Dale Bierce

Try, Need to and Can’t. These are three words that any sales coach worth their salt will not allow to pass during a coaching conversation without probing. Why? Because these words are almost always code for a salesperson doing what salespeople do best, influencing their manager’s and coach’s to let them slide.

If you have salespeople, chances are they have sat through quite a few of your virtual sales training meetings. The salespeople we work with tell us their top 3 complaints about virtual sales training meetings are that: A) They’re often disappointed they don’t learn anything new. B) They get bored on the calls as the training is not interactive enough and C) They feel like it’s hard to retain the material because it’s only presented to them once, but not reinforced in the future.

As a sales leader, be on the lookout for the words “what if” from your salespeople. It can be a sure sign that the next thing out of their mouth will be head trash. Become an excellent head trash removal sales manager and your team will sell a LOT more, in trying times and in good times.

Some of our sales leaders we work with have shared they’re worried about their team’s selling skills getting rusty as many are having fewer sales conversations during this time. Sometimes, it’s because their salespeople are in business preservation mode, and sometimes it’s because their customers are currently preoccupied and access to them has become a short-term challenge.

If you’re Sandler-trained, chances are, you and your team (and perhaps even your family), already use DISC day-to-day to improve your communication and how you adapt to one another. If your assessments haven’t been reviewed in a while, now might be a important time to review them to remind your team to be mindful of overuse, and also to be on the lookout for customers and family members who are overusing their DISC styles. And remember, one caution, when we adapt away from our natural style(s), it burns a lot of mental calories. Be prepared to be a little mentally worn out from adapting. But if you are worn out, you’ll know you’re doing it right.

If you’re not willing to take a risk, you’re not going to move forward from where you are.

Have you ever shared too much information, too soon?

Have you ever introduced a topic the prospect wasn’t expecting – and stopped a deal in its tracks?

Sandler Training, a world leader in sales and management training, has made available a free multi-media library that provides small businesses and start-ups with sales training tools to help them succeed.