The Collaborative Sale: Solution Selling in a Buyer Driven World

8 Coaching the Collaborative Sale

Exceptional performance in any endeavor doesn't happen by accident. Even world-class athletes need coaches and motivational assistance to develop their natural talents and reach their maximum potential. Artists need teachers and mentors to develop the essential skills of their craft. Sellers are no different from any other professional in this regard.

How often have you seen sales organizations make major investments in sales performance improvement initiatives (training, process, or automation), only to see sales teams produce less than expected results? Taking this a level deeper, why are many of these initiatives successful within one region or division but not in others?

It's probably not the economy or market conditions, because it's the same for everyone. It's probably not the sellers or the hiring model, because they were assessed and hired based on the same hiring and competency model. And it's certainly not because of the training and enablement programs they have been through; everyone has been given the same training and tools.

The difference is due to the leadership, sales management, and coaching they've received. The key to achieving consistent sales results is effective and systematic coaching along with both internal and external motivation.

Sales managers can help their teams accelerate the time to results by systematic coaching and by embracing and mastering collaborative selling methods. Unfortunately, not all sales managers ...