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Many executives put such a premium on hiring and training the right people that they assume the job stops there. The truth is, that’s only the beginning. Leadership is a relentless obligation, and business executives must be resolute in ensuring that their confidence and conviction are continually on display, even with — especially with — members of their own team.
That’s a mistake I see all too often. I’ve watched manufacturing sales executives — seasoned professionals who know their products inside and out — address members of their sales team, whether to roll out a new product or review existing sales strategies. They’ll walk through their talking points, touch on some issues they think need emphasizing and wrap up with some obligatory words of encouragement.
Afterwards, often with a touch of swagger, they will ask me how I think they did. “Fine,” I’ll typically respond, “But I wouldn’t buy what you are selling.”
Those words strike at the heart of executives who believe they are at the top of their game. But what too many of them fail to realize is that addressing their internal audience is every bit as important as any external sales pitch. Every occasion to address their team should be seized as a vital and strategic opportunity to not only convey the facts at hand but also to demonstrate their belief in the product and confidence in the sales team.
But more often than not, that’s not what happens. What I see instead is an all-too-casual approach to internal sales meetings, meetings typically run in an off-the-cuff manner, with just the hint of an agenda and precious little advanced preparation. It is no surprise that these meetings end up being ineffective and, in many cases, counterproductive.
How would these same executives react if they discovered that one of their salespeople went into a pitch to land a mega account by just winging it? No research. No prep. No rehearsal. Nothing to improve their performance and enhance the odds of success. It’s a recipe for failure.
Manufacturing executives that lead internal meetings in an extemporaneous way, no matter how talented they are, no matter how well they know their product, are cooking with the same recipe. Instead, they need to reorient their thinking, to make internal communications just as much of a priority as preparing for important external sales presentations — both in tone and content.
Here’s my advice:
- Set an Objective.
Whether you’ve called a special meeting of your sales team or it’s a regularly scheduled get-together, focus on what you want to accomplish, and tell those assembled as much.
- Plan.
Just as you would in preparing for a sales presentation, formulate a plan of attack. Assess the issues that are on the table and make sure you are covering them thoroughly and persuasively.
- Develop an Agenda.
Let everyone know from the outset what you plan to cover. Starting a meeting with an agenda underscores the importance of what you will be discussing.
- Practice.
You wouldn’t go into a big pitch without rehearsing, so make sure you practice your presentation until you get it down smoothly.
- Set Expectations.
Be clear as to what you expect from your team, whether the goals are numerical, or smaller goals that lead to bigger outcomes.
- Set Deadlines.
It’s important to lay out the timing for completion of goals.
- Communicate Next Steps.
Be specific about what comes next — both on your end and from your team.
- Own It.
It’s absolutely critical that you convey absolute conviction in what you are relaying. Express your confidence in the product and the team and engender a sense of excitement and enthusiasm for your shared mission.
Successful selling starts from within. It requires finding and training exceptional people and giving them the tools they need. But it also requires leading your team with a sense of purpose, a checklist of protocols and a mindset that communication with them deserves a commitment of your time and passion.
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