engagement – the AI-driven platform delivers two important benefits. • It provides sales reps with a prioritized daily to-do list of AI- and user-generated tasks that maximize output, as well as proactive recommendations on what the next “best step” should be.
• The technology provides sales leaders with the Holy Grail of visibility to see deals that are slipping through the cracks – and understand where to help sales reps be more effective. But the AI doesn’t just point reps and leaders in the right direction. It delivers incredibly accurate pipeline forecasts that aren’t based on the subjective “gut feelings” of reps, but past sales cycles and current engagement.
SELLING TIP
Four Easy Ways to Motivate Sales Reps Creativity is sometimes more effective than cash when it comes to motivating your sales reps. Here are four ways you can positively impact the morale of sales reps today (without breaking the bank).
1. Time off. One great way to sow the seeds of loyalty is to acknowledge your reps’ hectic schedules and give them some extra time off. Even if your corporate policy forbids granting employees an entire day off, you can still find hours here and there to offer.
2. Handwritten notes. A pat on the back or “well done” lasts for only a few seconds, but a handwritten note can last indefinitely. Former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell once sent a note of thanks to a corporal for a job well done. That was the last thought Powell gave to the note until months later, when he walked past the cor- poral’s office and saw that the note had been framed and hung in a prominent place.
3. Direct feedback. Sometimes, when people are not engaging in the behaviors that will best advance the compa- ny’s goals, the problem is not disobedience, laziness, or incompetence; often, they simply don’t know what they should be doing. This is why the first corrective measure should be tough love. Let your team members know specifically what behaviors need changing. This small action just might be the small push they need to succeed.
4. Candid communication. Your people often depend on you to be the intermediary between them and the cor- porate powers that be, and they expect you to share information that may affect them and their jobs. You need to honor that role by, as much as possible, keeping your team abreast of what’s going on. During tough times, your candor can mean the difference between an office where everyone is upbeat and hopeful and one where employees are always on edge about whether they’re still going to have a job tomorrow.
To succeed today, salespeople need a lot more than just words of encouragement from the boss. Whether it’s the right training, more time, technological tools, or assistance from others in the company, give your salespeople whatever resources they need to achieve the goals you set for them.
– MALCOLM FLESCHNER SELLING POWER JULY/AUGUST 2020 | 33 © 2020 SELLING POWER. CALL 1-800-752-7355 FOR REPRINT PERMISSION.
For example, one of my go-to
reports is our “stalled deals” report. Based on the data the AI collects, you get a clear picture of where deals stand in the pipeline, which oppor- tunities are engaged, and, perhaps more importantly, which opportunities are stalled.
VISIBILITY EMPOWERS GROWTH
Having a clear picture of your pipeline and forecast allows you to run the business intelligently. Knowing which types of customers end up stalling (or become uninterested) helps you laser focus on your ideal target customer instead of wasting time going after “everyone” who “might” be a good fit. Knowing who to follow up with
is just as important as knowing who to walk away from. Not every lead is a good fit for your company, and that’s OK – provided your sales reps aren’t investing time and energy chasing them.
Having the data to work more closely with your sales team to best support their efforts is the recipe for success. Utilizing the latest technology to support your sales team rather than berating them for not completing administrative tasks changes the relationship between the manager and the rep. Artificial intelligence isn’t going to replace your sales team but it will help the team work more efficiently. Free your team from the chains of CRM.
Adam Honig is CEO of Spiro.
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