In this issue, we discuss techniques to manage your sales team. I look forward to your comments. 

 
 Rick Erling
(972) 727-6880
 
 

Managing the Salesperson Ride-Along for Greater Success 

by Paul DiModica

 Supervising sales teams of all sizes requires interaction between sales managers and their team members on a one-to-one basis. This interaction is implemented through various hands-on and staff engagements depending on the manager's title, geographic location of the sales team, and the products or services that are sold.

The salesperson ride-along is a common management tool used by sales managers worldwide. A ride-along must be based on visiting current client sites, attending a new prospect opportunity, or helping to negotiate or close a major deal with your account executive.

When providing your ride-along, there are three variables which should be considered to help increase your ride-along success:

1. Understand that it is stressful on your sales executive for you to be present even if they do not voice it.
2. Always meet with your sales team member first. Do not just jump in the car and head to your appointment.
3. Prior to meeting with your salespeople, take time to send the account executives an agenda for the ride-along listing whom you are going to meet with and what the business particulars are (titles, company name, business issues or opportunities, what you're going to sell, etc.).

Based on the circumstances and the client opportunities, a sales ride-along can help close more deals, educate your sales staff how to sell better, and help develop a motivated sales team.

Conversely, if a ride-along is handled incorrectly, you can lose a deal, alienate your sales staff, and make yourself look foolish.

To be honest, most salespeople don't want their boss on a ride-along. Salespeople find that sales managers develop executive amnesia. We have all ridden with a sales manager or sat through a corporate presentation where the boss said the wrong thing during a prospect meeting and caused the deal to be lost. Then later, during a review of the conversations, the boss forgets what they said but reminds you of the lost revenue.

So as a sales manager, you must create balance between being helpful and annoying on the sales call.

To increase your ride-along success and your communication with your sales team, you must decide which business role (or roles) you are going to play and when.

1. Be a mentor or sales coach to your sales team before you meet with prospects or clients by giving them input of what to do in the meeting.
2. Be an active sales manager when you are with prospects and clients and interject during the meeting with points you think are relevant.
3. Be an invisible sales manager when you are with prospects and clients and let your sales team member handle the sales call from beginning to end by themselves.
4. Be a sales manager and sales coach after the appointment and advise your sales team member about how the appointment went and what you might have done differently.

Each one of these decisions has a cause and effect impact on how your ride-along will go.

• Is your ride-along to win business?
• Are you trying to evaluate a new salesperson?
• Are you trying to mentor a new sales member to greater performance?

You must decide before you set the appointment of a ride-along what your goals are. Then you must align the goals with how you will act.

Wrapping Up the Ride-Along
Four Action Steps

1. Discuss how you thought the day went and what sales step(s) should be taken next.
2. Ask the sales team member for their input on the day's events and suggestions for improvement.
3. Always leave the ride-along on an upbeat note even if the day was not successful.
4. Send an email to the sales team member after you leave reconfirming the topics of your wrap-up including any conversations or action steps you expect the sales rep to take.

Ride-alongs are unique opportunities for sales managers to analyze sales rep skills, sell more business, and create a positive work environment. Use it correctly and your corporate sales will increase.

Great leaders get extraordinary things done in organizations by inspiring and motivating others toward a common purpose. -- Steve Miller

I welcome your comments.

 To your success,

Rick Erling


 

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