“CloserQ, when I take my sales manager with me on sales calls, I cannot get the guy to shut up. Recommendations?” Barney Rubble
Barney, I have lots of questions before I answer your question: Are you winning these deals? Has your sales manager ever carried a bag? How often is your sales manager on calls with you? How expensive are your solutions (typically the more expensive the more sales managers go on visits)? How long is your sales cycle and where in the sales cycle is your sales manager traveling with you? How long has he been your sales manager? How is your relationship with your manager? Are you over quota? Is your manager over quota?
I will start with one my basic goals in any presentation is to have the prospect talk more than me, especially in one on one meetings. This is counterintuitive for a lot of sales people, thinking I have to tell my prospect all about my solution. The goal is to understand the prospect’s needs and help them solve problems, not tell them about you. In Rick Pitino’s book ‘Success is a Choice’, he talks about recruiting high school basketball players. He says he would visit a recruit in their house and do the all the talking about the school. They would leave the meeting and feel good because the kid knew all about them and they kid would go to another school. They would go to another house listen to the kid and parent, and then address their specific questions. They would leave the meeting and be concerned because the prospect did not know all about the school and the kid would come to play for Coach Pitino. There is a great sales lesson in the story (recruiting is selling the kid to come to your school), on the value of listen to your prospects needs versus selling your solutions.
Now that I got over my pet peeve of sales people talking too much, not listening, not understanding their prospect, and being afraid of asking too many questions, let’s address dealing with your manager. This is very dynamic based on the questions above, including your relationship and where both of you are in respect to quota. He is your manager, so tread lightly. If you are below are quota or on a plan, I recommend your focus doing what your manager says, prospecting, and winning deals. As a sales manager, a sales person above quota carries more weight than one who isn’t. If you are above quota you have lots of option. After your next meeting ask for a debrief of the sales call. Ask why he asked specific questions and took over the meeting (get understand of where he is coming from). If you are winning these deals put your ego aside and learn why he is winning these deals. If you are losing these deals but winning deals without him try to avoid him going on calls with you and prior to the call ask him if you can lead the meetings. If this is a major problem and you feel you have no option but to leave, I would approach your boss first then your manager before leaving. If you work for a large company request a meeting with HR. Always a delicate situation when dealing with a manager, tread lightly, and be positive.
Barney, Good Managing Up and let us know how it goes! Reader Feedback, please click the comments below to give 'additional information on 'Dealing with a sales manager’ and I want your feedback on my response. Shaun P
Barney, I have lots of questions before I answer your question: Are you winning these deals? Has your sales manager ever carried a bag? How often is your sales manager on calls with you? How expensive are your solutions (typically the more expensive the more sales managers go on visits)? How long is your sales cycle and where in the sales cycle is your sales manager traveling with you? How long has he been your sales manager? How is your relationship with your manager? Are you over quota? Is your manager over quota?
I will start with one my basic goals in any presentation is to have the prospect talk more than me, especially in one on one meetings. This is counterintuitive for a lot of sales people, thinking I have to tell my prospect all about my solution. The goal is to understand the prospect’s needs and help them solve problems, not tell them about you. In Rick Pitino’s book ‘Success is a Choice’, he talks about recruiting high school basketball players. He says he would visit a recruit in their house and do the all the talking about the school. They would leave the meeting and feel good because the kid knew all about them and they kid would go to another school. They would go to another house listen to the kid and parent, and then address their specific questions. They would leave the meeting and be concerned because the prospect did not know all about the school and the kid would come to play for Coach Pitino. There is a great sales lesson in the story (recruiting is selling the kid to come to your school), on the value of listen to your prospects needs versus selling your solutions.
Now that I got over my pet peeve of sales people talking too much, not listening, not understanding their prospect, and being afraid of asking too many questions, let’s address dealing with your manager. This is very dynamic based on the questions above, including your relationship and where both of you are in respect to quota. He is your manager, so tread lightly. If you are below are quota or on a plan, I recommend your focus doing what your manager says, prospecting, and winning deals. As a sales manager, a sales person above quota carries more weight than one who isn’t. If you are above quota you have lots of option. After your next meeting ask for a debrief of the sales call. Ask why he asked specific questions and took over the meeting (get understand of where he is coming from). If you are winning these deals put your ego aside and learn why he is winning these deals. If you are losing these deals but winning deals without him try to avoid him going on calls with you and prior to the call ask him if you can lead the meetings. If this is a major problem and you feel you have no option but to leave, I would approach your boss first then your manager before leaving. If you work for a large company request a meeting with HR. Always a delicate situation when dealing with a manager, tread lightly, and be positive.
Barney, Good Managing Up and let us know how it goes! Reader Feedback, please click the comments below to give 'additional information on 'Dealing with a sales manager’ and I want your feedback on my response. Shaun P
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