Sales Prospecting Perspectives

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.  

I often wish I can go back to those specific points in my career to let myself know that everything’s to be alright. You know those moments where you feel like the sky is falling and nothing is panning out they way you hoped it would?  At the time, these thoughts consume you, but a month later, you've all but forgotten it. 

Be honest: How much emotional energy did you dedicate to one lousy moment? Was it worth it in retrospect? 

“Most people meander in and out of lots of conversations. Don’t be most people. Be tighter than that. Be more influential.”

Craig Wortmann, who has written several guest posts for us including How to Optimize Your Sales Engine in 30 Days and 5 Things Salespeople Should Stop Doing Immediately, recently released a new eBook, How to Communicate With Influence for Sales Pros & Leaders. Wortmann, CEO of the tools and services firm Sales Engine and professor of professional selling, entrepreneurship and leadership at University of Chicago Booth School of Business, provided this eBook as a resource for sales professionals to learn how to become better influencers, better conversationalists and better sellers. As a reader who flew through the book in half an hour, I can confidently say that "How to Communicate with Influence" accomplished all of that and more.

We know how you feel. You’re an executive of an inside sales team, busy closing sales and leading your team. It’s unwise (if not impossible) for you chase down the latest and greatest tools and ideas to improve your crew’s performance.

No worries. Our new eBook, Top of the Funnel Field Guide to Sales Prospecting Success, a collaboration with the team at SalesLoft, is here to make that process simple for you.

The team at AG Salesworks has been hands-on, in the trenches, with over 350 sales teams over the last 10 years. We’ve seen the outcomes of sales conversations and have a great grasp on what you need to empower your team with the tools and processes they need to get ahead.

I have long believed that one of the most important cornerstones to a great corporate culture is learning and growth.  An important part of my job is to create such an environment, and work to ensure that each and every team member understands they have the flexibility to expand their contribution beyond their job description.  When this happens, everyone wins.  The team member has the opportunity to learn, improve and expand his or her skill set.  The customer benefits from a happier, more skilled team member, and the company benefits from increased productivity, customer loyalty and ultimately, profitability.  

By the end of the decade, millennials will encompass 50% of the workforce. Not only will they be employees, they will also be customers. They’re changing the workplace with adaptive views on feedback, mentoring programs and socialization. They’re vocal about their beliefs and ideas, and are confident that their input matters. The millennial generation is changing the way all employees, Baby Boomers and Gen X alike, work in the new millennium.

This week marks my 9-year anniversary at AG Salesworks. It's been a great ride.  

Prior to joining AG, I spent some time working in hospitality, banking and technology. What I discovered is that the personalities I ran into within each of those industries could not get more diverse. With the experience I gained has come perspective on what­ I feel helps drive a team. It could be money for some, continuous praise for others or the challenge of what the job brings on a daily basis. One of the few consistent themes I've seen is this: You need to have your team’s back.