One of the companies I worked in had a sales force that comprised 8 Area Sales Managers (ASMs) each with 8 sales reps.
The 8 ASMs were invited to HQ for a one-day refresher on cold calling to make appointments.
We started the day by working together sharing what things each would say to get past receptionists/PAs to reach the decision maker. We worked on creating new phraseology that highlighted the key parts of our offer. In a very casual way, we role played the new phraseology whilst we sat round the boardroom table. We refined and wrote down new ideas on our pads.
Then came the best bit. A couple of people in the marketing department came up with 50 never-before-contacted potential customers for each of the ASMs. The list had company name, a rough idea of what the company did and a telephone number – that’s all.
Secretly, the IT department had turned the room next to the boardroom into a call centre. There were 9 phones (one for me too) 9 laptops with the dedicated list of prospects for each ASM and a flip chart with the 9 names and 3 columns; successes, failures and comments. The individual tables were in a circle with the ASMs all facing inwards and therefore each other.
You should have seen the faces of the ASMs when we walked into that temporary call centre next door!
The atmosphere was terrific. Their sense of performance anxiety was palpable. We were all in it it together and the competitive spirit took over creating a positive stress for each of us. We started dialling and talking. We listened to each other and celebrated each others’ success with confelicity (one of my favourite words!). We started to get appointments, the flip chart needed a new page. People were laughing with relief when they realised they could still do something they used to be brilliant at. The reason they were ASMs was because they had been expert sales people. Amongst other things, having become managers they had stopped cold calling but expected their team to do that.
It was a great day. We did a “wash-up” refining phraseology, creating new mini scripts and collating objections and answers. The Area Sales Managers were then tasked with cascading down to their team a similar day for their Sales Representatives.
The ASMs left the HQ in great moods, almost skipping across the car park. Excited by mentally rehearsing what they’d say and formulating their plans for their turn to motivate their own team.
The outcome was over 70 people hitting the phones, getting appointments and helping each other to ignore the failures and keep on going for the success which the next phone call would surely bring. Over 3500 potential customers contacted, many new accounts, sales reps earning much more commission, ASMs getting a nice cash bonus in over-riders and all developing an appetite for the next sales refresher session.
If you’d like to talk through something like this for your teams, get in touch 07771 526 276