Many of the overheads of a business are set and future increases can be to some extent anticipated and factored into the budget calculations. The same can be said for the sales budget however it is in sales that the boundaries can be pushed out provided the sales team has the potential to increase the level of sales by going that extra mile. New sales targets will be greeted by salespeople in many ways and their response will to a large extent depend on how the individual as performed in the previous twelve months.

In most cases from the companies view point the level of sales needed is not up for negotiation and it is left to the salespeople and their Manager to deliver. This leaves us with the question of how to get all the sales team to respond positively to the new targets and feel they can reach them and meet the goals set. Quite often sales incentives and rewards are seen as the best way to achieve the result but these can become counter productive if they are seen to be out of reach to the individual salesperson. Most salespeople are competitive and that drive needs to be nurtured if their best is to be achieved. 

All those in sales come from differing backgrounds and their situations vary considerably, for example a single person will not have the restrictions on their time as some one with a family so it is counterproductive to expect they will perform the same. It is therefore critical to have rewards that reflect this difference and it is due to these differences that a plan to use their personal best as a benchmark to encourage performance. This approach, with a minimum level of sales required takes more time and management but in the end will lead to a more stable team with less staff turnover and the associated costs of training. 

The days are gone of the Sales Manager thumping the table at the sales meeting, under pressure from management, to get the targets set and putting the fear of the sack into the sales staff. Results are everything and a company or organisation will only survive if the sales targets are met but it is the astute Sales Manager who takes the time to understand the dynamics of getting the best from all the sales staff.

There is a saying “a star team operates better than a team of stars”. 

In helping to set goals coaching is a method of passing on knowledge and assistance to achieve the goals and develop specific skills to improve performance and satisfaction in the work environment.

Forms of coaching can be through one-on-one sessions or a group and require an ongoing program to ensure time lines and tasks are completed with the aim of satisfying the objectives established.

The coaches role in helping the salesperson is to help them articulate their aspirations, clarify their role, purpose and goals and to help them through to achieving the outcome desired.

In deciding what form of assistance you need it is important to understand the difference between instructing, coaching and mentoring.

Instructing will be required in the process to teach and pass on specific knowledge, coaching deals primarily with skill building and mentoring helps shape the outlook and or attitude of the individual.

One could be confused in deciding what form of help and assistance would be best for them at the current time as there is an overlapping between the several activities.

When deciding on a coach it is best to recognise that it is not something you do  when things have taken a turn for the worst, rather the use of a coach should be seen as a step you take at any time in you career and make it part of your overall self development programme.

The two most common forms of assistance in the field is coaching and mentoring.

It needs to be understood that mentoring is using the experience of the mentor in a relationship where advice and counselling involves the sharing of advice and although a form of sales coaching it is not as structured and formal as coaching.

In coaching, the coach helps by creating and carrying out a structured path to reach the goals established by the individual or organisation.

The important relationship that should exist between the coach and the individual or organisation is one where those being coached have identified their interests, goals and objectives.

Once the process has commenced those being coached are responsible for the tasks, assisted by the coach where necessary, to reach the targets and goals established and agreed to.

Failure to achieve any specific outcome will be the sole responsibility of those being coached.

Today the sales professional needs to be at the top of their game if the wish to have success and a satisfactory lifestyle, coaching is a tool available to all in the selling profession that could well give you the edge you need in securing your future and doing what you do like a true professional.