How to Get Back in the Sales Groove Post Labor Day

Labor Day weekend brings the late summer slowness to a close. Fall is upon us, and with it comes the potential for success in sales. Here’s how to get you and your team back in the deal-closing mindset come September.

1. Make sure everyone is operating on the same wavelength

The last thing that you want this fall is internal conflict. And such conflict often comes from poor management of expectations. Salespeople can be intimidated by the notion of confronting higher-ups, and managers often assume that their employees are aware of their responsibilities if nothing is brought up to them. In the end, the best way to make sure everyone is on the same page is to check in regularly and approach difficult conversations with a transparent attitude. If you find yourself confronting failure because of an expectation gap, remember that it may be as much your fault as that of the other party involved.

For more information about the expectations gap, see our article on managing expectations.

2. Balance coaching and autonomy

Too much coaching early on nurtures dependence, and not enough structure early on leads to unnecessary turnover. This is highly dependent on the individual, but I believe there are two best practices that have stood the test of time.

1. Growth is mandatory after a certain point.
2. You must be open to people doing things differently early on, as they may disrupt your process for the better.

At times, coaching doesn’t work — even with people that say they want feedback in order to improve. There have been many times in the past when I’ve labeled such people as “uncoachable”.

And autonomy may lead to more mistakes early on, but with the right level of patience, it can produce incredibly effective outcomes in the long term.

We all need a different mix of both coaching and autonomy at various points in our career. The key as a leader is to discover the right mix for you, your leaders, and your team.

And as you prepare for your first fall sales meeting, keep these tips in mind:

1. Show your business value first, and then focus on trust

Even if someone trusts you, their first concern will always be how their business stands to benefit from your offer. So it’s important to build the business case first, and then let trust be what seals the deal. When someone talks about trust or giving something/someone a chance, but hasn’t built out a case for why this sale will help the company…run fast. Instead, look for the proof or data to drive a potential investment, tell your story, and then let trust be the final step.

2. Don’t try to answer questions that you don’t have the answers to

Vague, speculative “answers” only serve to sow the seeds of distrust. Sales people should know the answers to most questions their prospects will have, but there are always going to be certain topics that you don’t have the authority or expertise to comment on. This is why you have a team behind you.

It’s perfectly OK to say “Great question — I’ll work with my data team to see what we have and then we can set up a quick call in a few days to discuss.” When you know who to turn to for topics that are out of your reach, and clearly state how and when you’ll address that question, you can easily keep moving without losing your prospect’s confidence.

3. Educate, but don’t act too smart

Your job in every meeting is to build credibility. Demonstrate that you understand the company and its current initiatives. Then weave that understanding into your unique view of how you can advance their goals. The key is to not overestimate what you may or may not know. Just show that you’ve taken known factors into consideration and are smart enough to work them into wherever
the fit may lie.

But don’t assume that what you’ve read is 100% current. Instead, use your research more as a means of transitioning the conversation from section to section.