Unfortunately, less than 20% of sales managers accept the challenge of coaching their salespeople and holding them accountable every week. Most sales managers waste valuable time “herding cats” and wondering why their salespeople's production is so mediocre. The key to reversing this wasteful and frustrating trend requires one 60-minute meeting each week with each of your sales agents.
We've laid out a proven, foolproof system for you to follow in conducting weekly Performance and Projection Accountability meetings. These meetings are what hold them accountable to you, the company, and their goals. The sessions can be virtual or one-on-one. You'll discover that holding salespeople accountable is your most important effort to increase sales.
You will soon be able to double or at least increase sales and save most of the time you spend trying to organize your salespeople.
Most salespeople are generally granted a tremendous amount of freedom, and often that freedom turns into a day of unending distractions that bear no fruit rather than making sales.
Reviewing each of your salespeople's weekly performance shines a direct light on their wins and losses for that week. It provides an opportunity to celebrate wins, and by examining their losses, you can share your experience with them to help them do a better job the following week.
One of the most important tools within the HPA System is the Accountability Meeting - Performance and Projection Report. This report is the summation of your agents’ weekly performance and future actions, which we term “projections.” You begin to see measurable results that occur through their projections for the sales they intend to make the following week. Reviewing the past week’s activities and forecasting the following week’s activities will close more sales. Why? The focused discussion of each hot client and planning the action steps needed to complete the sale are on one form. No more wondering where each client is in the sales funnel or what your agents are doing with their time.
This weekly meeting is not about philosophy or an associate's excuses. Instead, it is a discussion about how to improve in the coming week. When their excuses take more time than formulating a plan to reverse losses, it is time to rethink this associate's position on your team.
Some extra coaching may be required for individuals with limited sales experience, but this must be kept to a minimum. The complete HPA System eliminates the need for hand-holding.
After two or three Performance and Projection Accountability meetings, the sales associate will have a different mindset. They may initially resist being held accountable, but after 30 days and seeing sales increase, most associates appreciate these meetings.
At the end of the first month, you will have a better idea of each associate's long-term value. Associates unable or unwilling to keep commitments will show themselves within these 30 days. Non-performing associates should be notified that a drastic change in their performance is necessary.
No more excuses! They either adapt to the system or they don't. You will quickly know who to focus on and invest your valuable time in. Another benefit of using a system is you won't have to fire people because the HPA System will do it for you. Numbers don't lie. No longer will you waste your time with people who are underachievers. Focus on your potential producers.
The goal-setting process starts with their needs. They can relate to what they need, but may have a tough time relating to the goals you give them.
Yes, goal setting is the key to success, but the starting point for all goals is a need. Once individuals learn how to trigger the motivation to meet needs, they begin to understand the goal-setting process. Over time, by satisfying their 90-day financial needs, they learn the goal-setting process.
Keep in mind that when a need is unsatisfied, motivation occurs automatically. When your desire is sufficient to keep you focused on satisfying that need, the inspiration swells up from within. This internal motivation releases the power to move forward, even in the face of significant opposition.
After a salesperson consistently hits weekly goals, only then should you concentrate on their monthly goals and quarterly goals.
This process isn't something they can learn or do on their own. It starts by holding them accountable.
