Sales Coaching: How it WorksLast time we left off listing the three main reasons sales managers don’t coach. As this post begins I want you to look in the mirror and see a developing coach. To be able to do that, it is important to understand where your sales people are emotionally, so you will know how to coach them for improved performance. There are four different zones where your sales folks may be at any given point in time:

1) The Dead Zone – Salespeople in this zone aren’t interested in improving and don’t care. These folks are the low to medium performers, having reached a plateau with no desire to advance further.

In order to coach them, first determine what put them into this zone. It could be something personal or professional, or both. Once this is established you should have a talk with them and ask if they think they are in the right role. If you don’t hear any positivity; you may want to encourage them to move into a different role or department, or even manage them out of your company.

2)   The Comfort Zone – Sellers in this zone want to be effective. They have succeeded in the past and want to continue to do so, so they continue doing the same old things that worked for them before. They fail to see that everything in their world is changing; except them. They may be smart and work hard, but they have blinders on.

To coach a Comfort Zone rep it will be necessary to include strategies that shake them up and cause them to change their routine, territory, or perhaps even their responsibilities. They may also need an opportunity for recognition and reward, and may respond positively to spending time with a Stretch Zone rep, which might infuse them with some needed energy. Without proper coaching, at this stage they can go either way, even regressing into the Dead Zone.

3)   The Panic Zone – People in this zone care very much or they wouldn’t panic. They are overwhelmed and have become anxious, nervous, and frazzled. This could be a newer rep who has finally figured out what is expected and is running scared to perform, or a senior person who is an overachiever with low self-esteem who wigs out toward the end of each month trying to achieve their sales budget. Winding up here is sometimes a result of being in the Comfort Zone too long.

In order to coach these sellers,you musthelp them understand that panic isn’t the answer. In a non-judgmental fashion, help them separate things that really need attention from things that can wait. The last thing they need is pressure from you; they are providing plenty of pressure themselves. Help them prioritize, slow down, sort through, and organize what’s in front of them.

Sales Managers Coach on how to stretch4)  The Stretch Zone – This is a completely different place than the other three zones. People here are actively involved in their work and are committed to developing themselves. They don’t feel threatened by change, but see it as an opportunity. They are excited, enthusiastic, and ambitious; they have new goals, ideas, and strategies. These are certainly the top performers.

Coaching a sales rep in this zone is like walking a tightrope, as you don’t want to kill their spirit, just keep them on task. Coach them to stay focused, enthusiastic, and ambitious, but don’t ignore them simply because they are doing so well.

No one stays in the same zone forever.For example; a new hire may begin in the Stretch Zone, but may jump to the Panic Zone once they learn what exactly is involved in the job. As time passes and they get to know their job really well, they may gravitate into in the Comfort Zone. Possibly they end up with a lousy territory, or are overlooked for a promotion, and may start caring less and less and end up in the Dead Zone. As the coach you must determine which zone each team member is currently in and then tailor your coaching to meet their needs. Like a juggler, you can’t take your eyes off the balls in the air; for fear that one may hit the ground.

Next time in Part III we will conclude this topic by discussing how change and cooperation are keys to this entire topic.

Hey, Doug wrote and published a book that is great for sales managers and business owners to use as lesson plans for weekly sales meetings…

Everybody knows that…

But did you know that Doug just developed a Study Guide that’s designed to be used as a companion piece to the book that eliminates the manager’s prep time for those meetings?

Sales Coaching Book & Study Guide - Sales Sell is NOT a Four Letter Word

Watch This Short Video Explaining How It Works!

 

©2014 Robinson Training Solutions, LLC