They can open doors but just can't seem to close deals.
I just can't seem to motivate my team.
Why can't I sustain revenue growth?
I submitted a proposal and haven't heard from them in a month.
These are just some of the many comments shared with Butler Street over the years by executives, sales and recruiting leaders and field managers.
One of Butler Street's commitments to helping our customers and their leaders address these challenges is the series of original blogs we create each and every week. Did you know that this week marks the 317th STRAIGHT week that the team at Butler Street has produced a unique piece of information? That is every week for more than 6 consecutive years.
The intention in publishing these “advice columns” is to create opportunities for every level of an organization to grow through better coaching and execution. One of my favorite quotes from our founder, Mike Jacoutot, is “We are all the CEO of our own lives and every day we make, or fail to make, decisions that have immediate and far reaching consequences.” This is the essence of working every day to be a better coach of ourselves, our teammates and our reports if we have any.
But what does this really mean?
If you are a leader, ask yourself the following questions and refer to a recent article on each topic:
Am I aware and focused on managing each individual team member through the 4 Bs of employee engagement? Simplify The Most Complex Generation
Does my team have full understanding of the organizational strategy around growth, industry segmentation and who are the key decision makers and influencers to be called? Keys to Managing Your Most Important Accounts
Have we defined both the appropriate types of activities and the quantities of each that will provide the organization the highest yield on the time spent on client and talent acquisition? Five Keys to a Higher Proposal Win Ratio
Do I consistently coach my team members to the skill areas that define success and drive sustainable growth? Be The Manager Every Millennial Wants
Are there specific “agreements” in place around performance, activity, process, communication and core value expectations to which you hold your teams accountable? You Cannot Manage People, Better To Manage Agreements
If you are a member of one of these teams reporting to a leader, ask yourself these questions:
Do I begin each day with a core focus on the 4 Cornerstones of Success – Attitude, Personal Accountability, Perseverance and Success? Are You Suffering From Battered Salesperson Syndrome?
Is my focus on consistently keeping myself in the operating reality of the customer – seeing problems and opportunities through their lens and ensuring I align the value of the solutions we offer to solve these problems? How to Become A Terrific Listener
Do we ask enough of the right questions (do we know the “WHY”) throughout the decision process to make it easy for the customer to say yes when time to execute an agreement? Have We Forgotten to Ask Why?
Is there a consistent method for handling objections that position ourselves as true sales professionals and demonstrate how we are different from our competition? When Your Price Really Is Too High
Have I built a relationship with a minimum of 3 people in each of my clients to ensure we are entangled in a way to increase client retention and mitigate risk? How to Map and Measure Client Relationships
This blog is dedicated to client and talent development insights. It is our desire to provide these valuable insights to as many people as possible. If you would like some help in any of these areas or would simply like to be included in our weekly newsletter going forward, subscribe to our blog or contact us.