Coaching a winning sales team

I was asked to run a sales workshop for a national company with business units around the UK. It was day one of their annual conference.

Some of the sales team I had met briefly over dinner on arriving. A few had joined the company with previous sales experience, while others had grown with the business and 'somehow' found themselves in sales.

The good times had been really good. But, as enquiries slowed and closing became more challenging, some were disheartened. It looked like being a challenging workshop.

Day one and I am introduced by the Chairman. He then went through the gloomy figures since their last annual conference. Targets were announced for the following year which, he stressed, were 'vital for the business to survive and thrive'. Having 'inspired' everyone the Chairman was called away to deal with other matters.

I removed all sharp objects from the room and our workshop began. People introduced themselves and it became clear small teams, often just two or three people, worked in isolation. Some had never met face to face.

I abandoned my planned programme and switched to Business Coach mode. The workshop started in earnest.

The company specialised in 'big ticket' sales, often well into six figures. The chasm between the expectations of the company and the sales team's perception of their ability to deliver was huge - and had just got wider.

We began by reviewing the glossy brochures that had been delivered to the annual conference. The photographers and copywriters had had a field day. Unfortunately, while the brochures looked good, they did not answer the questions most prospective buyers put to the sales people.

Added to this, each business unit had its own unique features and benefits. None of this was addressed in the new company brochure.

We drew up an action plan, capitalising on the strengths and skills of each member of the team. We agreed that more communication was needed between the teams. This would provide support and enable the exchange of best practice.

Sales teams from each business unit analysed their own unique features and benefits. Other sales teams gave constructive critique. Things were starting to buzz.

Great ideas started to flow as the workshop picked up momentum. The team ditched the attitude of 'how on earth are we ever going to cope?' and decided 'we're smart people, we can do this'.

Once that corner was turned, an action plan was agreed which would see the company's goals achieved. Milestone reviews were put in place so that, should slippage occur, everyone would pull out the stops and get the plan back on track.

The team took the Chairman's depressing report and targets for the next year on the chin and turned a negative into a positive. All it took was some coaching from me and my firm belief that people can - and do - move mountains.

Did they move mountains? The Chairman is now a tax exile. Go figure.......