Sales Prospecting Perspectives

A few years ago I was faced with a tough decision. I was moving 20 miles north of Boston, which posed a problem because my job was 22 miles south of it. Driving through Boston during rush hour twice in one day quickly became overwhelming and was just too much. The last thing I wanted to do was leave the job I loved, and when my boss kept pushing me to work from home more, I was hesitant. I kept saying no because I thought it was crucial to be on site when managing an inside sales team. I had a lot of guilt on days that I couldn’t make it in. Slowly I started working from home more and more and I learned how to manage remotely. With all the technology available today along with some changes in my management style, I am now able to work from home most days and still manage reps – probably better now than ever.

According to The Bureau of Labor Statistics, there will be an 8.9 percent employment growth for sales representatives between 2012 and 2022. They project that an additional 132,000 jobs will need to be filled within that time period.

At AG Salesworks, we hire new teleprospectors with varying experience levels every month. On-the-job training is offered, as well as mentoring from other reps and managers. While many inside sales teams such as our own do have a training process in place, inside sales reps also hear many nuggets of advice along the way that may not be explicitly written in their training documents.

The age-old question that every sales manager asks themselves is, “How can I better motivate my reps?” We often talk about rewarding our reps with things like money, extra PTO, company outings, and culture to keep them engaged. The reality is that while all those incentives are necessary, we sometimes forget about the intangible ways we can motivate and keep reps interested. In a meeting with my boss yesterday, he reminded us of something that is right at our fingertips that we sometimes forget about: Empowerment. It plays a very large role when it comes to motivating sales reps and it’s a great way to better your team as a whole.

I've always responded best to people who lead by example in the workplace. I find it harder to relate to individuals who are always willing to offer advice on strategies (often unsolicited) when it seems that they rarely, if ever, follow their own words.  

I often think back to my experiences back in my high school days playing sports. The coaches that took the approach of yelling and kicking objects over to get a point across never made an impact on me. When the crap hit the fan, I found that those coaching personalities rarely knew what to do to solve the problem… other than yelling more. I always felt that I was demonstrating the desire and motivation to be part of the team by showing up and doing the best I could. I didn’t need someone yelling in my ear to get me motivated; instead I needed guidance to hone my skills and make me understand what needs to improve.

Some folks would describe me as a bit of a hippy in my office. I'm fairly laid back and try to remain as even-keeled as possible. My disposition could have much to do with the amount of times I was hit in the head throughout my younger years... but I guess I have to roll with it. 

Last Monday, January 6, was apparently the most depressing day of the year. I heard this on the radio as I was driving to work, trying to shake off the cobwebs from the holiday layoff.  It makes sense: I got used to the idea of kicking back, eating everything in sight, and spending some extra quality time with the family. Sure, I think many of us get used to the idea of living like a retiree. Unfortunately I'm about 20-30 years away from that... depending on how well the ole' 401K decides to perform.

In sales, it is crucial to not only sell but to leave a good first impression, sale or no sale. I've had interactions with sales professionals ranging from ignoring their insistent calls when I've already told them I'm not interested, to becoming best friends with someone who prospected me over six years ago.  For many people, their first interaction with your company may very well be with a sales member, and as the saying goes, "You never get a second chance to make a first impression."

As I take stock of the great year 2013 turned out to be, my mind of course is now beginning to shift to 2014. There were many things that continuously reminded me of what it takes to be a well-rounded manager in 2013, and I hope to carry those criteria on to 2014. 

I'm not saying it's easy or even possible at all times to juggle the important characteristics of effective inside sales managers, but here's my take on what I feel is most valuable and what I plan to focus on next year. 

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote advice for newly promoted inside sales managers in my post, New Sales Managers, Don’t Miss Out on This Advice. I focused on three areas of guidance:

When I meet with the newest additions to the AG family, I always make a point to let them know that we're not looking for a cookie-cutter employee. Everyone here has their own unique traits and a certain style that works for them. Using some creative license here or there is necessary when you cold call and keeps reps engaged in what many would consider the toughest part of selling.