Practising with your Sales Manager

Hello Subscriber,

How do you feel about the idea of asking for help from your sales manager?

I know from experience that a lot of people in sales roles rarely ask for help.

Why is this?

Here are some possibilities:

1. Unaware - Some salespeople are unaware of how much help they need.

2. Weakness - For some people, asking for help is a sign of weakness.

3. Time - Because most sales team leaders are busy, members of their team don’t like to ask for help.

However, your sales manager’s first priority is achieving budgeted sales through their team’s performance. They should be very keen to help you perform.

In almost all sales teams, the best way a sales team leader can improve team performance is by improving their team members’ selling skills and processes.

My experience is that most 1:1 meetings between sales managers and team members are about pipeline reviews and specific deals. For lots of reasons, coaching and practising selling skills often don’t get onto the agenda.

Sales team member or manager - who should take the lead in coaching and practising together?

The big idea for today’s email is that it’s entirely appropriate for YOU to take the lead in asking for time with your sales team leader for coaching and practice together.

1. Aware - You’re aware that there are LOTS of things to improve in your selling!

2. Strength - You know that asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.

3. Time - You know that improving your selling skills is the best way that your sales manager can achieve their sales targets.

Your sales manager will welcome you taking the initiative. They will be very happy if you take responsibility, asking for time for coaching and practice in a specific aspect of how you can sell more effectively.

If you approach your sales manager today to ask for help in one aspect of how you sell, what will you choose? What’s the single thing that is most likely to lead to the greatest impact on your sales results?

Today’s Practice Focus

If you have questions or comments, it would be great to hear from you. Just hit reply and send me an email.

Have a great day!