We know how easy it is to spend whole days and weeks tied up in urgent matters that show up with little warning, but in doing so, we often overlook problems that are crippling the sales team. The five “dont’s” below are the most common errors I see companies making. Take just a little time to focus on not doing these, and you’ll see big rewards.
Number 1: Don’t Drown Them in Paperwork
Any form your reps fill out should lead directly to a sale. If it doesn’t, get rid of it. It’s amazing how quickly “paperwork creep” can set in; look out especially for unnecessary requests for paperwork from non-sales departments. Unless well justified, resist these requests. They disrupt the sales process and take up your reps’ precious time.
Number 2: Think Hard Before Switching Up the Sales Process
Companies that frequently change their procedures pay a big penalty in lost sales and employee frustration. To the management, the modification might seem like a helpful little tweak, but remember—you’re changing the way your reps do their job, and it will take them time to adapt. Some changes are necessary, but when the changes are frequent and nonessential, reps tend to get frustrated, leading to slower sales.
Number 3: Don’t Bog Reps Down in Pointless Sales Meetings
Who doesn’t want to put on a fun sales meeting? It’s tempting to try to win reps’ approval with entertaining presentations and what you think is motivational, but remember: the only reason to have a sales meeting to increase sales. Period. It will have been a fun meeting for your high-performers sitting in the audience if they are thinking This going to make me money! To ensure this, for each sales meeting, have a statement of strategic intent with success metrics, something like “This sales meeting will teach our reps to sell X product, and we will have been successful when 80 percent of our reps achieve quota within thirty days of the meeting.
Number 4: Don’t Play Favorites
Managers who play favorites send a strong message to their team: the playing field at this company isn’t level. It’s natural to hit it off with certain sales representatives, but blatantly showing it will always demoralize the rest of the sales team. Hold your best performers in high regard, but avoid heaping praise on one or two reps without recognizing other deserving members of your team.
Number 5: Don’t Underestimate the Power of Morale
Having a sales team that can execute is important, but it’s even more crucial to build and sustain morale among your reps. History is replete with examples of smaller teams with high morale winning over large teams with poor morale. Keeping your word, and showing that you care about them are two effective ways of enhancing morale. When times get tough—and sooner or later they will—a sales team with high morale will bring home the bacon.
Keep these “don’ts” in mind, and you’ll end up with happier employees, a healthier company, and far fewer managerial headaches.
