The global economy is being hit hard by the measures taken to combat the "corona virus". It is difficult to estimate at the moment how long it will last, but it is a certainty that it will end.
The consequences of the necessary measures will also be felt within your company. Watching helplessly is not an option, so what can you do to ensure a flying start? “Every cloud has a silver lining.”
These are the legendary words of a legendary footballer, but they are true. In this blog, I want to share a number of tips to quickly get your sales organization—that is, sales—back up to speed. But first, a few examples of why you need to activate your sales team today, right now.
In addition, a well-known and successful disability insurer adheres to the so-called 'eight-week principle'; if an employee is at risk of being absent for longer than eight weeks, an intensive program is immediately drawn up to get him fit for work again as quickly as possible.
Experience shows that after eight weeks the 'drive' to get back to work decreases very quickly.
Moreover, Ankie van Grunsven's horse must be trained daily or kept moving using a horse walker or by walking circles on a lead.
The same reason applies here: if the horse stands still for too long, it "forgets" its routine, and Ankie and her staff have a lot of extra work to get it back in shape.
Furthermore, footballers have a maximum summer holiday of three to four weeks. The main reason is that too much rest actually has a negative effect and increases the risk of injuries later in the season.
So what about the 'sales tiger', the employee responsible for ensuring sales are made and orders flow in? Not every sales employee is identical, but generally speaking, they benefit most from a clear structure, clear targets, and KPIs.
Next, also consider concrete agreements regarding reporting, visit frequencies, etc. And of course, a nice car, salary, and bonuses.
And what is the issue at hand right now? All those matters are suddenly falling away. There is no longer any structure, clients can no longer be visited, targets are not being met, and bonuses seem infinitely far away.
Furthermore, well, what is there left to report? In short, they are sitting at home 'unemployed', doing their paperwork, waiting, and slowly but surely falling into 'hibernation'. Even though spring has just arrived.
With the result; think of the disabled employee, my Ankie's horse and the football player. As a manager, you have to put a lot of extra energy into getting the man or woman back into top shape.
However, things can also be done differently and you can use this period to make a flying start and take a decisive lead over the competition.
What do you need to do to make that happen?
1. Be 'visible': Now it is the job of the real manager to take the lead in putting forward activities and ideas for the period during and after the crisis, while demonstrating drive and decisiveness. He or she, together with the team, must be the 'face' and 'voice' of the organization.
2. Be understanding: The manager must understand the emotions in the immediate environment and communicate understandingly, clearly and powerfully.
3. Rely on the strength of your own company: It is important to rely on your own strength, especially during this period. One's own strength can also be innovation; think of things that are simple, cost little and yet yield maximum returns.
4. Stay positive: It is crucial for your internal and external stakeholders that you as a manager offer perspective and remain positive. It must be clear that the organization is working hard on solutions and sees opportunities.
5. Show the challenges you face: Showing your 'challenges' is not a weakness, but a strength.
In short, if the end of the crisis is not yet in sight, it is better to communicate this transparently. Vulnerability and emotion are characteristics of these times and belong in the reflection on the current crisis.
6. Be aware of the organizational dynamics: As a manager, when managing the crisis, you will need to be aware of the organization's natural response to the crisis. Every organization (culture) is different.
The dynamics emerging from this during the crisis are therefore very important. This does not mean that you should simply take them for granted. On the contrary, and certainly not if they prove to stand in the way of an effective solution to the crisis.
7. Ensure 'open' communication: Managers should use an 'open' communication style. This includes, for example: listening to the immediate environment, using a constructive and encouraging tone and being 'open' and available for response and feedback.
8. Cherish your sales team: The manager cannot do it all alone. To seize opportunities, he relies to a significant extent on the efforts of the sales team within the organization.
Incidentally, it is therefore important to be mindful of this and to build a real community with everyone in the organization involved in the sales process. The sales team will need to be supported during a crisis.
9. Facilitate your sales team: Develop activities that ensure that your sales people are activated:
- Organize Webinars.
- Organize digital meetings. With ZOOM or TEAMS there are many possibilities and challenge your employees to think about alternatives. Sales people will often not move on their own, but if they get a 'trigger' they can be motivated very well.
- Encourage them to take action, for example by instructing them to call customers and have them report on the effect during the daily digital meeting.
- Organize a digital telephone acquisition day with a closing virtual drink.
- Challenge them to identify and approach their 25 most important prospects; there is a good chance that that important potential customer is also at home waiting for things to happen.
- Help them with marketing activities and instruct them to take care of the follow-up; they really have time for that now.
- Offer them training if they find it difficult to call prospects or customers. However, Kenneth Smit is perfectly capable of training your employees via webinars and supporting them with online tools.
10. Stay calm and be yourself: In times like these, it is crucial that the manager remains calm and, above all, be themselves. Naturally, it is important to look out for ideal examples such as that of football coach Dick Advocaat.
He has proven to be a perfect crisis manager. Experience shows that authenticity in the manager's demeanor, in particular, enhances his or her credibility.
Finally, a crisis like this never comes at the right time, but I would like to echo the words of Charles Darwin:
“They are not the strongest species that survive, nor are they the most intelligent. It is the kind that responds best to change.”
Author
Therefore, Pieter Willemse
Trainer Coach at Kenneth Smit
[email protected]
06 - 51589627