101 Best Sales and Marketing Ideas
IDEA 71:
DON’T BE TOTALLY SELF-SUFFICIENT
This and the next two ideas link to how you and your boss work together (whoever your boss is: in a large company it is likely a sales manager or director). By its nature the field sales job is one in which people must be self-sufficient, and where a great deal of time is spent alone and away from base. Tacitly or otherwise, your organization’s culture might suggest that you should be self-sufficient. Indeed your boss may have said equivalent of, “Don’t bother me all the time, get out there and sell”.
Idea
From many a well-managed sales operation…
On the other hand two heads are often better than one. Consider ongoing counselling, which usually involves accompanied calling, evaluation, and a link to development of all sorts. Most managers will evaluate what any sales persons is doing and what results they are getting. While a bad manager may see this as just looking at the figures and shouting when targets are missed, many see this role more constructively. They take the view that even the best performance can be improved, and act to do just that.
The most practical way in which this happens is through joint calling. The manager will link attending some calls with you, ideally on regular basis, with a counselling session to review strengths and weaknesses. (This is sometimes taking place in the car after a call). This can seem intrusive, but remember it is the only way in which they can observe and investigate how you do things. (Sitting at their desk they can only see the figures: what comes from what you do). So this is something to be approached constructively. Take on board what they say, but – and this is the crux of the idea – ask questions, try things out on them, and use them as a sounding board.
In Practice
- Selling can be a lonely business – make use of time spent to analyze and help take your approaches and skills forward.
- This is a sales-specific form of what is more generally called “training on the job”. Similarly, do not hesitate to ask for advice or an opinion, may be with just a telephone call, if this might make difference between getting an order and not getting it.
- Do be careful, however, not to ask the same thing twice.