Why sales coaching really matters

You may recall that I recently wrote about an international study which reported that if sales managers were more frequently and better trained and coached, their sales teams achieved higher performance and results.

In no other type of sales training was a more positive correlation found between frequency of training and sales performance. This blog is dedicated to the importance of sales coaching and what you need to do to be an effective sales coach.

Despite popular opinion, the sales profession is very skilful, with many technical and interpersonal skills that need to be continuously honed and developed. Despite this, most sales people are given no formal training or coaching, rather they are often left to work out for themselves how to be effective at sales.

Even if they are able to attend sales training, most sales people do not realise their full potential because nothing was done post the training session to get people adapting their behaviours, skills and performance to the new standards.

Why sales coaching matters:

• Without systematic, on-the-job coaching post a sales training program 87% of skills that were covered in the sales training program are lost within 30 days.
• With systematic, on-the-job coaching post a sales training program the return on the sales training program is four fold.

Lesson: Sales training without coaching is a cost liability rather than an investment.

Is sales coaching just linked to sales training?

In a word, no. Whether or not coaching follows a formal training program, it is recommended that at least 40-60% of a sales manager’s job should be dedicated to coaching their sales people.

Yet, sales coaching still remains an area that is poorly executed and often ignored.

What is coaching?

Coaching is a process which allows for an individual to strive for excellence in any endeavour through personal insight and purposeful action. At a broad level, the process involves three key elements:

• Feedback: without feedback a person is unaware of the opportunity for ‘change’.
• Reflection: relates to what a person thinks about the feedback received; as well as the range of actions they can undertake as a result of receiving the feedback.
• Purposeful action: those activities the person may undertake and either adopt the provided feedback or alternatively explain why they will not address the feedback provided.

Coaching usually focuses on two key areas of development to achieve excellence: skills and performance. Excellence in performance is knowing the right processes to apply in the right situation, coupled with the personal insight to know how to apply them wisely.

So, how do we get the best out of our sales coaches in order to be our best?

1. Train your sales managers to be effective sales coaches.
2. Supply them with proven tools and frameworks to coach successfully.
3. Provide ongoing coaching to your sales managers to be better sales coaches (usually external coaching support works well here as it provides an agenda free focus on coaching only).
4. Make sales coaching a necessary part of the sales manager’s job performance criteria.
5. Encourage a coaching culture in your business across all levels.

What do you need in your sales coaching toolbox?

• A coaching framework that guides you through the various coaching steps – this ensures that people are aware coaching is taking place.
• The ability to analyse or assess the development needs of an individual or team.
• Coaching communication tools and approaches that help you understand, communicate and connect with the person you are coaching.
• Knowledge about the different types of coaching approaches you can use with people:

o skills
o performance
o remedial
o strategic
o transformational

• Ideally a sales competency based model and sales process framework that reflects the sales skills, behaviours and attitudes you need to coach your sales people to.
• Skilful and active communication skills.
• A positive, trust based, environment.
• Clear purpose and intent about what you are trying to achieve.
• Consistency