönlich oder virtuell stattfinden und eine Reihe von Themen wie Verkaufsstrategie, Geschäftsentwicklung und Verkaufsgespräche umfassen. Ein effektiver Verkaufstrainer würde auch Einzelgespräche über Techniken, den Verkaufszyklus, die Steuerung von Verkaufsgesprächen, Rollenspiele, interaktive Aktivitäten und Feedbackgespräche anbieten. Die Aufgabe eines Verkaufstrainers ist es, das Vertrauen der Verkäufer zu stärken und sie zu ermutigen, über ihre eigene Verkaufsleistung nachzudenken.

Es ist nicht die Aufgabe des Verkaufstrainers, Mitarbeiter zu motivieren. Top-Performer im Vertrieb sind nicht nur durch Umsatzziele und mehr Verkäufe motiviert, sondern auch durch ihre eigene berufliche Entwicklung.

Beim Gruppen-Coaching hingegen arbeiten Sie mit einer kleinen Gruppe von Verkaufsprofis zusammen, um ihnen bei der Entwicklung ihrer Fähigkeiten und Kenntnisse zu helfen. Gruppen-Coaching kann persönlich oder virtuell durchgeführt werden und eine Reihe von Techniken beinhalten, wie z.B. Gruppendiskussionen, interaktive Aktivitäten und Rollenspiele.

Gruppen-Coaching kann ein effektiver Weg sein, um Vertriebsprofis dabei zu helfen, voneinander zu lernen und bewährte Verfahren auszutauschen. Ein effektiver Vertriebscoach kann an Teambesprechungen teilnehmen, wöchentliche Vertriebsbesprechungen unterstützen und die Leistungsverbesserung des gesamten Vertriebsteams vorantreiben.

Insgesamt können sowohl Einzel- als auch Gruppencoaching wirksame Ansätze für die Vertriebsentwicklung sein. Welcher Ansatz am besten geeignet ist, hängt von den spezifischen Bedürfnissen und Zielen des Vertriebsteams oder der Einzelperson sowie von den für die Entwicklung verfügbaren Ressourcen und der verfügbaren Zeit ab.

4. Wie erstelle ich ein Vertriebscoaching-Programm?

Die Erstellung eines Vertriebscoaching-Programms kann ein komplexer Prozess sein, der sorgfältige Planung und Liebe zum Detail erfordert. Hier sind einige Schritte, die Sie bei der Erstellung eines effektiven Vertriebscoaching-Programms berücksichtigen sollten:

a) Definieren Sie Ihre Ziele: Definieren Sie klar und deutlich Ihre Ziele für das Coaching-Programm. Was möchten Sie erreichen? Welche besonderen Fähigkeiten oder Kenntnisse möchten Sie in Ihrem Verkaufsteam entwickeln? Klare Ziele helfen Ihnen, ein Programm zu entwerfen, das Ihren Bedürfnissen entspricht und Ihnen hilft, Ihre Ziele zu erreichen.

b) Bestimmen Sie Ihr Zielpublikum: Bestimmen Sie, für wen Ihr Coaching-Programm gedacht ist. Soll es für Ihr gesamtes Verkaufsteam sein oder nur für eine bestimmte Gruppe? Wenn Sie Ihr Zielpublikum verstehen, können Sie das Programm auf dessen spezifische Bedürfnisse und Ziele zuschneiden.

c) Bestimmen Sie das Format: Entscheiden Sie sich für das Format Ihres Coaching-Programms. Wird es persönlich, virtuell oder eine Kombination aus beidem sein? Berücksichtigen Sie bei der Wahl eines Formats Faktoren wie Bequemlichkeit, Kosten und die Vorlieben Ihrer Zielgruppe.

d) Wählen Sie einen Coach: Wählen Sie einen Coach, der über die nötige Erfahrung und Kompetenz verfügt, um Ihre Bedürfnisse zu erfüllen. Berücksichtigen Sie bei der Auswahl eines Trainers Faktoren wie seinen Hintergrund, seinen Trainingsstil und seine Verfügbarkeit.

e) Erstellen Sie einen Zeitplan: Legen Sie die Häufigkeit und Dauer Ihrer Coaching-Sitzungen fest. Werden sie wöchentlich, zweiwöchentlich oder monatlich stattfinden? Wie lange wird jede Sitzung dauern? Berücksichtigen Sie die Zeitpläne Ihrer Teilnehmer und die Ziele Ihres Programms, wenn Sie einen Zeitplan erstellen.

f) Planen Sie den Inhalt: Gestalten Sie den Inhalt Ihres Coaching-Programms so, dass er Ihren spezifischen Zielen und den Bedürfnissen Ihrer Zielgruppe entspricht. Dazu können Themen wie Verkaufstechniken und Kundenbeziehungsmanagement gehören.

5. Wie coachen Sie einen Vertriebsmitarbeiter?

Das Coaching eines Verkäufers kann eine lohnende und herausfordernde Erfahrung sein, denn es erfordert starke Kommunikationsfähigkeiten, ein tiefes Verständnis von Verkaufstechniken und die Fähigkeit, sich auf die individuellen Bedürfnisse und Ziele des Verkäufers einzustellen. Hier sind einige Schritte, die Sie beim Coaching eines Verkäufers beachten sollten:

a) Bauen Sie eine Beziehung des Vertrauens und des Respekts auf: Der Aufbau von Vertrauen und Respekt ist für jede Coaching-Beziehung unerlässlich. Dazu kann es gehören, klare Erwartungen zu formulieren, offen und ehrlich mit Feedback zu sein und echtes Interesse an der Entwicklung des Verkäufers zu zeigen.

b) Ermitteln Sie die Stärken des Verkäufers und die Bereiche, die er verbessern kann: Wenn Sie die Stärken und die verbesserungswürdigen Bereiche des Verkäufers einschätzen, können Sie Ihr Coaching auf seine spezifischen Bedürfnisse und Ziele abstimmen. Dazu kann es gehören, die Interaktionen der Verkäufer zu beobachten, ihre Leistungsdaten zu überprüfen und sie um Feedback von den Verkäufern und ihren Kollegen zu bitten.

c) Setzen Sie sich spezifische, messbare Ziele: Die Festlegung spezifischer, messbarer Ziele kann dem Vertriebsmitarbeiter helfen, konzentriert und motiviert zu bleiben, und kann einen Fahrplan für seine Entwicklung bieten. Denken Sie daran, sich sowohl kurzfristige als auch langfristige Ziele zu setzen, und achten Sie darauf, die Fortschritte regelmäßig zu überprüfen.

d) Bieten Sie kontinuierliche Unterstützung und Feedback an: Bieten Sie dem Verkäufer fortlaufend Unterstützung und Feedback, damit er seine Fähigkeiten und Kenntnisse weiterentwickeln kann. Dies kann Einzelcoachings, Rollenspiele oder andere interaktive Aktivitäten beinhalten, die es dem Verkäufer ermöglichen, das Gelernte zu üben und anzuwenden.

e) Ermutigen Sie zur Selbstreflexion und zum kontinuierlichen Lernen: Ermutigen Sie den Verkäufer, seine Leistung zu reflektieren und nach Möglichkeiten für kontinuierliches Lernen zu suchen. Das kann bedeuten, dass Sie sie ermutigen, Fachpublikationen zu lesen und an Schulungen teilzunehmen.

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Verkaufscoaching

6. Was sind die besten Verkaufstrainingstechniken?

Es gibt eine Vielzahl von Techniken für das Vertriebscoaching, die Vertriebsmitarbeitern helfen können, ihre Fähigkeiten und ihr Wissen zu verbessern. Hier sind ein paar Beispiele:

a) Einzel-Coaching: Beim Einzel-Coaching arbeiten Sie mit einem Vertriebsmitarbeiter unter vier Augen zusammen, um ihm bei der Entwicklung bestimmter Fähigkeiten und Kenntnisse zu helfen. Diese Art von Coaching ist in der Regel persönlicher und auf die spezifischen Bedürfnisse und Ziele des Einzelnen zugeschnitten.

b) Rollenspiele: Bei Rollenspielen werden reale Verkaufssituationen simuliert, in denen der Verkäufer das Gelernte üben und anwenden kann. Dies kann eine nützliche Technik sein, um Verkaufsprofis bei der Entwicklung ihrer Kommunikations- und Problemlösungsfähigkeiten zu unterstützen.

c) Interaktive Aktivitäten: Interaktive Aktivitäten, wie z.B. Fallstudien oder Simulationen, können eine nützliche Methode sein, um Verkaufsexperten zu motivieren und ihnen zu helfen, ihr Wissen auf reale Situationen anzuwenden.

d) Gruppen-Coaching: Beim Gruppen-Coaching arbeiten Sie mit einer kleinen Gruppe von Verkaufsprofis zusammen, um ihnen zu helfen, ihre Fähigkeiten und ihr Wissen zu entwickeln. Gruppen-Coaching kann Gruppendiskussionen, interaktive Aktivitäten und Rollenspiele beinhalten und ist ein effektiver Weg, um Vertriebsprofis dabei zu helfen, voneinander zu lernen und bewährte Verfahren auszutauschen.

e) Feedback-Sitzungen: Kontinuierliches Feedback kann eine wertvolle Technik sein, um Vertriebsmitarbeitern zu helfen, ihre Leistung zu verbessern. Feedback-Sitzungen sollten konstruktiv und unterstützend sein und sich auf bestimmte Bereiche konzentrieren, die verbessert werden können.

Welche Techniken für das Vertriebscoaching am besten geeignet sind, hängt von den spezifischen Bedürfnissen und Zielen des Vertriebsteams oder der Einzelperson sowie von den für die Entwicklung verfügbaren Ressourcen und der verfügbaren Zeit ab.

7. Beispiele für Fragen zum Verkaufscoaching

Es gibt eine Vielzahl von Fragen für das Vertriebscoaching, die Vertriebsmitarbeitern helfen können, ihre Fähigkeiten und ihr Wissen zu verbessern. Hier sind ein paar Beispiele:

  1. Was sind Ihre konkreten Ziele für diese Coaching-Sitzung?

  2. Was sind Ihre aktuellen Herausforderungen im Verkaufsprozess?

  3. Wovon sind Sie bei Ihrem Verkaufsansatz überzeugt?

  4. In welchen Bereichen können Sie Ihren Verkaufsansatz verbessern?

  5. Wie gehen Sie derzeit mit Einwänden von Interessenten um?

  6. Wie bauen Sie derzeit Beziehungen zu Interessenten und Kunden auf?

  7. Wie gehen Sie derzeit mit Interessenten und Kunden um?

  8. Wie messen Sie derzeit Ihre Verkaufsleistung?

  9. Welche bewährten Verfahren oder Strategien haben sich in der Vergangenheit für Sie bewährt?

  10. Welche Ressourcen oder Unterstützung benötigen Sie, um Ihre Ziele zu erreichen?

Die Fragen des Vertriebscoachings sollten auf die spezifischen Bedürfnisse und Ziele des Vertriebsmitarbeiters oder der kleinen Gruppe zugeschnitten sein und zum Nachdenken, Lernen und Handeln anregen. Indem sie durchdachte und gezielte Fragen stellen, können Verkaufstrainer Verkaufsprofis dabei helfen, verbesserungswürdige Bereiche zu identifizieren, neue Strategien und Ansätze zu entwickeln und ihre Fortschritte in Richtung ihrer Ziele zu verfolgen.

8. Welche Fähigkeiten braucht ein Verkaufstrainer?

Ein guter Sales Coach benötigt eine Reihe von Fähigkeiten, um Vertriebsmitarbeiter effektiv zu coachen:

a) Verkaufskompetenz: Coaches sollten ein tiefes Verständnis von Verkaufstechniken, Kundenbeziehungsmanagement und dem Verkaufsprozess haben. Dies kann bedeuten, dass Sie einen Hintergrund im Verkaufsmanagement oder in der Ausbildung haben oder über umfangreiche Erfahrung als Verkaufsprofi verfügen.

b) Kommunikationsfähigkeiten: Coaches sollten über ausgeprägte Kommunikationsfähigkeiten verfügen, einschließlich der Fähigkeit, aktiv zuzuhören, klärende Fragen zu stellen und Feedback in einer konstruktiven und unterstützenden Weise zu geben.

c) Coaching-Fähigkeiten: Coaches sollten über ein ausgeprägtes Verständnis der Coaching-Prinzipien und -Techniken verfügen, einschließlich der Art und Weise, wie man Ziele setzt, Feedback gibt und Lernen und Entwicklung fördert.

d) Anpassungsfähigkeit: Coaches sollten in der Lage sein, sich an die spezifischen Bedürfnisse und Ziele der Verkäufer, mit denen sie arbeiten, sowie an alle Veränderungen im Vertriebsumfeld anzupassen.

e) Einfühlungsvermögen: Coaches sollten in der Lage sein, Einfühlungsvermögen und Verständnis für die Herausforderungen und Sorgen der Verkäufer, mit denen sie arbeiten, zu zeigen, was dazu beitragen kann, Vertrauen und Beziehungen aufzubauen.

Indem sie diese Fähigkeiten entwickeln, können Coaches Verkaufsprofis effektiver dabei helfen, ihre Fähigkeiten und ihr Wissen zu entwickeln und ihre Verkaufsleistung zu verbessern.

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Effektives Verkaufscoaching

9. Braucht ein Vertriebsleiter einen Vertriebscoach?

Vertriebsmanager können von einem Vertriebscoaching genauso profitieren wie Vertriebsprofis. Tatsächlich kann das Vertriebscoaching für jeden Vertriebsleiter besonders wertvoll sein, da er oft eine größere Verantwortung für die Führung und Entwicklung seiner Vertriebsteams trägt.

Vertriebscoaching kann einem Vertriebsleiter helfen, eine Reihe von Fähigkeiten zu entwickeln, darunter:

  1. Führungsqualitäten: Vertriebscoaching kann Vertriebsmanagern helfen, ihre Führungsqualitäten zu entwickeln, z. B. in den Bereichen Kommunikation, Delegation und Teambildung.

  2. Verkaufstechniken: Vertriebsleiter können von einem Vertriebscoaching profitieren, das ihnen hilft, mit den neuesten Verkaufstechniken und Best Practices auf dem Laufenden zu bleiben.

  3. Coaching-Fähigkeiten: Vertriebsleiter, die für das Coaching ihrer Teammitglieder verantwortlich sind, können von einem Vertriebscoaching profitieren, das ihnen hilft, ihre Coaching-Fähigkeiten und -Techniken zu entwickeln.

  4. Problemlösung: Vertriebsleiter sehen sich oft mit einer Reihe von Herausforderungen konfrontiert, wie z.B. dem Umgang mit schwierigen Kunden oder dem Navigieren in komplexen Vertriebsumgebungen. Vertriebscoaching kann ihnen helfen, Problemlösungsfähigkeiten und Strategien zu entwickeln, um diese Herausforderungen zu bewältigen.

Insgesamt kann Vertriebscoaching eine wertvolle Ressource für jeden Vertriebsleiter sein, der seine Fähigkeiten und sein Wissen erweitern und sowohl seine Leistung als auch die seiner Vertriebsmitarbeiter verbessern möchte.

10. Welche Rolle sollte die Vertriebsleitung beim Vertriebscoaching spielen?

Die Vertriebsleitung spielt beim Coaching eine entscheidende Rolle, denn sie ist dafür verantwortlich, den Ton und die Richtung für die Entwicklung des Teams vorzugeben. Im Folgenden finden Sie einige Möglichkeiten, wie die Vertriebsleitung das Coaching in ihrem Unternehmen unterstützen kann:

  1. Schaffen Sie eine Coaching-Kultur: Die Vertriebsleitung kann dazu beitragen, eine Coaching-Kultur zu schaffen, indem sie die Bedeutung des kontinuierlichen Lernens und der Entwicklung hervorhebt und Ressourcen und Unterstützung für Coaching-Bemühungen bereitstellt.

  2. Setzen Sie klare Ziele und Erwartungen: Die Vertriebsleitung sollte klare Ziele und Erwartungen für das Vertriebscoaching kommunizieren und sicherstellen, dass die Coaching-Bemühungen mit den Gesamtzielen und -vorgaben des Unternehmens übereinstimmen.

  3. Stellen Sie Ressourcen und Unterstützung bereit: Die Vertriebsleitung sollte die notwendigen Ressourcen und die Unterstützung für ein effektives Coaching bereitstellen, z. B. Schulungsmaterialien, Coaching-Tools und Zeit für das Coaching.

  4. Ermutigen Sie zur Selbstreflexion und zum kontinuierlichen Lernen: Die Vertriebsleitung kann Vertriebsmitarbeiter zur Selbstreflexion und zum kontinuierlichen Lernen ermutigen, indem sie ihnen Zeit für das Coaching widmet, Zugang zu Ressourcen und Schulungen gewährt und die Bemühungen derjenigen, die sich an Coaching-Aktivitäten beteiligen, anerkennt und belohnt.

  5. Coaching-Verhalten vorleben: Die Vertriebsleitung sollte Coaching-Verhaltensweisen vorleben, indem sie sich für kontinuierliches Lernen und Entwicklung einsetzt und den Vertriebsmitarbeitern unterstützendes und konstruktives Feedback gibt.

Insgesamt spielt die Vertriebsleitung eine entscheidende Rolle bei der Etablierung einer Coaching-Kultur und der Förderung der Entwicklung von Vertriebsmitarbeitern innerhalb des Unternehmens.

11. Was ist der Unterschied zwischen Vertriebscoaching und Vertriebstraining?

Vertriebscoaching und Vertriebstraining sind zwei unterschiedliche Ansätze zur Entwicklung des Vertriebs, mit denen Vertriebsmitarbeiter ihre Fähigkeiten und Kenntnisse verbessern können.

Ein Verkaufstraining ist ein strukturiertes Programm, das Verkaufsprofis helfen soll, bestimmte Fähigkeiten und Kenntnisse zu entwickeln. Es kann eine Reihe von Lehrmethoden beinhalten, wie z.B. Vorlesungen, interaktive Aktivitäten und Simulationen, und kann persönlich oder virtuell durchgeführt werden. Verkaufstrainings sind in der Regel eher allgemeiner Natur und konzentrieren sich darauf, Verkaufsprofis ein breites Spektrum an Fähigkeiten und Kenntnissen zu vermitteln, die sie in einer Vielzahl von Situationen anwenden können.

Das Vertriebscoaching hingegen ist ein persönlicherer Ansatz, der auf die spezifischen Bedürfnisse und Ziele des Vertriebsmitarbeiters oder einer kleinen Gruppe zugeschnitten ist. Das Vertriebscoaching kann Einzelsitzungen mit einem Coach, Rollenspiele und interaktive Aktivitäten beinhalten und ist in der Regel eher darauf ausgerichtet, Vertriebsprofis bei der Anwendung des Gelernten auf bestimmte Herausforderungen oder Situationen zu unterstützen. Das Vertriebscoaching kann auch die Festlegung spezifischer Ziele und die Verfolgung des Fortschritts beinhalten, damit die Vertriebsmitarbeiter motiviert bleiben und Verantwortung übernehmen können.

Insgesamt besteht der Hauptunterschied zwischen Vertriebscoaching und Vertriebstraining im Grad der Personalisierung und der Konzentration auf spezifische Ziele und Herausforderungen. Beide Ansätze können wertvolle Ressourcen für Vertriebsprofis sein, die ihre Fähigkeiten und Kenntnisse verbessern möchten. Welcher Ansatz am besten geeignet ist, hängt von den spezifischen Bedürfnissen und Zielen des Vertriebsteams oder der Einzelperson sowie von den für die Entwicklung verfügbaren Ressourcen und der verfügbaren Zeit ab.

12. Brauche ich einen Hintergrund im Verkauf, um Verkaufstrainer zu werden?

Ein Hintergrund im Verkauf kann für Verkaufstrainer von Vorteil sein, da Sie dadurch ein tiefes Verständnis für Verkaufstechniken, Kundenbeziehungsmanagement und den Verkaufsprozess erlangen können. Es ist jedoch nicht unbedingt eine Voraussetzung für ein erfolgreiches Verkaufscoaching.

Verkaufstrainer können aus den unterschiedlichsten Bereichen kommen und über Fachwissen in Bereichen wie Führung, Geschäftsentwicklung, Kommunikation und Coaching-Techniken verfügen. Das Wichtigste für einen Vertriebscoach ist die Fähigkeit, die Bedürfnisse und Ziele der Vertriebsprofis, mit denen er arbeitet, zu verstehen und sie bei der Entwicklung ihrer Fähigkeiten und Kenntnisse zu unterstützen und anzuleiten.

Alles in allem kann ein Hintergrund im Verkauf für Coaches zwar von Vorteil sein, aber er ist nicht der einzige Faktor, der ihre Effektivität bestimmt. Die wichtigsten Qualitäten eines Verkaufstrainers sind die Fähigkeit, die Bedürfnisse und Ziele seiner Kunden zu verstehen und ihnen Unterstützung und Anleitung zu geben, damit sie erfolgreich sind.

“Eine fantastische Lernerfahrung”

Amanda – Kundenbetreuerin

Coaching Sales Behaviours | Bringing out the Best

Coaching Sales Behaviours

Coaching Sales Behaviours – Top question from Google

How do you coach a sales person?

Unfortunately like sales there is no one way to coach a sales person that works every time. After all sales people are all individuals and therefore different so what works with one, may not work with the next.

With that said there are many commonalities and examples of best practice that will get you started on the path to success.

  1. Mindset. Success in sales like many other areas in life is hugely dependant on mindset. Confidence, self belief, imposter syndrome, phone fear and self sabotage are all to common in sales people. With the right support these problems can be overcome, however, there is one area of mindset that many ignore – hunger. The best sales people are all hungry. Hungry to learn, hungry to help others and hungry for their own success. Whilst Vision Boards and Goal setting undoubtedly have a positive impact if the sales person you are coaching is not hungry for their own success you have a major problem. Many sales people ended up in sales by accident and many sales people are simply stuck in their current role and find it easier to stay than move on. Research from the Objective Management Group shows that between Sales Management & HR, 77% of sales hires are the wrong people. You can teach strategy, you can teach skills, but you can’t teach hunger.
  1. Planning. Many companies and sales managers lack the time to implement personal development plans to their sales teams. Coaching often then becomes ad hoc, unstructured which in turn is reflected in the outcomes. In order for sales coaching to be successful and deliver an ROI, some simple planning needs to take place. In our experience it’s always best to work backwards from the objectives and tasks that the business need to happen. From there managers should document the skills required to successfully complete the tasks, followed by a GAP analysis, highlighting where the sales people are now, versus where they need to be. Lastly, this should all be documented and progress tracked to show the benefit for both the business and the coachee.
  1. Focus. When coaching sales people it’s important to find a balance between what should be done and what can be done. Rather than giving sales people 3-4 different objectives after the coaching, we have always found it best to only give the coachee one objective to complete before the next session. This allows the sales rep to focus on one skill and perfect it before moving on to the next. A laundry list of objectives is rarely completed to any level of competency that the business would desire.
  1. Data. It’s important for sales coaching to be both objective and fair in order for it to be successful. Where possible we therefore always advocate a data led approach. Data demonstrating the success and best practice of others is difficult for sales reps to deny. This in turn leads to the importance of CRM in any sales organisation, as this is where the majority of data resides.
  1. Coaches. For obvious reasons coaching is different to management, so a sales coach cannot force a sales rep to do anything in terms of the outcomes of each session. Conversely, if Sales Managers are doing the coaching then they can instruct the sales people to do things, however, if the manager has to “tell” the coachee what to do, then there is typically a problem with the mindset and any success will be limited.
Sales Motivation

At Klozers our Sales Performance coaching uses Sales Scorecards, which ensure accountability for the students. This is first used to identify a baseline, which is used to kick start and structure the sales coaching. To be effective, sales coaching should look at sales in a holistic manner. This will include addressing the all the key components of sales success, which are Mindset, Sales Craft, Activity and Development.

All successful sales people have the right mindset for success. Throughout a sales career, it is impossible to achieve success on every call or presentation. As such, salespeople need to be resilient and bounce back from rejection. Controlling our mind is a hugely important part of a successful career in sales.

We can use simple Vision Boards to identify personal and business goals. Once these have been identified it’s important to draw a correlation between the two which helps ensure sales people are focussed on the goals of the business not just their own.

Craft covers the key sales skills and competencies required to be a successful sales professional. Most modern sales roles require a huge variety of sales skills, some of which are forever changing given the fast paced nature of sales and marketing.

Activity covers the important aspects of preparation, goals, sales planning and sales actions. Development covers an ongoing commitment to improving sales learning. Reflecting on past performance is an important aspect of this section. At regular intervals it is important that salespeople reflect on their performance and use this to adapt their techniques or seek additional coaching or training.

Often when reflecting, salespeople and most sales managers tend to focus on the negative aspects of performance (e.g. the bits that didn’t quite work), but it is equally as important to reflect on the positives. If a certain sales pitch has been successful, then salespeople should reflect on what went well, and how that can be implemented in other sales pitches.

Sales coaching can be conducted online or in person, in a group setting or on a 1-2-1 basis. Regardless of the delivery method, the same coaching models are used.

Coaching Sales Behaviours
Coaching Sales Behaviours

How do you coach an underperforming sales person?

Sales coaching can motivate and enthuse an underperforming sales professional or team more widely. People are hard wired to resist change, and as such sales coaches need to be mindful of this and adapt their coaching methods to suit.

With that said, if you have an underperforming sales person you should follow this process (dependant on the HR laws in your country of residence).

  1. Via a one to one meeting have an open and honest conversation with the sales rep around why the business thinks they are underperforming and what will happen if it continues. In most cases this does not necessarily mean they will lose their job. It could mean they have to retake initial training or have additional coaching. Every situation will vary but it’s important to have this conversation.
  1. Work with the sales rep to understand the root cause of the problem and once you have done this work with them to develop an action plan that will help them overcome their current performance gap. It’s important to include the sales rep in the planning to get their buy in. The plan should detail the responsibilities of the sales rep and the level of performance required.
  1. Lastly, the company and the sales manager should do all they possibly can to help and support the sales rep throughout the coaching period. This includes reviewing their own management and leadership style.

In some cases the sales rep may have already mentally checked out as no one wants to stay in a role that they are not performing in. In some cases, however, it is possible to turn results around and it’s always worth the investment in time and training given how much it costs to replace a sales person.

What is the key to coaching a successful sales team?

The key to coaching a successful sales team is ensuring that there is a culture of learning and growing throughout the team. In order to feed that culture you will require a continuous programme of training and coaching in place. There is no quick fix to achieving the best results.

As identified earlier, one-off sales training courses may have a short-term impact, but after only 30 days its success will ware off. As such, a continuous programme of professional development needs to be in place.

Employees want to feel valued by their employers, and now expect employers to contribute towards their professional development.

Without this in place, there is a concern that your best salespeople will look for other jobs. Recruiting new staff is a resource heavy and expensive process, and you still may end up with the wrong sales staff.

Hiring the wrong sales staff can have direct (lost sales) and indirect (damage to your brand) consequences for your company, so retaining the best staff is vital.

Sales coaching techniques

Sales coaches can use a range of techniques, and some coaches prefer certain techniques more than others. Whichever technique is used, sales coaching should be driven by data and be as factual as possible.

To be effective sales coaching should question the students, and a mixture of directive, non directive and collaborative style questioning can be used.

After sales coaching has been conducted it is important to measure the effectiveness of the coaching to see if it has delivered a suitable ROI.

If the sales coaching isn’t providing to be effective, then amendments will need to be made to it, either in the form of its content, delivery or programme.

Sales coaching models

There is a wide range of sales coaching models available, however, at Klozers we use either the PEDAL model which is Directive Coaching or the GROW model. The easiest way to explain the differences are:

PEDAL – Directive in style. Solving someone’s problem for them.

GROW – Non Directive in style. Helping someone solve their own problem.

In the PEDAL model the process is:

P = Position. The coach positions the reasoning/need for a new sales skill or sales process.

E = Explain. The coach explains how the new skills work.

D = Demonstrates. The coach demonstrates how to execute the new sales skills.

A = Assess. The sales professional practices the new skill and the coach assesses their competency and provides feedback.

L = Links. The coach then links the new skill to the sales reps role and key objectives.

The PEDAL coaching model is commonplace in areas where the correct execution of a skill is paramount and no choice is allowed. For example, when sales professionals need to comply with regulatory procedures, or when sales people need to follow a prove sales process.

But what does the GROW model involve?

GROW stands for:

G = Goal. What are the salespersons goals for the session?

R = Reality. What is the current reality?

O = Obstacles. What obstacles are holding the salesperson or team back?

W = Way. What way and actions do you commit to taking to move forward?

Grow Sales Coaching Model
Grow Sales Coaching Modell

Sales Performance Coaching

Selecting the right sales coach is an important step towards improving the sales performance in your team. Quota carrying sales managers can often be swamped by their own workloads, leaving them with little time to fully dedicate towards coaching sales behaviours.

In these circumstances, to avoid missed opportunities and good staff leaving, external sales coaching could be the answer. Our expert coaches at Klozers can help you with all of your sales coaching and training needs.

Coaching for Sales Leaders – how coaching drives growth

Coaching for Sales Leaders

How do you coach a Sales Manager? – Top question from Google

How do you coach a Sales Manager? – the short answer

To coach a sales manager, you must have an agreed sales strategy and a sales plan with KPI’s.  The role of the manager is to execute the plan in line with the KPI’s, which is where they may need sales coaching.

Coaching Sales Leaders – here’s a more detailed look at what you can do to support your sales leaders.

Many sales managers have been promoted based on their sales skills and performance.  Whilst these are valuable, the role of a sales manager is very different and thus requires different skills.  The simplest example is coaching itself.  Most salespeople have never coached another sales rep and the whole process is often new to them.

1. What are the business benefits of sales coaching?

The benefits of sales coaching are an important part of building a business case for your coaching programme, no matter how big or small.  Whilst every business is different, we would suggest you take a data led approach to evaluate the “size of the prize” – the potential revenue benefits.

Let’s pretend that our top sales rep generates £500K in revenue per annum in an average year. In bigger teams of 10 plus sales people you should take the average of the top 3.  There is no rule to follow here other than it must be truthful.

Next, take the average revenue figure that your B players – the middle sixty percent of your team generate per annum and as an example lets assume as a group they average £400k per annum.

The potential opportunity from sales training and coaching is therefore £100k per sales rep.  In most cases the size of the opportunity is circa 10 x the cost of the training and coaching. 

We encourage every client to work these figures out for themselves.  Once everyone has agreed these figures then the business can work with the Sales Manager to create a coaching plan and set some KPIs. 

Sales Coaching Choose Coach
Coaching for Sales Leaders

2. How do you coach effectively in sales?

Effective coaching starts before the coaching itself. As a business we believe that coaching is not for everyone, as not everyone is coachable.  This can be for a number of reasons, however, in our experience there are two main reasons as follows:

  • People are not motivated to learn and improve themselves
  • People do not believe that they need to learn and improve themselves

Your business will be no different – some people will be interested and respond to training and coaching and some people will only attend because they are told to.  From our experience, Sales Leader have to make difficult choices and whilst there is no one size fits all we recommend the following:

Segment your sales team by current performance.

A Group – the top 20% of your sales team that mostly hit target.

B Group – the middle 60% that miss targets but are motivated to improve, want to learn and will respond to coaching and training.

C Group – the bottom 20% of people who never hot their sales target and whilst they may need training and coaching they have no interest in it and won’t respond.

Next, work with the A players to develop a coaching plan based on what they do that makes then A players.  Where possible use the A players to co deliver some of the training and coaching to the B players. 

The most important part here is to make sure that you hold the B players accountable to what has been agreed and taught. 

This just leaves the C-Group.  The easiest thing that any sales leader can do is ignore under performance.  Some people end up in sales by accident and they are simply a round peg in a square hole.  They may not admit it but these C players are unhappy, as no sales rep likes to be unsuccessful.  The most difficult task of any sales leader is to let someone go, even under performers but that’s why they are a leader, that’s what drives success. 

As a Sales Leader when you retain underperforming sales reps you are subconsciously self-sabotaging your own sales team.  You’re a – player salespeople will look around your office and say to themselves “why should I work hard, why should I go the extra mile, when Jonny is still here and never hits a sales target?”.  Before you know it they will have resigned and you are left trying to hire there replacement.

The best salespeople want to work with others at the top of their game, they want to train and get better, that’s what makes them the best.

So if you want your coaching to be effective you must first find people who want to be coached.

3. What is the key to coaching a successful sales team?

There are many key components to coaching a successful sales team and from our experience we would suggest:

  • The best coaching is based on data because data is difficult to argue with
  • Coaching needs to be regular and consistent to for the business and individual to benefit
  • You should follow a coaching process such as the GROW Coaching model
  • Coaching should be a KPI for both the coach and the coachee
  • Coaching should be based around established best practice and not theory
  • Each coaching session should be documented so you can demonstrate progress
  • Each coaching session should have an agreed list of actions as an outcome that are revisited.
  • Coaching sessions are not opportunities to critique salespeople or performance.  They need to be positive and supportive.
  • Coaching should focus on the lead indicators of success not the lag indicators.
What Makes a Great Sales Manager
Coaching for Sales Leaders

4. What does good sales coaching look like?

In our experience, the best starting point for good sales coaching is capturing and documenting what best practice in sales within the organisation currently looks like.  Once documented this provides a baseline that no one can deny is achievable. 

By best practice in sales, we mean the entire sales process from opportunity creation through to post sale whereby the customer is completely satisfied and happy to provide referrals. 

In most cases lead generation is the biggest obstacle for salespeople, so demonstrating via real life examples of where a new enquiry converted to a sales and a subsequent referral to another client  helps break down the “this won’t work mentality”.

Once you have identified this best practice, it’s important to map out the sales activities at each stage of the sales process.  Again, in most cases the biggest problems are typically found at the start of the sales process when your team are trying to generate new sales leads.

Next up, document the type and number of activities that the top sales performer within the organisation does in an average week.  This then becomes the baseline for sales activity.   Be sure to document the lead indicators or KPI’s and not the lag indicators. 

For example sales revenue is a lag indicator and if we use this as a KPI in an organisation with a 6 months sales cycle then it will be six months before we know if we have been successful.  Look for the lead indicators – the sales behaviours that lead to the revenue.

Now the sales coaching process can start. For example, if the average sales activity of the top performer is 50 dials a day, 5 discovery calls and 2 presentations from which they close one deal, then the role of the sales coach is to bring every other member of your sale team up to this level.

5. What challenges do you face when coaching salespeople?

The majority of challenges when sales managers are coaching salespeople revolves around two main areas:

  • Sales activity or behaviours – we call this Productivity.  These are the actual sales behaviours required to generate new leads, close deals etc.  The majority of these sales behaviours have no immediate impact or reward, and in a society that is heavily influenced by the instant gratification of likes and shares, many salespeople struggle with the discipline of constantly prospecting when the reward can be months down the line.
  • Skills & Knowledge – we call this Performance.  Whilst productivity coaching is focussed around getting more done, performance coaching is about increasing conversion.  Increasing the number of leads that convert to an opportunity and the number of opportunities that convert to deals can have a dramatic effect on profitability. 

Whilst these areas are important there is a much bigger challenge we often find when coaching and it is simply motivation.  The top performers are so self-motivated they find their own answers to the points above. 

Motivation or rather a lack of it can be caused by a multitude of things, however, unless the sales manager can find a way to help the sales team motivate themselves then they will struggle.

Motivation can come from within and it’s important to tie the business goals to the personal goals of the sales team.  Whilst goals are important, what’s more important is to find a “cause”. A cause is self-fuelling, it has an energy all of it’s own that drives people forward. 

How to motivate sales people without moneyv
Coaching for Sales Leaders

6. The Impact of Coaching on Sales Performance

Coaching impacts an individual in two different ways. The first is tangible and therefore quite easy to measure, however, the second is intangible and arguably more important, but difficult to measure.

What we mean by the tangible impact are mostly skills based activities such as questioning, telephone, discovery, presentation, negotiation skills and the plethara of other skills that the modern sales person requires to be successful.

There are a number of ways and different tools that can help you measure the impact of skills coaching. However, it’s worth first thinking of the journey that learners go on as they learn new skills.

As demonstrated by the Theory of Learning, learners move through four stages of learning before they reach peak performance.

a) Unconscious Incompetence – the learner is inept at the skill but unaware of this.

b) Conscious Incompetence – the learner is inept but is now aware of this.

c) Conscious Competence – the learner can perform the skill well but needs to think about it

d) Unconscious Incompetence – the learner can perform the skill without thinking about it.

The speed by which learners move through the four stages is dictated by the time invested in learning the new skill, the learning support available.

Unfortunately in sales, sometimes people need to fail first before they understand there might be a different approach that they could benefit from adopting. These people are not coachable and will always resist any form of intervention.

Next up is the intangible impact on the individual which as we said is much more difficult to assess. In sales one of the most important intangible benefits is confidence. Without confidence salespeople will simply never be successful.

It takes a certain level of confidence to prospect, to present, to negotiate etc, however in sales confidence is fragile, it gets shipped away with every unsuccessful call, every no from a prospect and every failed negotiation.

The biggest killer of confidence is often the empty sales pipeline. Once it’s empty is usually much harder to refill your sales funnel as your confidence becomes overwhelmed with desperation and you enter a vicious cycle of decline.

In addition to confidence, another important intangible impact from coaching comes in the form of Emotional Intelligence. In short Emotional Intelligence (EI) is the art of identifying and managing emotions both in ourselves and those around us.

Sales can be a rollercoaster of emotions and controlling these is never easy but also managing the emotions of the people around you is hugely important. At a presentation, a negotiation or a simple sales conversation the emotions of your prospect and how you respond can be the difference between winning the sale or not.

7. Talk to us

Klozers provide Exec Sales Coaching and Sales Performance Coaching services across four time zones. Our sweetspot is working with small and medium size businesses to help them take on the big brands within their industry and win.

Our team a have a wealth of experience and are happy to provide an initial consultation at no charge.

Sales Coaching – For Individuals and Sales Teams

Sales Coaching

There’s a new way to deliver sales growth…

Don’t buy Sales Training until you’ve watched this video

1. Sales Coaching - Why Invest in Coaching?

At Klozers we love sales coaching.  Watching people or a company who had previously struggled, suddenly find their feet and take off, is one of the main benefits of our job. 

However, as with anything in business, sales coaching must provide real value and a financial benefit to the business.  Unfortunately, many companies still do not invest in professional coaching for their salespeople and the most common reason for this is the cost. 

One could argue that if you can’t afford sales coaching then there is an even greater need for it.  Perhaps it’s easier for people to blame the cost, than for the coaching profession to admit they could do more to help justify the costs.

We were in that position ourselves until we changed the format of our own sales coaching in order to make it easier for our clients to measure the increases in their pipeline and the subsequent sales revenue that comes from this.  If you would like to learn more about this and how you can change your own sales coaching process then you can jump to the end here.

2. Sales Training vs Sales Coaching - what's the difference?

Many people get confused between what is sales training and what is sales coaching.  Not only is training and coaching different, they also have different outputs which are really important.

Whereby sales training is about the transfer of knowledge, Sales Coaching is about the practical implementation of that knowledge in the field.

The easiest way to think of this is if your company has technical people like engineers or software developers.  The training is what a developer would go through to learn how to write the code.

The coaching is what the developer would need to turn the code into a meaningful application for your business. This means that coaching is the part that drives productivity in the sales team.

One of the main benefits of coaching is that it reinforces the new skills and techniques learnt during the training.  Without coaching studies show that up to 98% of knowledge is lost within 30 days.

In other words, one off event-based training sessions have a very limited impact on sales productivity.

3. When to coach and when not to coach

A recent study on Sales Coaching identified it as one of the most productive activities for any sales team, however, not every sales rep is coachable.  Some salespeople have a “superiority complex” and don’t believe they can either learn or improve. 

This can be falsely reinforced by hitting sales targets that are too low or by being the top sales performer in a group.  Other people will not responding to coaching as improving sales invariably means changing sales behaviours and every human being struggles to change their behaviours.

The last reason some salespeople do not respond to coaching is because they are simply stuck in their own comfort zone, and without any really powerful reason to change they simply carry on as before.

The irony is of course that in the majority of cases these people are in the most need of training and coaching.  With that said, unless there are exceptional circumstances you should not invest time or money in coaching people who have no desire to improve. 

You must either accept them as they are and the potential negative impact they will have on the wider group, or you must have one of those ”management” conversations with them.

Get started with our Sales Performance Coaching

4. Sales Coaching Models

There are many sales coaching models and frameworks that you can choose from.  The one we use both internally and externally is the GROW model which we find provides the simplicity and flexibility we require.  

It’s worth noting that coaching in sales can be very different to other forms of coaching.  For example, in Exec coaching, coaches are encouraged not to provide the answers and to focus on the questions. 

This forces the coachee to come up with the answer and the though process is that because its their idea they are more likely to believe it and then act on it. 

In sales when there are potentially millions of dollars in terms of deal values up for grabs and time is of the essence, the best sales coaches will switch from a consultative coaching process to directive coaching whereby they are training, coaching and advising the coachee what they need to do.

Grow Sales Coaching Model
GROW Sales Coaching Model

Opportunities for Coaching

There are many areas within sales that lend themselves to sales coaching.  The most common areas Managers should be focussing on for coaching we have found are around:

Sales Activity
Accountability
Lead Generation
Pipeline Coaching
Qualifying/disqualifying

Deal Coaching
Field Coaching
Pre-call planning
Post-call debriefing
Storytelling

5. The Six Biggest Benefits of Sales Coaching

1. Growing Sales Revenues

The more adept your employees become at selling, the more revenue they will generate for your business. We use the word employees because sales has changed and the most productive companies have people in every department that can sell to one degree or another. 

For example, many companies who have now aligned their sales and marketing now acknowledge that great salespeople can do marketing and great marketers can sell. 

Best in class companies have expanded this to their operations team who are now positioned as thought leaders and subject matter experts.  This helps build brand authority and helps to differentiate companies in the marketplace.

By investing in training based on the very latest strategies, techniques and market activity, you can gain a real edge over your competitors.

2. Increased Sales Productivity

Productivity can be difficult to measure in many roles, however, in sales there is a tangible figure every month that can be used as a good indicator. 

That’s not to say that your MRR (Monthly Recurring Revenue) or other revenue goals are the only indicator of productivity, but it’s always the ultimate figure that sales reps are judged by. 

Whereby sales training is about the transfer of knowledge, Sales Coaching is about the practical implementation of that knowledge in the field.  This means that coaching is the part that drives productivity in the sales team. 

With studies showing that 83% of employees want to learn new skills sales training and coaching can make your team more productive and efficient. Quality sales coaching sessions can inspire your team and help them get out of a rut.

You may find that some of your employees feel that they know all there is to know about driving sales. However, the market is always changing, and what works one year isn’t always as effective 12 months later.

Some of your employees may have more sales potential than they think, and training and coaching can help them unlock this.

3. Closing Bigger & Better Deals

Many times human beings create their own glass ceilings and get stuck.  Salespeople are susceptible to this and often suffer from self limiting beliefs around deal sizes, sales behaviours and the whole sales process. 

Sales training can give your staff the skills they need to secure bigger, more lucrative deals, however without coaching they will quickly lose the new skills and revert back to type.

A good sales coach helps embed the new skills and strategies your sales reps learn in training and helps hold them accountable to using the new skills. As your team become more knowledgeable and confident, they’re more likely to close more deals and bigger ones. 

By using highly experienced sales coaches who live and breathe sales you are in effect fast tracking your team past all the typical problems they will encounter that slow down company growth.

Your team will learn about the latest best practices that they can follow whilst attempting to close deals. The more successful your sales reps become, the more their confidence will grow. Success breeds success.

4. Win More New Clients

Often the most difficult activity in sales is generating new business.  Sales prospecting, lead generation, whatever you call it in your business filling the top of your sales funnel is always a challenge in B2B sales.

The problem with prospecting is that nobody wants to do it, but it still needs to be done.  Many of the problems associated with sales prospecting are connected to the mindset of the sales reps. 

It’s easy to churn out 70 calls a day, and even when you achieve some success it’s difficult to get motivated to come back in day after day and make more calls. 

The job of the modern sales coach isn’t just to help improve your telephone skills, or the number of dials you make every day. A great sales coach will take a more strategic approach, and work with you on the bigger picture – revenue goals, sales coals, sales campaigns that dramatically increase your sales results.

This in turn helps to motivate and inspire your staff, and get them thinking more strategically about the sales process.   

5. Boost Workplace Morale

Great sales coaching can also boost confidence and improve morale amongst your staff. Research by LinkedIn shows that 91% of people agree that teams that learn new skills together are more successful.

Furthermore 90% of people surveyed believe that team learning helps foster a sense of belonging to the organisation.

Whilst not everyone will, the majority of your team members are likely to appreciate the effort you’ve put into training them, and helping them improve their knowledge and skills.

Investing in training shows your staff that you care about their career development and want them to achieve more. If staff feel valued, they are more likely to meet their goals and stay with the organisation longer.

Employee satisfaction can be worth its weight is key when it achieving customer satisfaction and meeting business targets. Training can also refresh their knowledge so they can follow and new best practices and anything they may have forgotten or become unclear about.

6. Increased Decision Making by Sales Reps

Many companies struggle to grow because there are bottlenecks in their internal decision-making process.  These bottlenecks occur when sales reps do not have the confidence or knowledge to make any form of decision. 

This makes companies less agile and slow to react to changes in the market.  Many companies are investing in sales training and coaching in order to improve the decision-making skills of their sales leadership team.

Effective sales coaching can help your team recognise and capitalise on opportunities to drive not only your business forward, but their professional development too.

Sales trainers act as a sounding board and can listen to your Teams ideas and help them fine-tune them to make them more effective in real-world situations.

Other benefits of sales coaching are that your team can become more creative and you will foster an environment where they feel more comfortable discussing new ideas.

6. Virtual or Remote Sales Coaching

During the lockdowns of 2020 and 2021 many salespeople were forced to work from home. Homeworking was easier for some than others, however, many studies showed that people felt less connected and even unsettled when working from home. 

Many Field Salespeople who had spent their lives on out on the road where suddenly confined to their home and confronted with a completely new way of selling. These are exactly the sort of scenarios where coaching can help people adjust to new circumstances and maintain performance.

In many cases sales reps had to retrain on how to sell remotely using tools like MS Teams and Zoom.  Sales training and coaching can bring your remote team together and make it more than the sum of its parts.

The best sales trainers don’t just focus on boosting individual performance but foster a sense of teamwork and unity between your staff. To close big deals in the modern sales world takes a Team and not just one individual.  

If everyone is using a common sales language and are working together at the best of their abilities, you’re more likely to close bigger and better deals than ever before.

How to manage sales activity
Behavioural Sales Coaching

7. Sales Coaching Tips

1. Focus on One-on-One Coaching

One of the most impactful sales coaching tips is to prioritize one-on-one coaching sessions. Sales representatives often struggle with specific challenges unique to their roles. By tailoring these sessions to the individual’s needs, a sales coach can offer the most relevant content and actionable advice. This personalized approach enables sales reps to make progress more effectively, ultimately achieving their business goals and hitting quotas.

2. Implement an Effective Coaching Program

An effective coaching program is essential for any sales organization looking to improve its sales performance. By regularly conducting coaching sessions on a monthly basis, sales managers can keep their teams on track. The best coaching programs include a formal process for providing ongoing feedback, focusing on areas for improvement, and setting clear objectives. Implementing such a program can significantly impact your team’s effectiveness and overall success.

3. Encourage Role Play and Real-Life Scenarios

Role play is a crucial component of sales coaching that allows salespeople to practice real-life scenarios in a safe environment. This technique not only prepares them for potential sales situations but also helps them to refine their selling techniques and overcome common obstacles. By simulating conversations with prospects, sales reps can better articulate their value propositions, handle objections, and close deals more effectively.

4. Offer Constructive Criticism and Praise

Balancing constructive criticism with praise is vital in sales coaching. While it’s important to address areas where sales reps need to improve, recognizing their strengths and achievements is equally crucial. Offering encouragement and celebrating small wins can boost self-motivation and foster a positive coaching environment. Remember, the goal is to create an environment where salespeople feel supported and motivated to excel.

5. Align Coaching with Business Goals

To ensure your sales coaching efforts lead to tangible results, it’s important to align your coaching activities with your organization’s business goals. Regularly reviewing progress toward quotas, discussing action plans, and adjusting strategies as needed will help keep your team focused on what matters most. By aligning coaching with business objectives, you can create a win-win scenario where both individual reps and the organization as a whole achieve success.

6. Utilize Technology for Continuous Improvement

Leveraging technology like CRM systems and sales analytics tools can enhance the effectiveness of your coaching program. These tools provide valuable insights into sales performance, helping coaches identify areas for improvement and track progress over time. Additionally, video recordings of sales calls can be reviewed during coaching sessions to offer specific, actionable feedback. Incorporating technology into your coaching process not only improves efficiency but also ensures that your coaching remains data-driven and impactful.

7. Foster a Culture of Continuous Learning

Sales coaching should be viewed as an ongoing process rather than a one-time event. Encouraging a culture of continuous learning within your sales organization is key to long-term success. Provide your team with professional development opportunities, such as sales training courses or workshops, to help them grow their skills. A great coach knows that developing people is a continuous journey, one that requires commitment, support, and the right resources.

8. Best Practices for Sales Managers in Coaching Sessions

When it comes to improving the performance of sales representatives, the role of a sales manager in coaching sessions is crucial. Conducting effective coaching sessions requires a structured approach that leverages insights, encourages motivation, and focuses on the specific needs of each team member. Below are some best practices that sales management can follow to ensure their coaching sessions get the best results:

1. Understand Your Team’s Needs:
Sales managers should begin by identifying the unique strengths and weaknesses of each sales representative. By conducting a thorough analysis and reflecting on past performance, managers can tailor coaching sessions to address the specific challenges that sales reps struggle with, ensuring that each session is impactful.

2. Set Clear Objectives:
Establishing clear, actionable goals is essential for any coaching session. Sales managers should define what success looks like and communicate these objectives effectively to their team. Whether it’s improving close rates, enhancing product knowledge, or mastering objection handling, having a defined goal helps in tracking progress and ensuring accountability.

3. Incorporate Regular Feedback:
Consistent feedback is a key component of successful coaching. Sales managers should provide constructive criticism while also recognizing the achievements of their sales reps. Regular feedback, given during weekly one-on-ones or after team meetings, helps reinforce positive behaviors and correct any areas of concern.

4. Utilize Role-Playing Scenarios:
Role-playing is an excellent way for sales representatives to practice and refine their skills. Sales managers should incorporate role-playing exercises into their coaching sessions to simulate real-world scenarios. This approach not only builds confidence but also helps reps think on their feet and improve their performance during actual sales calls.

5. Foster an Open Communication Environment:
Creating an environment where sales reps feel comfortable discussing their challenges and successes is vital. Sales managers should encourage open-ended questions and active participation during coaching sessions. This open communication fosters trust and allows for a more personalized coaching experience.

6. Leverage Data and Technology:
Sales managers can enhance the effectiveness of their coaching sessions by leveraging data-driven insights from CRM systems and other sales tools. Analyzing sales performance data helps in identifying patterns, tracking progress, and making informed decisions. Additionally, using video recordings of sales calls can be a powerful way to provide targeted feedback.

7. Focus on Long-Term Development:
While addressing immediate performance issues is important, sales managers should also focus on the long-term development of their team members. This includes providing professional development opportunities, offering career guidance, and helping reps build a path toward achieving their career goals.

8. Balance Between Guidance and Autonomy:
A great sales manager knows when to provide guidance and when to allow reps to take ownership of their learning. Striking the right balance between offering direction and encouraging autonomy empowers sales reps to take initiative and develop their problem-solving skills.

9. Track and Measure Progress:
Regularly tracking and measuring the effectiveness of coaching sessions is critical. Sales managers should set key performance indicators (KPIs) and use these metrics to evaluate progress over time. This approach ensures that the coaching process is aligned with the overall sales goals of the organization.

By implementing these sales coaching activities, sales managers can conduct coaching sessions that not only improve individual performance but also contribute to the overall success of the sales organization. Effective coaching sessions are a blend of insight, motivation, and structured guidance, and when done right, they have the power to transform average companies into high-performing sales teams.

9. Sales Coaching Techniques

Sales coaching is a critical part of any effective coaching program, especially in a dynamic sales organization where sales representatives are constantly adapting to new challenges. Here are some essential sales coaching techniques to help your sales reps succeed:

1. One-on-One Coaching for Personalized Development

Personal 121 coaching sessions are an effective way to address the unique needs of individual sales representatives. Often a Sales rep may struggle with specific obstacles in their role, and these tailored sessions allow coaches to provide relevant content and actionable advice. By making personal coaching a top priority, sales coaches can focus on developing core performers, thereby improving overall sales performance and achieving business goals.

2. Implementing an Effective Coaching Program

A structured and effective sales coaching program is essential for ongoing development and quota attainment. According to CSO Insights, a well-implemented coaching process leads to significant improvement in close rates and overall sales performance. By scheduling coaching sessions on a monthly basis and providing ongoing feedback, managers can ensure their teams are consistently making progress. Importantly, these sessions should be seen as opportunities for constructive criticism and praise, helping to motivate and guide reps toward success.

3. Role Play to Prepare for Real-World Scenarios

Of all the sales coaching activities you could implement, Role play is by far the most productive.  Role play is a proven technique that prepares salespeople for real-world interactions with prospects. By practicing different approaches in a controlled environment, the sales rep can build confidence and refine their techniques. This method not only helps reps articulate value propositions more effectively but also enables them to overcome common objections they may face during sales calls.

4. Leveraging Technology for Enhanced Coaching

The use of CRM systems and other sales enablement tools is crucial in modern sales coaching. These technologies provide valuable insights into sales activities, allowing coaches to track performance, identify areas for improvement, and review sales calls for feedback. By integrating technology into your coaching sessions, you can ensure that your coaching is data-driven and tailored to the specific needs of your sales team.

5. Encouraging a Culture of Continuous Learning

Creating an environment that fosters continuous learning is vital for long-term success. Sales coaching should not be a one-time event but rather an ongoing process that aligns with the organization’s goals. By offering professional development opportunities and encouraging self-motivation, sales leaders can ensure that their teams are consistently developing and improving. This culture of continuous learning will ultimately lead to greater job satisfaction and higher retention rates.

6. Aligning Coaching with Business Goals

To maximize the impact of sales coaching, it’s crucial to align coaching activities with the organization’s business objectives. Regularly reviewing progress and setting action plans based on these goals helps create a win-win situation where both the sales reps and the organization achieve their targets. By focusing on these main points during coaching sessions, sales leaders can ensure that their teams are on track to hit their quotas.

7. Fostering Trust and Ownership Among Reps

Effective sales coaching is built on a foundation of trust and ownership. Sales coaches must foster an environment where reps feel supported and accountable for their progress. By involving reps in the decision-making process and encouraging them to take ownership of their development, coaches can empower them to achieve success. This approach not only leads to better results but also helps build stronger, more resilient sales teams.

By implementing these sales coaching techniques, you can create an effective and motivating environment that drives your sales team toward success.

The ROI on Exec Sales Coaching
Sales Coaching ROI

10. Coaching your Sales Team in a Structured Way

It’s common for companies to know exactly what kind of training their teams need. However, many sales management teams are unclear about how the training should be structured.

Structure is important because it ensures that the training sticks and is embedded in the organisation. Without any form of structure you will find participants forget up to 98% of what they learn in training.

Experienced training providers and coaches can help you examine your current sales culture and build a training programme that’s specifically tailored to your organisations needs.

A sales training provider can carry out research such as a training needs analysis before training and coaching takes place. Any training and coaching should also be aligned with the companies sales strategy. 

For example, if there is a need from the business to reduce customer churn the training and coaching on this topic might be a priority. 

Training can also be built around new product launches and sales campaigns and wherever possible should be built around your current sales challenges.

Coaching Sales Behaviours
High Performance Sales Coaching

11. Product and Service Training

Buyers have very little time to spend with sales reps and when they do they want to talk to salespeople who understand their industry, their business and their own products and services. 

For any new sales rep this can be a huge challenge as they get up to speed on products and services. 

Buyers expect salespeople to know all the answers to their questions, and their products inside out. including all their features and benefits. While training supports features and benefits, coaching provides the all important bridge between them, and what relevance and value they provide to the customer.   

Sales coaches can help reps gain a deeper, richer understanding of the context and relevance of the  products that they’re selling.  This in turn allows them to emphasise their value when discussing them with customers.

A quality sales coach will encourage your team members to talk about the most important features of your solutions, so your prospects can clearly see how beneficial they are, resulting in more sales success for everyone. 

12. Coaching Sales Managers

Many companies overlook one of the most important elements of any successful sales coaching program, namely the sales manager. 

In most cases a sales manager also fulfils the role of the sales coach and as such has a huge influence on the success of the sales team. 

Coaching sales people will have limited results if the overall coaching program does not include the sales manager. 

Modern sales managers set the bar in terms of productivity and sales performance, so unless they are learning and improving, neither will their  team be.

Most sales managers have neither been trained in sales management, let alone as a sales coach.

Running an effective sales coaching programme is very different from being a great sales person or sales manager. 

13. Virtual Selling

The pandemic and subsequent lockdowns resulted in many traditional field sales reps being taken off the road and working from home. 

Despite most lockdowns having lifted the traditional field sales role has in some cases merged into a hybrid role and in other cases been removed completely. 

Virtual selling is here to stay and for most organisations this represented an immediate need for sales coaching and training to support reps in their changed environments. 

Sales Managers with no training as sales coaches where thrown into the limelight, and overnight were required to be the sales coach. 

In addition to their management duties, overnight they now had strategic coaching, tactical coaching, sales cycle coaching  team motivation, coaching sales calls, coaching underperforming sales reps, one on one meetings, group sessions to keep their team motivated, boost engagement maintain accountability and sales performance. 

All this whilst managing their own performance and continuing to meet the revenue and sales goals and overall sales success of the organisation.  Sales managers need support, they need professional development programs themselves if they are in turn expected to support other team members. 

Remote selling requires a different skill set and different coaching techniques in order to deliver results.  

14. In Conclusion

If you’re interested in providing structured and effective sales coaching program that’s specifically based on your needs, we would love to talk with you. Sales coaching can reverse any negative sales trends, make your team more adept at selling, improve your sales processes and increase morale within your workforce.

By getting your sales leaders on board and involved in the training and coaching process, you can increase the chances of the training being successful.

Sales coaching can also unite sales teams, help you close bigger, better and more lucrative deals, enhance your revenue, help you win new clients, and retain existing ones. Few companies regret their decision to invest in sales coaching.

Klozers has different sales coaching programs available for salespeople, sales managers and business leaders.  We have built our business on our ability to train and coach sales professionals across various industries and love what we do.