Using The DiSC® Test To Develop A Successful Sales Team

Managing A Sales TeamThe Importance of Managing a Sales Team

It is very important to know how to manage a sales team and see real results.  However, there is no five step plan or exact blueprint on how to do this the right way.  It all depends on the industry, the business culture, the goal, the people within the team, the leadership style and a range of other variables.  Most people who work in sales have strong personalities, which means they can also be highly challenging to manage.  Luckily, there are tips out there that may help ease or facilitate the process to some degree.

Start by Looking Inwards

The very first thing any manager has to be able to do is look inwards.  They have to know who they are, what their styles are and how these things affect how other people respond to them.

Everything DiSC Sales ProfileHow does the sales manager help to increase the sales effectiveness of his sales team?  By teaching them how to develop long-term, meaningful relationships using a sales approach that is relevant and distinctive to each of their clients.

The Everything DiSC Sales Profile explains how to identify and adapt to the differences in customers, improving communication and increasing sales, and develop positive relations with all types of customers.

“One important characteristic that sales managers need to actively be conscious of is their attitude.  Sales managers should strive to always maintain a positive attitude and have a proactive approach to people and situations to foster an overall positive work environment which creates a successful sales team.” 
5 Important Tips for Successful Sales Leadership

Not just that, the development of a leader should never stop.  There is never a point where they are finished learning or developing themselves.  As such, leaders in a sales team have to be committed to their own personal and professional development, perhaps more so than in any other type of team.

Then Look Outwards

Once it has been established who the leader is, it is time to look at the team and figure out just who is it.  What is the make up of the people within that group?  What are their strengths and areas of improvement?  How can they support each other to become better, and where does the leader or manager have to put extra emphasis for improvement?  It is about evaluating the sales force and working from there.

“Evaluating your sales force is an important step in the process of deciding whether and how to grow your sales team.”  Build a Stellar Sales Team

A manager needs to understand whether the size of the team is adequate and whether training is needed not just in the here and now, but also in terms of potential future development.  This also means that a leader has to be fully aware of what the strategic goal of the team is.  It is also important to make this personal to the company itself, which is one of the main reasons why there is no one-size-fits-all solution for building an excellent sales team.  Each organization approaches sales in a different way, which means their evaluation approach has to be unique as well.

Everything DiSC Sales Training KitThe Everything DiSC Sales Training Kit provides a complete program to help participants understand their own selling tendencies and their customers’ needs so that they can adapt as needed for better results.  Participants learn relevant skills to maximize their performance as salespeople.  They will walk away with skills, knowledge and tools to position the company’s products or services in a way that will resonate with your customers, resulting in increased customer satisfaction and higher sales, generating more revenue for your company.

Earning Trust

It is also incredibly important for good leaders to make sure their team trusts them.  They have to trust the leader’s judgment and intentions and understand that decisions are made for the good of the company and themselves.  Trust lies at the heart of any relationship, and that includes the relationship between managers and their teams.

“Sales managers who incorporate trust as part of their mantra for managing a sales team tend to have greater leadership success because a sales team is always willing to follow a leader who they trust and respect.” 
3 Tips for Managing Your Sales Team

In order to gain trust, a manager should promote openness and transparency in all business decisions.  Additionally, it means a manager should always stick to their commitments and keep their promises.  Finally, it is about showing empathy and consideration on a personal level.  Managers must understand that the workforce is made up of actual people, individuals with their own emotions and daily problems.

Using Performance Indicators

There is some controversy on whether or not performance indicators are beneficial.  On the one hand, they are great tools to measure whether or not a team is performing well and whether or not it is improving.  On the other hand, some find them restrictive and feel that they are working to tick boxes rather than to deliver results.  This is why it is very important to be able to understand both the pros and cons of performance indicators and how to use them in a positive and strategic manner.

“An integral part of a consistent winning cadence is the tone and the topics of your communications with your sales team.  Nothing is more important to sales makers than knowing what is expected of them and when it is expected.” 
12 Best Practices That Help Sales Managers Make Their Teams Successful

The performance indicators have to be reviewed regularly.  If certain indicators are missed again and again, this is often an indication of poorly set expectations and not of a poorly performing team.  A good leader is able to recognize that in time, so that the performance indicators do not become swords of Damocles hanging over every employee.  Once this situation arises, they actually become counterproductive.

Investment

A final factor to think about is that organizations as a whole need to support their sales team managers.  It is a little known fact that it is this specific group that receives the least amount of support within companies.  This makes it very difficult for them to do their job properly without running themselves into the ground, and this, in turn, has detrimental effects on the sales team as a whole.  Any organization that relies on sales needs to fully invest in their entire sales team, which includes their sales leaders and managers.

“Sales managers serve as key points of leverage for driving long-term sales performance.  It’s a mistake to underinvest in this group.  By building a winning sales management team, you can capitalize on a high-impact, tangible opportunity to drive sales effectiveness and top and bottom line results.”  To Build a Great Sales Team, You Need a Great Manager

In Closing

Sales are often the most important part of any organization, its true lifeblood.  A lot of focus and emphasis are placed on getting it right, yet too many companies still fail in achieving that.  It is very important to make sure this team is seen as an investment, as the integral part of the organization as a whole that it is, and that it is treated as such.  A wise investment to every sales team is providing every member access to a DISC Test provided by Intesi! Resources, in the form of an Everything DiSC Sales Profile,  to give them valuable insights into their natural sales style.

About 

Co-owner/Co-founder of Intesi! Resources. Educated as an architect I transitioned to technology during my career in architecture. Intesi! Resources was founded in 2004 and my focus is everything Web/eCommerce related from the design and development of our site to all the marketing activities involved. I also provide significant support for our clients on all our products and how they are used to deliver assessment-driven learning solutions that develop self-awareness and interpersonal skills.

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