In our first speaker series with The Friedman Group, Speaker Karen Barry gave an overview of the eight basic ingredients for success in a high performance selling environment, information that will help get us through these challenging times.
During our webinar Karen talked about how, in these unprecedented times, conversations with clients have revolved around re-grouping and re-envisioning priorities and putting structure and accountability systems in place for high performance retail sales and management. The eight basic ingredients for success are as follows
1. Set fair goals for each staff member
that are goal driven, based on external factors and transparent.
2. Provide formal weekly coaching of your staff
that is tailored to each individual to develop them to their true potential. This involves analyzing each person’s daily and weekly performance indicators and determining which metrics, if improved, have the strongest dollar impact on that person’s results. Then hold them accountable based on measurable behavior.
3. Make on the floor coaching a way of life
Use metrics as drivers and behaviors as levers. Doorcounts can help determine where in the sales process the salesperson is missing information. You can observe behaviors and give information by coaching behavior.
4. Establish non-negotiable standards
If behavior (how you do something) is required, then it’s a standard! Get buy -in from your sales staff on what behaviors result in optimal sales, hold your staff to the “letter of the law”. If you’re unwilling to fire someone for not adhering to these recognized standards, then the behaviors are not non-negotiable! Don’t hold on to poor performers too long. Rather, know when to cut bait!
5. Don’t be held hostage
Maybe you are afraid of having your number 1 salesperson jump ship. You have survived a sales shark leaving-perhaps they have been swiping from your more reserved salespeople or bullying customers into sales. Don’t fret, but have a constant recruiting machine at the ready!
6. Formalize your onboarding
Make the process efficient and effective. On the job training is a poor substitute. Make the training consistent, thorough and an easy to follow experience.
7. Use a rotation system
Doorcounts gives you great tools to manage multiple customers and allow you to assign salespeople. That way, your “sharks”, who swipe customers and your “minnows”, who are not as aggressive and give a different level of space, are balanced out. Your “skaters”, who look for people ready to buy, and your “cherry pickers”, who pick only people buying expensive things, are balanced out.
Through a rotation system, you can give equal opportunity for all to practice their sales technique and you develop less experienced employees.
Every customer deserves to be served and every salesperson has an opportunity to make a living. Doorcounts also gives you the ability to track conversion rate for each salesperson and help them improve conversion rate through analysis of the sales interaction and data.
8. Have some fun
Create an environment that stimulates salespeople by motivating them to sell. This can include games, contests and group activities. People want to work in an environment they like with people they like. Fun is more than money, it’s positivity! The numbers guide you but the people will make you.
Here’s the replay and stay tuned for deeper dives on these subjects and more from The Friedman Group and the Doorcounts Team in future webinars in this series.