This one is for the enablement folks. Truth: I’m an enablement leader in my heart and soul.
I was just talking to an enablement leader friend who was really frustrated that they spent so many months building a robust training program – rolled it out beautifully – and had to hand their baby over to the sales manager to keep those skills alive. Which did not work…
I’ve been both an enablement leader and sales manager and can tell you that sales management is the busiest job in the world. We spend the bulk of our day fighting fires and there’s never been a learning emergency.
So if you’re an enablement or training leader and you’d like some tips to get sales managers to coach more often and keep rep skills alive, keep reading.
I’ve got 20 tips to help you increase the sales coaching focus at work. Below are my top 3 (get the rest at the bottom of this article).
#1 – Don’t expect them to do more work. As I said previously, sales management is the busiest job in the world. If you want them to coach, you’ve got to fit coaching into their jam-packed schedule. What meetings do sales managers have often? Rep performance 1:1s, pipeline meetings, team meetings, and sales huddles. You’ve got to find ways for your managers to keep rep skills alive during their existing meetings.
At Factor 8, we’ve built manager toolkits that have activities a sales manager can run during a sales huddle to keep skills alive after training.
#2 – Make it easy. If they need to build a deck, it’s not going to happen. If they need to create a process, it’s not going to happen. If they need to go on a scavenger hunt to find different information for the coaching session, it’s not going to happen. You’ve got to make it fast and easy for managers.
At Factor 8, we’ve created coaching guides for various rep skills that managers can easily use for skill reinforcement. They combine a cheat sheet of what “good” looks like, which questions to ask during coaching, and a ready-to-use worksheet that coaches both the will and the skill with an easy grading form.
#3 – Most managers don’t know what “coaching” means. Sure, they understand the definition, but they don’t know what it means to actually coach a rep and they definitely don’t know what “good” coaching looks like. That means you get a lot of things like this…
“Hey rep, let’s work on this deal.” You’ve been coached. ✔
“Hey team, what’s the forecast?” You’ve been coached. ✔
“Let me get on this call and help you close it.” You’ve been coached. ✔
Folks, this isn’t coaching. As enablement leaders, we know that.
So, in training hundreds of sales managers over the last few years, I’ve learned that it’s a tough skill, it’s not natural for sales managers, and they’re too nervous to do it (though they’ll never admit that last one out loud).
Just put yourself in their shoes. Imagine going to a top player and saying “Let me listen to your call and give you feedback on how to do it better.” Sounds terribly nerve-wracking, right?
That’s why we’ve got to address it and build confidence in their sales coaching, call coaching, and rep skill coaching skills.
If you haven’t taught your managers how to coach to build up their own confidence, it’s probably no surprise that you think they can be doing more coaching.
If you’d like to talk about more specific strategies or a particular issue you’re dealing with in making that connection with sales leadership so they really get behind enablement, I’m here to talk. Email me at LB@factor8.com.
Ultimate Sales Promotion Workshop: How to Get Promoted in Any Role
[Video Recording]
Learn How to Get Promoted into Any Sales Role
Ready to supercharge your sales career? Whether you’re new to sales, rocking the BDR world, or ready to move from rep to manager or manager to director, LB will break down the secrets she’s seen in the industry that help some people rise to the top FAST while others move at half the speed.
You’ll learn:
What managers/leaders are looking for in each role
Key skills and abilities that help you promote faster
How to bring up the career path conversation
What to get in order before you ask
Detailed metrics, ideas, templates, and resources to help plan your next move
Q&A with LB!
Watch the video replay!
Learn How to Get Promoted into Any Sales Role
Ready to supercharge your sales career? Whether you’re new to sales, rocking the BDR world, or ready to move from rep to manager or manager to director, LB will break down the secrets she’s seen in the industry that help some people rise to the top FAST while others move at half the speed.
You’ll learn:
What managers/leaders are looking for in each role
Key skills and abilities that help you promote faster
How to bring up the career path conversation
What to get in order before you ask
Detailed metrics, ideas, templates, and resources to help plan your next move
Ramping new reps to hit quota faster is every sales leader’s dream, but it doesn’t have to stay a dream. With the right approach, you can accelerate your team’s learning curve, helping them hit the ground running and reach their targets sooner. Here’s how to turbocharge your onboarding process and get your reps to quota 10x faster.
First, incorporate recordings into your training and play the pause game. This technique builds wider neural pathways, which speeds up how fast reps can remember and use new knowledge. It’s not just about listening—it’s about active engagement that sticks.
Next, ditch the boring “subject matter experts” and lifeless videos. If your training is one-way, it’s a dead-end. Instead, build in interactivity, and you’ll see your reps applying what they’ve learned much sooner. Make sales training a two-way street where participation is key.
Lastly, stop treating sales skills like they’re separate. In the real world, multitasking in sales is constant, so your training should reflect that. Teach skills together, not apart. By integrating different aspects of the sales process, your reps will develop a more holistic understanding, allowing them to pivot seamlessly between tasks.
Watch the video for more detailed advice on applying these tips to ramp your sales team fast so they’re hitting quota sooner!
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When I first started as a sales manager, I used to think that telling my team was enough.
I knew what to do, so I could tell them what to do.
Job done, right? Not quite.
The problem was I felt like I was telling them over and over again, and yet nothing changed…
“I’VE TOLD THEM 100 TIMES.” (sound familiar?)
Well, it wasn’t until I became an enablement professional that I learned various sales techniques, including that there’s a HUGE difference between telling vs. teaching.
At the heart of that is something called Adult Learning Theory,a framework that outlines the most effective ways adults learn, considering their distinct experiences, motivations, and learning preferences (NEIT).
Part of Adult Learning Theory explains that as grown-ups, our brains are organized like file folders.
You can tell a kid something new and they’ll buy it, believe it, and retain it better than an adult.
When you try to get ME to change a behavior or learn something new, you’ve got to relate it to the folders that are already in my brain
So here are 8 effective ways sales enablement can forge a better partnership with revenue leaders:
Keep meetings short and fast. Confirm meetings the day before via text if possible. Revenue leaders have packed schedules, so respecting their time is crucial. By keeping meetings brief and confirming attendance the day before, you ensure that your interactions are efficient and prioritized.
Get three or more follow-up resources – top, middle, and struggling sellers, as well as a go-to Sales Manager. Understanding the perspectives of sellers at different performance levels and involving a reliable Sales Manager can provide comprehensive insights. This helps tailor training programs that address varied needs within the team.
Uncover root causes by questioning results, metrics, challenges, sales cycle stages, and KPIs. Dive deep into the data and ask probing questions about the results and challenges. Understanding the intricacies of each sales cycle stage and key performance indicators will help pinpoint the real issues that sales training needs to address.
Get five or more recorded call or video examples so you know where to insert new skills and role-play ideas. Recorded calls and videos are invaluable for identifying where sales reps need improvement. They also serve as great tools for developing role-playing scenarios that target specific skills gaps. Save these recordings to help develop future reps, showing them the good, bad, and ugly.
Move mountains to get going fast but set expectations up front for build time and class time. Sales leaders often expect rapid results, but it’s important to manage these expectations by clearly communicating the time required for developing and delivering effective sales training programs.
Appoint a sales liaison to shadow sales, attend meetings, and translate insights. Ask for the same in return. Having a dedicated liaison who understands both sales and enablement can bridge communication gaps. This person can provide real-time feedback and ensure that training initiatives are relevant and aligned with sales goals.
Always document deliverables, expectations, and commitments in a client “contract.” Clear documentation of what’s expected from both sides helps prevent misunderstandings. A “contract” outlining deliverables and commitments ensures accountability and clarity throughout the training process.
Measure results post-training at two weeks, four weeks, and eight weeks. Raise flags if no movement is detected. Consistent follow-up on sales training effectiveness is essential. Regular check-ins at defined intervals help track progress and identify areas where additional support may be needed. If there’s no improvement, it’s crucial to address the issues promptly.
By incorporating these strategies, sales enablement professionals can build stronger, more collaborative relationships with revenue leaders. It’s about speaking their language, understanding their challenges, and providing tangible value that directly impacts sales performance. When both sides work together seamlessly, the entire organization benefits from improved alignment, communication, and results.
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There’s something wild happening in the sales training industry right under our noses, and it’s severely impacting the skill level of your front-line sellers. Truth: Sometimes I’m part of the problem.
Why do we expect sales reps to try a new skill after watching one video?
Video learning is as passive as it gets (not that anyone ever checked email while playing a training video) and yet we’re “training” sellers with this single touch (not even eight touches like SFDC says we need. Video alone should take hundreds, right?)
Getting a seller to try a new skill = getting a buyer to make a purchase.
And a 30-minute training video = a single commercial.
In other words, sales training videos alone don’t work – they’re not effective in teaching skills. In fact, I’m going to climb up a little higher on my soapbox and say…
Video-based sales training is NOT ACTUALLY TRAINING.
It’s entertainment. “Edu-tainment” at best. In our marketing vs. sales analogy, training videos would be the equivalent of content marketing. Its purpose is to brand, to “passive touch”, and to warm a prospect.
Unfortunately, not a lot of leads convert from content alone. Especially from a single blog or ad. This is where marketers share the stat that it takes eight “meaningful interactions” before someone will take action. And sales leaders get that “meaningful interactions” are best driven by the sales team – things like asking the right questions, qualifying, customizing the pitch, applying the solution to their world, showing value, etc.
Training works the same way. What we’re selling is a behavior change – the breaking of one habit and the installation of another. Let’s say the goal is to stop sellers from prematurely pitching as an example. We want to replace the habit with a new one like asking prospects 5 questions before delivering a custom pitch.
A great webinar or video on the subject will at best introduce this concept or maybe passively gain some attention or buy-in to the idea. Great first step!
But as leaders, it is irresponsible of us to leave it there. We left off the entire rest of the learning cycle! If your training is only (or primarily) video-based, then your learners are missing:
If and how the idea applies to them
When in the sales cycle it’s happening
Which behaviors they do today that they need to stop
How to write better questions
When to ask new questions
What to do when they get the answer
How to ask the questions confidently
How to bring up the pitch
When to bring up the pitch
Practice and support doing this over and over until it’s a habit
The most important parts of training to gain behavior change are missing. Don’t even get me started on maintaining that behavior (heard of the forgetting curve?)
Here’s the hard truth: If your training does not include an opportunity to try the skill, customize the application of the skill, share examples of the skill being done in different situations, practice using the skill, or feedback on the execution of the practice, then I’m sorry to tell you that you’re not training. You’re entertaining.
It’s gotten harder to influence buyers to take action with all the “noise” out there, right? Your sales teams are right in the middle of all that noise, and the younger generation is accepting video training as complete. It’s up to us to do it better. It will be a competitive differentiator for those who do.
Please do yourself, your managers, and your salesforce the favor of checking. Here are some questions to ask your training/new hire/enablement team:
What percent of our new hire (or ongoing/career path) training lessons are video-based?
What do we do after the video?
When do they customize and practice the skill?
Who gives feedback on the execution of the skill?
What actions are being done to keep it alive?
Sales enablement leaders and trainers, I know you feel me. You’ve been preaching this for years, and you could chart out where video lands on Bloom’s taxonomy and how much real estate is between a video and the confident application of the skill. Need some buy-in? Send this blog, and then go ask your sales leaders these five questions:
What are you doing to teach new hires basic selling skills?
How much of their training is video or webinar/zoom-based (aka a “talking head”?)
What percent of their time in training is spent listening to live calls or practicing the skill?
What tools do the managers use to reinforce the training?
Have you taught managers how to coach and reinforce the skills?
Let’s all do this better. There are too many young salespeople failing out of sales. Very few get to sit next to a rockstar to soak in how it’s done. It’s up to the sales and enablement leaders to demand better skills training! I’d LOVE to share how we built 10-15 interactive touches into our training at Factor 8. If you have teams of front-line digital sellers or managers, please let us show you our methodology and our results.
Want more information on why sales training videos don’t work?
Contact us today to request information on our customizable virtual sales training programs available for reps (and managers).
10+ Strategies to Show Revenue Enablement & Sales Training ROI
[Video Recording]
Unlock Proven Revenue Enablement & Sales Training ROI Strategies
Let’s be real, sales enablement is under fire today. Teams are getting leaner, every dollar needs to show its worth, and we’ve got to align our activities directly to performance. In this webinar, we’re tackling these challenges head-on.
You’ll learn:
How to transform enablement into a revenue powerhouse (not just a cost center)
The secret sauce to measuring revenue enablement & sales training ROI
Ways to partner effectively with revenue teams to drive top results
The leading and lagging indicators to watch out for
How to maximize your sales training investment
Join our very own Lauren Bailey, Founder of Factor 8, and Deniz Olcay, VP of Marketing at Allego, as they dive deep into best practices for maximizing your sales enablement/training investments. Learn how to measure ROI like a pro and spot the key indicators that make all the difference.
Lauren and Deniz, both seasoned enablement and sales leaders, will share real-life stories and actionable tips from their careers and their work with thousands of companies worldwide.
Watch the video replay!
Unlock Proven Revenue Enablement & Sales Training ROI Strategies
Let’s be real, sales enablement is under fire today. Teams are getting leaner, every dollar needs to show its worth, and we’ve got to align our activities directly to performance. In this webinar, we’re tackling these challenges head-on.
You’ll learn:
How to transform enablement into a revenue powerhouse (not just a cost center)
The secret sauce to measuring revenue enablement & sales training ROI
Ways to partner effectively with revenue teams to drive top results
The leading and lagging indicators to watch out for
How to maximize your sales training investment
Join our very own Lauren Bailey, Founder of Factor 8, and Deniz Olcay, VP of Marketing at Allego, as they dive deep into best practices for maximizing your sales enablement/training investments. Learn how to measure ROI like a pro and spot the key indicators that make all the difference.
Lauren and Deniz, both seasoned enablement and sales leaders, will share real-life stories and actionable tips from their careers and their work with thousands of companies worldwide.
Lauren Bailey, known to many as “LB”, is a sales leader, enablement leader, and entrepreneur and founder of 3 successful brands: Factor 8, providing front-line job training for inside sellers and managers, The Sales Bar, a subscription-based virtual sales training platform, and #GirlsClub, a community and development program helping more women earn leadership positions in sales.
Her mission is to change lives by supercharging people’s careers and helping them love coming to work. When we feel confident and successful at work, everything is better, right? Known on the speaker circuit for her “No B.S.” style and spunk, look for LB to make you laugh, keep things moving quickly, and help you take immediate action with her tactical tips and insights.
Deniz has had a sales-centric background from the start, including working in the sales training industry at RAIN Group where he was directly responsible for creating learning programs to help sellers sell more effectively.
In his previous role at Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) he was the VP of Product Marketing, managing a portfolio of 12+ products representing over $650M in annual revenue. He played a pivotal role in training a 500+ person sales team and is intimately familiar with the challenges of arming sellers with the knowledge and tools to be successful in selling virtually.
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View our live Sales Shot webinar schedule and register for upcoming events below.
If you’ve been in sales training and enablement for a minute, you’ve encountered this challenge: How do you engage those who don’t wish to be there?
Sometimes the “crusty experts” who resist training are the longest-tenured, sometimes the highest performers, often just a random non-believer or egoist. So how do you handle them? I have three sure-fire solutions that work like a charm when it comes to getting sales training buy-in from your reps:
1. Let them go. No, really. Nowhere in your job description does it say your job is to sell the Kool-Aid to the non-thirsty. Are you graded on attendance? This approach ends one of two ways:
They’re grateful to leave and the rest of class is happy to see them go.
They realize they’re being unprofessional and backpedal themselves right into your front row.
Here’s what to say (at first break/quiet work opportunity):
“Ethan, do you have a moment? Pop into the hall/breakout room with me? Hey, I feel like I’m wasting your time. I’ve heard a few comments about my approach and your busy schedule, and I just want to remind you that this is optional. If ongoing training isn’t for you or this doesn’t work for you, I’m the last person who is going to keep you.”
If the backpedaling begins in earnest and you really want them gone, try this:
“Actually, Ethan, what I’m suggesting is no longer a choice. The disruptions are now affecting the whole class and I’d appreciate it if you’d grab your stuff and maybe try next time this is offered. Appreciate it.”
Be careful to stay cool. You don’t need to offer lots of evidence he’s being rude, just let him know you noticed and give him the out.
If you want to keep him, then try something simple like:
“Hey, I get busy. You’re welcome to stay but I need you to really be here and act like a role model to…” There’s some good stuff here and I’d love your input if you can get present and stop the commentary maybe?”
2. Stroke that ego! As soon as you see the attitude, assume they’re a top performer superstar and pull their story and tip for the class. “Jane, what do you think about storytelling during discovery, have you seen it work?”
Note: For this to work, we want to pick something where Jane will agree AND give her narrow guardrails, OK? Otherwise, you’ve handed Jane the stage to derail you in front of the entire class on nearly any subject she chooses.
This invites her to wax on about nearly anything. Good luck getting the spotlight off her and her amazing self.
Try this instead:
“Jane, have you ever tried using the second step of the objections process? I bet you have a great story”
This should give her a headstart in proving your point. Assume she will agree with you, give her a narrow focus, and specific instructions so she knows how long she has the green light. One of two things happens next:
“Thanks, LB. Yeah, I’ve totally seen this work…this one time I was a hero…”
“Nope, in my experience this happens instead…”
If I get the latter, I get a few details and then interrupt (stop her momentum before it gets worse) and ask the class, “Do you all agree? Raise your hand if there is no second step of this process? What happens instead?” Now quickly organize into a positive direction. You don’t want ten individual stories, you want a vote so you know where to go. Follow up with, “OK, how can we pivot these four steps to work in this situation?”
In other words, be ready to pivot and engage their expertise. Maybe Jane is actually right! If she isn’t, the class will shut it down and pop that inflated ego balloon.
The second benefit of this approach is the learning we do by abandoning script/trainers’ notes. Your credibility will soar with your ability to zig-zag your way to a custom solution the class experts endorse.
3. Option three is best or a 1:1 coaching approach vs. classroom. It’s two steps:
Enroll their help
Call them perfect
This approach combines a little of the psychology of options one and two, and almost always lands with the resistant egoist shifting into reverse and backing right into helping you out! Here’s how it works:
Adam: “Do we really need to do this? I’ve got so much to get done.”
You: “No man, we totally don’t! I’m 100% not here to tell you how to get better. You’re the best there is! I was more hoping you could show me what it should sound like in a few of these areas. Talk me through the ultimate demo. How do you kick it off?”
Let the ego stroking ensue – smile, nod, clarify, maybe even a few ooohs and ahhhs – then go in for the kill:
“Would you be willing to do some coaching on this? I’d love to have some of the new guys hear this. Maybe we can book a session with 2-3 guys and have you do some role plays?”
He’s taken the bait, now it’s time to reel him in!
In front of the group, find an opportunity to call Adam perfect. You’ll have to move out of his way he’ll be shifting so fast.
Try this:
“Group, this is Adam and he’s one of our top 10% around here. 10%?! Probably 1%! I heard his demo kickoff and asked him to share it with you all. Seriously, ya’l’ need to keep your eye on this guy. Adam, you must literally be the perfect Account Executive.”
Wait for it…
Adam’s reply will sound like, “Oh, gosh no. I’m far from perfect! I’ve just been doing this a while.”
I’m humble and fabulous, and terribly good-looking.
Now you have a chance to ask what he’s working on and his brain will search for and find an answer in front of the group (or 1:1).
Try something like, “Whatever, humble! No, I really love that even the best are always striving to be better. That’s what makes the greats great right? Tell us about the skills you’re focused on improving right now?”
Pretty soon he’s a coaching role model, assistant coach, and your best friend.
Have you found a theme? There are plenty of people who may not believe in sales training and coaching and it’s usually ego-related. They’re feeling under-recognized for their skill and maybe a little insulted someone sent you to teach them anything. As soon as we reverse this and give them some spotlight, recognition, and control, the defensiveness deflates and they shape up. They will also become a big YOU fan and you can count on them to help and sing your praises.
Most of the time. (Then I recommend choice one!)
Good luck!
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Learning to be a great sales coach is hard – really hard. It’s the hardest thing we teach new managers who were formally reps. Now, it’s not as hard as climbing Mt. Everest or teaching your grandma how to order presents online, but it’s rough.
It’s the #1 skill that most new managers struggle with. If you’re a naturally phenomenal coach, congrats (seriously!), but the rest of us are struggling. Why? We don’t often know what defines great sales coaching. So let’s break it down…
The Difference Between Presenting vs. Facilitation vs. Coaching
The lines are often blurred between presenting, training, and sales coaching, especially when we don’t have staff and resources dedicated to each. Why does it matter?
Well, does this sound familiar?
“I’VE TOLD THEM 100 TIMES!!”
We’ve heard it from managers and VPs (and parents 😉 ). It’s rough, folks. If people aren’t retaining what you’re telling them to do, they obviously aren’t going to do it. So we have to back up a few steps and make sure it gets in their brain and sticks.
What is presenting?
We define presenting as…Introducing new information through speech often using slides/visual aids.
Watching a webinar? You’re listening to someone presenting. Sitting in a lecture hall in college? That’s presenting.
Now the downside to presenting is something called The Forgetting Curve. If you’re in sales enablement or training, you’ve likely heard of it. It shows us that by the end of the day, reps have lost 50% of what you taught them. In a week, they’ve lost 90%. So it’s pretty obvious why they aren’t doing what you told them to do – they can’t even remember it!
There are two ways you can beat The Forgetting Curve.
By utilizing great facilitation or training. The better (and more interactive) the training, the more likely the skills will stick. The more often reps actually do something, the more likely they’ll remember it and the more likely you’ll get results.
Through coaching. All you have to do is tell people what to do and then 1:1, 4x throughout the week, go and coach them on the same skill. You’ve got time to do that, right? 😐 Nope! That’s why good facilitation is the better option.
What is facilitation?
Folks the name of the game to get people to do what you need them to do, to get results, to get commission checks is: RECALL. They can’t do it if they can’t remember it.
In order to obtain recall, you need to have good facilitation or training. Unfortunately, most facilitation is broken. You can’t just tell someone to do something and expect them to do it perfectly, they need to practice.
Grab a sheet of paper and draw a picture of the Statue of Liberty based on memory. Assuming your side hustle isn’t as an artist, it’s probably going to look like something a child drew. Why? Well, when was the last time you drew something? Drawing is something we did a lot as a kid until other things became more exciting or interesting. We quit practicing, and when we quit practicing, our skills freeze.
For many of us, teaching is also a skill frozen in time. We think of teaching and we see ourselves sitting in a lecture hall with someone talking at us, telling us what to do. And we know that’s not how people learn.
That’s why we’ve got to redefine teaching and facilitate instead.
We define facilitation using the acronym CUP. It stands for…
C = Connect. If you want people to remember things, apply them, and do what you tell them to do, you have to help them connect with the information (it’s called Adult Learning Theory). It basically says that adults have filing cabinets in their heads. If you tell a kid something new, they’ll accept it as fact. Adults won’t even log it until you help them find the file folder. That means you’re helping them connect with it.
U = Use. Great training takes longer because we’re facilitating them actually getting their hands on it. I’ve watched people do systems training where their team is just sitting and watching. Totally hands-off, and totally a waste of time. If we want people to understand, we have to get them to use it.
P = Practice. We absolutely, positively have to practice. End of story.
By using the CUP method for facilitation, that’s how we beat The Forgetting Curve. Expect 70-80% recall. Get some buy-in along the way, a little practice and roleplay, synthesis with what they do on the job, and you’re looking at 80-90% recall. Plus, you’ll create new habits.
What is sales coaching?
Everyone does it a little differently, but a lot of people confuse sales coaching with leading, but with a few questions sprinkled in.
We define sales coaching as… Ongoing development method used by leaders using questions to inspire and deliver personal feedback on skills.
Pay attention to the bolded words. If you’re just giving people advice or there are 25 people in the room, that’s not coaching. When you’ve got a team of reps in the room, what you’re really doing is presenting.
ACTION: Go and CUP check your virtual sales training. If you’ve got a lot of videos and little practice, people aren’t doing what you tell them to do. Leaders, if you do a lot of announcing without any coaching, follow-up, or roleplays, they’re not doing what you tell them to do. And when it’s something critical like learning how to sell and be successful in new hire onboarding, you’ve got to do all 3.
If behavior change is critical, start with the 1-2-3 punch. Begin with the presentation, then facilitate, and then coach. Now, coaching alone CAN be powerful (but not how you think…)
Great coaches have 1 thing in common: they motivate people. Motivation is the key to everything. It affects recall (information + caring = recall).
Our job as managers and coaches is to ensure our reps leave our coaching sessions feeling like superheroes. That’s why we teach the 5:1 method – share 5 positives and 1 area for improvement. It’s also the #1 mistake new managers make. Why? We hear the laundry list of things that went wrong on a sales call and can’t help but tell them every single one of them.
The power of sales coaching is in the questions you ask. Said in another way:
“Leaders who ask more, get more.”
That’s why we coach in questions. It’s called “Instinctive Elaboration”. It’s the secret behind the Factor 8 SWIIFT℠ intro where we’re literally hijacking the brain of the prospect to answer our questions even if they didn’t mean to and it’s why it works to get them talking.
It works like this: how old are you?
Did a number pop in your head? Now it’s halfway out of your mouth.
The brain stops what it’s doing and starts answering questions whether it wants to or not.
Here’s more proof: how much do you weigh?
I know you didn’t want to share it, but you thought it, didn’t you? 🙂
We’ve spent years mastering the art of coaching and have compiled the best sales coaching questions ever (and they’re backed by science).
1. “Tell me about a time you had to do something similar?”
This helps them connect. Unfortunately, not all of us have the time or tech to do the CUP theory. We use a lot of video, but do videos actually teach? We don’t think so (read more about that here.)
2. “Why are you so good at this?”
You can ask this to anybody in any coaching session and something happens in the brain called “Confirmation Bias”. If you ask them a ‘why’ question, they’ll look for the reason that it’s true. This instantly boosts motivation.
3. “What happens when you knock this out of the park?”
This question builds confidence by creating mental imagery, scientifically known as “Functional Equivalence.” You’ve probably heard it with Olympic athletes where they picture themselves doing their gymnastics routine perfectly in their head and it fires the neurons as if they’re doing it. If you can get your reps to picture success, they’re more likely to achieve it.
There’s also something called the “Pygmalion Effect” which says that if your manager believes in you, you’ll believe in yourself more. Read differently:
“Leaders who expect more, get more.”
4. “What are you most proud of on that call?”
If anybody has reps that beat themselves up a little bit, this question is for you. The brain will search for an answer and find it – guaranteed.
5. “What should we do next?”
This is all about active recall; going in and finding the information in the brain. The other question we ask is “what was the customer thinking?” This is out of our head and our noise and puts ourselves into the shoes of the customer which is what we’re trying to do. It shortens ramp time, folks. Ramp time isn’t about me not knowing it, it’s about me not knowing when to use it. And if we can burn the pathways in the brain to recall the information we need at the right time, that’s how we get people to learn and apply skills faster.
6. “What one thing is most important to work on?”
You can use this in any coaching interaction anywhere and the science behind it is called “Implementation Intention.” Studies show that if you work on one thing and put a plan in place, it’s 2-3x more effective.
Coaching your team is more than just sharing information with them—it’s about really changing the way they think and act. By incorporating presenting, facilitating, and coaching, you’ll move from just talking at your team to actually sparking real behavior change.
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Let’s be real, sales enablement is under fire today. Teams are becoming leaner, budgets require measurable outcomes, and activities need to be tied to performance. In this webinar, we’ll take these challenges head-on.
You’ll learn how to:
Turn enablement into a revenue driver, not a cost center
Partner with revenue teams to drive the most success
Measure what matters
Sales enablement ROI strategies
Join Lauren Bailey, Founder of Factor 8, and Deniz Olcay, VP of Marketing at Allego, as they also dive deeper into best practices for maximizing your training investments, including measuring ROI and identifying leading and lagging indicators to be on the lookout for.
Lauren and Deniz, former enablement and sales leaders, will share real stories and actionable tips from their own careers and their work with thousands of companies across the globe.
Watch the video replay!
STRATEGIES TO SHOW ROI IN SALES ENABLEMENT
Let’s be real, sales enablement is under fire today. Teams are becoming leaner, budgets require measurable outcomes, and activities need to be tied to performance. In this webinar, we’ll take these challenges head-on.
You’ll learn how to:
Turn enablement into a revenue driver, not a cost center
Partner with revenue teams to drive the most success
Measure what matters
Sales enablement ROI strategies
Join Lauren Bailey, Founder of Factor 8, and Deniz Olcay, VP of Marketing at Allego, as they also dive deeper into best practices for maximizing your training investments, including measuring ROI and identifying leading and lagging indicators to be on the lookout for.
Lauren and Deniz, former enablement and sales leaders, will share real stories and actionable tips from their own careers and their work with thousands of companies across the globe.
