The Sales Acceleration Formula

 The most important characteristics of a successful salesperson

1. Coachability

1. The ability to absorb and apply coaching

2. Curiosity 

1. The ability to understand a potential customers context through effective questioning and listening

3. Prior success

1. A history of top performance or remarkable achievement

4. Intelligence

1. The ability to learn complex concepts quickly and communicate in an easy to understand manner

5. Work ethic

1. Proactively pursuing the company mission with a high degree of energy and daily activity

Buyer - Seller Relationship

The internet has caused a shift in power from the salesperson to the buyer 

1. The buyer no longer tolerates being strong-armed into a purchase. They will respond to salespeople who are helpful, smart, and respectful of their needs. 

Metrics Driven Sales Coaching 

“Maximizing sales managers' time spent on coaching is one of the most effective lever to drive sales productivity.” 

1. What skill will you work on this month with the salesperson?

2. How did you decide on that skill?

3. What is the customized coaching plan you will make to help this salesperson? 

Metric Driven Diagnosis of Problems

1. Overinvestment in unqualified opportunities

1. Investing a lot of demo time on opportunities that are unlikely to close 

2. Time Management

1. Lots of unnecessary admin work

3. Prospecting depth

1. Isnt working her leads deeply enough or lack of personalization 

4. Trust Development

1. Not engaging well 

5. 🔑 Lack of Urgency

1. Most common issue - the prospect expresses great excitement about the product, they tell the salesperson they plan to buy, but the next day they call back and have some excuse about an upcoming thing and ask you to follow up at another time. 

1. SOLVED BY: role playing how to develop urgency and asking “Why does this prospect need our product today?” “What will be the implications if they don’t buy today??

6. Lack of “Decision Maker” Access

1. Ask questions in the beginning that directly probe to whether this person is the decision maker

Key Components to Success

Lavish attention on any single customer and every single lead you get

Don't dismiss any customers in the early days, no matter how small. Each client will represent the exact needs and wants of 10-100 more. 

Every customer is a gift, because they show you the future and they give you the playbook to understand every other client after them. You have to listen. 

Get Attention. 

Go to every conference. Speak at any event possible, no matter how small. Win every award. Try to get every blog to write about you , no matter how small. Reach out to anyone and everyone in your space. Be respectful, but totally and utterly shameless. Do whatever you can possibly think of. Nothing will really work well in the early days, but if you try everything, something will likely get you a few good prospects.