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www.salesmba.com Sales skills, knowledge and tools for sales professionals |
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It's a typical Tuesday morning at Kinnan Computer's
sales department, a force of 14 salespeople. As you stroll along from office to
office, you see several of the reps talking on the phone. You overhear one rep
listing out the next steps in implementing a new system, following up on a
recent sale. Another rep is trying to set up appointments with prospects who
have received recent proposals. Still others are experimenting with cold
calling, hoping to set up first appointments. You walk a little farther and see
one sitting at his desk, pen in hand, going over the text of his presentation
for a hot prospect. Here and there a door is closed or an office is empty. These
are the offices of reps who have been called away for meetings or are out seeing
prospects and customers.
Everyone is busy; everyone is working hard. No wonder this is a top-notch team of senior sales reps. Even so, you wonder if there is anything more that can be done to make this group of sales reps even more productive. And the answer is yes. If you repeat your stroll around the office and look for the factors of success, you'll see that everyone is working hard, everyone is focused . . . and yet there is something missing. This salesforce, like so many others, runs as though each salesperson is an independent entrepreneur in charge of his or her own business. There is no teamwork, no collaboration . . . no synergy. If your salesforce resembles the one described here, you may want to introduce a method for building synergy into your salesforce. We call it a peer exchange. What Is A Peer Exchange?A peer exchange is an informal gathering of sales reps that both stimulates new ideas and develops sales strategy. It's a way for salespeople to share their best ideas, try out new techniques or get advice in handling difficult sales situations. A peer exchange can benefit senior high performers, experienced sales teams and even newcomers who are just learning the basics of selling. Seniors benefit from the mentor role. They continue to build their credibility by sharing their sales expertise. At the same time, they refine their own skills because helping others is a good way to review ideas and techniques. Members of experienced sales teams benefit from the opportunity to brainstorm together. They are exposed to ideas and techniques that might be very different from their usual ways of working with prospects. And newcomers to sales get to hear from their more experienced peers ideas that have actually been successful. How Is A Peer Exchange Set Up?If a peer exchange is to be successful, it has to be in an environment that is informal, flexible and comfortable. The best meetings are in settings that encourage people to talk openly to each other. That means selecting a place and a time that people are likely to want to gather and talk. The best times for such meetings are before or after the workday, when salespeople are more likely to have some free time. Good locations are ones where people feel comfortable talking. It can be inside the company or at a local facility outside the company. The keys to selecting a location are a quiet place where everyone can hear and a place where everyone can see each other. Some ideal places include a small conference room, an area of the cafeteria, a staff lounge or even the back room of a local restaurant. In planning a peer exchange meeting, you want to set aside 45 minutes to an hour. You need enough time to discuss the subject of the meeting thoroughly, but at the same time you don't want to take too much time away from other activities. What Are The Roles In A Peer Exchange Meeting?There are three major roles for a peer exchange meeting: Leader or meeting facilitator Speaker Participant What Happens During A Peer Exchange Meeting?1. The meeting begins with the speaker presenting details about the topic or sales strategy that he or she has selected. A brief overview of the situation is needed to explain:
2. Participants then offer ideas from their experience or just brainstorm possible options the speaker might use. It's important to keep the ideas flowing because people are most likely to give the most obvious ideas quickly, while the really great ideas are the ones that come later in the meeting. 3. The speaker selects one of the ideas that seems like the best course of action. 4. Everyone brainstorms the best ways to implement the chosen course of action. What Is The Manager's Role?Peer exchanges work best when they are just that -- exchanges of ideas among colleagues. That, by definition, excludes managers, sales executives, members of the marketing department or others who might want to participate. While your job as manager doesn't allow you to participate, you play an important role in keeping the peer exchange meetings effective. Your role includes: Selecting an effective leader Coaching the leader Being a cheerleader
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Donna Siegel is a senior partner at SeaBird Associates Inc, an author and consultant in the areas of sales management and sales coaching. |
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| Contact Donna at:
SeaBird Associates Inc |
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Copyright © 1994 - 2002 SeaBird Associates Inc and the author. All rights reserved. Please see
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