(12/09/22) Morning Minute:
“Why do so many salespeople dislike sales meetings?”
The only reason to have a meeting of any kind is to create positive ACTION. A sales meeting is no different. Whether in person or online, meetings must engage the participants by encouraging useful discussion. The purpose of a sales meeting is to increase salespeople’s abilities and opportunities to sell. Sales meetings must be positive, informative, and structured to equip them with the information and motivation they need to sell more effectively.
Certain elements are required to facilitate a successful sales meeting. It must follow a positive, uplifting format. A written agenda keeps the meeting on track while informing all attendees of their participation. Start the meeting on time with some success stories to begin on a positive note. Successful salespeople want to share their successes. Call on several individuals to contribute their success stories. Summarize the key points in these so all may get the benefit of learning from each other. This process encourages discussion and questions, both of which will provide more opportunities for all to learn best practices.
If there is old business that was tabled in the previous session, now is the time to have those reporting back to the group do so. Keep this short and on point. Since you have provided a written agenda prior to the meeting, everyone expects these reports.
Use these 4 key management areas to share information with your salespeople:
PEOPLE: Introduce new team members. Using success stories creates positive interaction between participants.
PROCESS: Discuss a particular process such as prospecting, sales presentations, closing, delivery of the product or service, and customer follow-up to get referrals. Train on the processes that are specific to your industry.
PRODUCTS/SERVICES: Update salespeople on availability of products and services. If possible, have them physically review new offerings. Use 15-20 minutes to train on a specific product or service.
PROMOTION: Keep salespeople updated on new ads, new markets, and target audiences.
Assign responsibilities for the next meeting. End the session on time and on a positive note. Using this template shows respect for your salespeople, creates accountability for further ACTION, all while putting them in a positive uplifting frame of mind.
How does this process compare with your sales meetings?
Why DO so many salespeople dislike sales meetings?
That
is today’s Morning Minute.
(12/14/22) Morning Minute:
“How do people learn?”
Effective learning requires that those of us who have chosen to teach, determine how best to share information so that each student’s opportunity to learn is maximized.
A pre-school infant learns from parents, caregivers, and older siblings by watching and following. This non-verbal teaching by example continues into adulthood, as we emulate the activities and habits of others we respect.
In school, learning takes many forms. We are taught to read to gain useful knowledge. We learn from the spoken word in class, the written word in books, periodicals, and websites plus the use of audio and video equipment. Learning on the Internet is accomplished by watching, reading, and listening.
Then, there are those who learn best by doing. These folks must learn using trial and error. They have trouble visualizing something until they actually do it. Initially, they have more difficulty learning. However, when they learn something they rarely forget it.
When we teach something to a diverse group of people who learn in different ways, we must utilize all these methods so that no one is left behind. To design an effective online course, we use video and the written word, plus course work to be completed in order to reach each person in the ways that they see, read, hear, and perform. Teachers show students how to solve problems by using real life examples, and by sharing how to work through those problems.
One of the primary functions of leadership is teaching others. Our students or team member’s ability to learn from us is in direct proportion to our ability to help them learn. We accomplish this by using the methods they are comfortable with and requiring practice by doing. This method of teaching aligns perfectly with our motto: “Education Without Action is Just Entertainment!”
In the first quarter of 2023, we will be launching an online Experience Masterclass designed to aid managers who want to progress in their careers, making them ready for more responsibility and promotion. This interactive Experience Masterclass will help managers seeking promotion learn the leadership and team building skills required to earn that promotion, or, to make them more attractive to a different employer.
In order to determine if this course may be beneficial to you, contact me directly at lab@larryonlearning.com to schedule a 30 minute discovery call. This may be the life changing program that propels your rise to more success, greater responsibility, and a more satisfying life.
That is today’s
Morning Minute.
(12/16/22) Morning Minute:
“Managers don’t matter!”
Recently, INC. Magazine shared an article about Google written by Scott Mautz. In it, he shares that Google tried to prove that managers DON’T matter. That company had a theory that great systems and processes eliminate the need for managers. However, its research actually uncovered the 10 traits of the very best managers. In other words, they disproved their theory. Google found that managers DO matter.
Let’s discuss one of the characteristics of the best managers. Simply stated, instead of micromanaging their team members they empower them to be more, do more, and earn more. They train, organize, lead, and inspire their team members. This empowerment allows them to use the talents and experience they have to find new and better ways to get the job done. Let’s examine each of these actions the best managers employ to empower their team members.
After attracting and hiring people with great attitudes, the best managers set in place the necessary steps to get them trained. Team members are not just told HOW to do the job…they are told WHY it is important so they can see their role in the big picture. This continuous training, coupled with the availability of the right tools, creates in each team member a personal satisfaction in a job well done.
These team members are organized so that those with the best skills for a particular role are assigned to those jobs. Great managers know that well trained people doing the wrong jobs will not produce great results. Plus, they know that cross-training of team members allows all to see the importance of each job, while providing trained people to fill in during absences, vacations, etc.
Empowerment by the best managers provides team members opportunities to make decisions and learn from their mistakes. This, in turn, helps to grow their bench of people who can handle more responsibility. When opportunities for growth occur, these successful team members, having been trained, organized, and empowered by great managers, will take on more responsibility enabling that growth to occur.
Through the process of training, organizing, and leading their teams, great managers inspire team members to do their best to help create a winning organization. This creates a synergy of success where everyone buys in to team goals, and cooperates with each other to serve clients and each other.
Skilled, inspired, motivated, well trained team members under the direction of great managers create winning teams.
And, that is today’s Morning Minute.
