5 Questions Sales Leaders Should Always Ask Reps
Weekly one-on-one meetings between reps and managers always seems a bit painful.
Sales managers typically don’t spend a lot of time preparing for these meetings. And often the sales reps also come unprepared and the one-on-one is spent going over status updates on deals, instead of really helping either the rep or the manager.
But it doesn’t have to be that way.
As the team leader, you are in the driver’s seat and can make these meetings productive and enjoyable. You are a valuable resource to your sales reps. Take advantage of your sales experience and help drive the conversation in your weekly one-on-ones.
Go over these 5 questions every week before getting a status update on accounts:
1. What deals can I help provide clarity on?
As the manager, you should have some background on the majority of your reps’ accounts. One key function of your job is to help your salespeople understand which opportunities are right for your company and your company’s product. One way you can do this is by providing them with additional context or institutional knowledge.
Ask your reps about what deals they are working on that you might have insight into selling to that sector or past attempts dealing with that particular customer. You are a knowledge base, so share stories that can help your reps avoid repeating history.
2. Why do you think you lost that deal?
Talking about loses is something most reps would prefer to avoid. However, we can all learn from our mistakes. As a manager, you should be aware of all lost deals, but perhaps you weren’t kept in the loop during the sales process as much as you would have liked to be.
Ask your rep to bring along any email exchanges or recorded calls so you can gain a full understanding of how the deal played out. Then talk through what they can do differently going forward. Remember to keep the discussion open and remain as positive as you can.
3. Why didn’t that prospect get back to you?
Ask your reps to talk about accounts that are frustrating them. Bring up ones that aren’t responsive to their outreach and discuss the specific methods they have used to make contact.
As you meet with each member of your team, you’ll hear different strategies on how they are working to build rapport and get calls returned. If one reps tactics are working, then share those suggestions with others on your team that seem to be struggling.
4. Which meetings can I join you on?
Sales reps tend to only ask their manager to join them for “the big close.” But don’t want until that point. Ask if you can sit in on other sales calls during the sales process.
Be an objective advisor and help them recognize where they can make improvements or highlight their strengths. It is helpful to have someone listen in and point out bad habits we don’t always recognize ourselves.
5. Do you know about the latest company news?
As a manager, you have more direct access to the top. If there is a new product being released, or a great new feature being worked on, chances are you will know that before the reps do.
Take your role as company communicator seriously and deliver pertinent news down the chain. Work with your sales reps to find a good company message of the week to reach out to their prospects about.
Putting It All To Use
You are a valuable resource to your team. Make the most of your weekly meetings by asking your reps the right questions that help steer the conversation down a productive path.
