Sales isn't an easy line of work to master - it takes a resilient person, with a lot of patience, confidence and tenacity to make it in sales. So, if you're a coach, how would you coach someone who's hoping to become a sales guru?
This is where your capabilities as a coach are put to the test. How do you plan to pull every last bit of potential out of someone who's just starting in sales? Well, I am going to walk you through the first 7 steps to this process. These won't cover every detail, but they'll get you started. These steps will help you hone in on critical components to any salesperson's skill set. In this article, I will cover the first: TIME-MANAGEMENT ABILITIES.
Do your best to understand your client's time-management abilities. Most of a salesperson's schedule is managed personally, so if she isn't organized, disciplined and motivated internally - this is where you will need to begin. You will want to encourage her - these are skills she can learn, they do not have to be inherent. She just has to bedevoted to developing them.
To assess a client's time-management skills, consider asking these questions:
Are you a self-starter or do you appreciate when others tell you what to do?On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your level of self-discipline? (10 = incredible, 1 = poor)How do you organize your days when you don't have any pressing priorities?When do you find yourself feeling bored?How do you feel and spend your time when you don't know what to do?Asking these questions will reveal where a client's at, in terms of motivation, organization and prioritization. In sales, these skills play a serious role in one's success. If you discover your client does this process well, great - move on. If she doesn't, it would be well worth your time to work on fostering her time-management abilities. A few simple things that will help:
1. USE A CALENDAR. Help your client determine what sort of schedule would work best for her. A visual schedule, on a phone, computer or planner will always work better than relying on one's memory.
2. CREATE REMINDERS. Work with her to setup a process, so that when important dates are around the corner, she's alerted, far in advance, so that she can take the right steps to prepare for whatever it might be. This way, she's aware and ready instead of sadly surprised when deadlines emerge and meetings pass.
3. TRY TO PRIORITIZE. Identifying what's most important to complete is critical. So, maybe helping her start with a simple to-do list, so that she outlines what needs to be done, stars what's business critical, and starts there. By doing this, she will ensure nothing falls through the cracks, and will always have something to work on, even when things are slow.
If you're a coach and you care about your client, helping them understand and manage their time efficiently will benefit them in the short term and the long term. This is a skill that pays it forward, personally and professionally.
Looking for more insights about coaching a sales professional? Download a complimentary coaching article at http://wcwpartners.com/free-coaching-for-excellence-article/.
Doug C. Watsabaugh, senior partner at WCW Partners, understands how to meet your unique performance challenges. You can reach Doug at: dwatsabaugh@wcwpartners.com or 1-888-313-0514.
Check out WCW's latest book, The SuperSTAR Leadership Model: Good Boss, Bad Boss - Which One Are You? http://wcwpartners.com/superstar-leadership-model/.
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