Four Things Every Sales Coach Should Have in Their Playbook

by | Dec 14, 2016 | Sales Coaching

When the game is on the line, a good coach goes to their trusty playbook. In it are loads of plays that prepare their team for any situation—and ideas that come from years of experience on the gridiron, field, diamond, court, or rink.

Sales coaches do the same, only they do it in the office instead. When they need to think of a way to handle a situation, they go back to their experience, their playbook if you will.

Coaching in both sports and sales is meant to get the absolute best out of a team. The knowledge bestowed is vital to the personal and professional development of those that are learning.

We already talked about the impact that good coaching can have on a sales team. Now, we want to talk about four things that every sales coach should have in their playbook:

A great example to lead by

In order to coach, you should’ve played the game. Coaches need to demonstrate to their reps how to properly do their jobs.

Some sales organizations give their reps a list and tell them to set a certain number of meetings by a certain date. Instead, sit down with the reps when they are new, go over their list, and set meetings for them. Right off the bat will see how it is done, how to deal with different situations, and learn at a hands-on pace.

The right support and inspiration in place

Always have your employees’ backs. Cold calling is hard and sometimes you can get a lot of negative feedback from whoever answers that call. You have to make sure that you are continuously supporting your reps and keeping a positive attitude.

Also, figure out how to pick them up when you see that they are in a slump. Sure, talk to them, but also take it a little further. Go out to lunch or take a walk, do something that gets their mind away from their problems. Talk as people, not just boss and employee.

A realistic performance plan

Show what goals and quotas need to be met, but make them reasonable. If you can’t accomplish them as a coach, don’t expect your reps to do it.

Maybe it is a call-minimum amount, maybe it is number of meetings set. Regardless, you want to set good expectations but not make them impossible.

An understanding of coaching vs. managing

This can almost be like a good cop/bad cop role. The coach can be the good cop who looks to help you build your skills, gauge your attitude, and support the relationship. The manager can be the bad cop that needs to be responsible for making sure that you get results. Sometimes, they have to give you the more heart-to-heart talk about what needs to be improved.

The late, great football coach Tom Landry put it best when he said, “A coach is someone who tells you what you don’t want to hear, who has you see what you don’t want to see, so you can be who you have always known you could be.”

It may be hard, but when you see someone improve, it is worth it.

Is your playbook up to par?

Do you want to grow your business? Want to know more about the field of cold calls? The court of internet leads? The rink of prospecting? The gridiron of problem solving? Contact NuGrowth today at 800-966-3051 and see how we can help you.
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Author: Kyle Tillar

Kyle Tillar works to ensure that clients’ target goals are reached and that the inside sales team is meeting objectives. Kyle is able to leverage his sales expertise and extensive training to help inside sales executives advance their career development and achieve client commitments.

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