The Center for Sales Strategy Blog

Think for a moment about a manager in your career who made you a better professional. 

What was it about them that helped you grow and uplevel? 

While they surely had some expertise to share, no doubt it was their ability and commitment to give you their attention and coaching.

This week, I was reviewing a potential new hire with a client who is really struggling with finding talent to fill several open seats across her sales teams. As we reviewed the candidate, it was clear that the innate talent just wasn’t there for success in the role. Although the company had tried many different things to attract potential employees, nothing seemed to be working. 

I asked her how full the talent bank was, and she said, "Running on empty." 

We discussed the strategy of thinking about recruiting just like sales prospecting, something that must be done constantly, with dedicated time each week to build a pipeline of talent for current and future roles.

As managers, we often focus on hitting targets, achieving KPIs, and driving business results. But how often do we pause to consider what drives the individuals on our team?

What personal milestones are they striving for? What "bridge" do they need to cross to feel successful in their lives?

It’s a fact that everyone wants the “best of the best” talent at their organization. Much attention, effort, and investment of significant time and money is given to finding and recruiting high performers.

Sadly, what often follows is the common scenario in which business leaders hire people they believe in and then sit back to see what they can do. However, growing and retaining strong talent requires leaders who can develop their people, not just manage them.

Congratulations! You’ve just made an amazing new hire with talent, experience, and skills who aligns well with you, your team, and your organizational culture.

With all that in place, it’s safe to assume that all will be smooth sailing toward a future of success, right? Unfortunately, things don’t always turn out as we assume.

Nearly a third of new employees leave within 90 days of getting hired.

However according to a Gallup report, employees with a positive onboarding experience are almost three times as likely to feel prepared and supported in their role.

The word “superstar” has a wide range of meanings for all of us. It might bring to mind a famous athlete or celebrity or someone we consider at the top of their game and well-known for their track record of success. 

But if there is one common thing every organization needs for success, it’s to have at least one sales superstar on their team. These are the sales stars who not only meet targets but also exceed them.  Their clients love working with them, and they retain and grow their clients year after year, all while finding new prospects and closing new business.

Imagine for a moment that you are the sales leader for a national media company. Picture your sales team and imagine the following scenario….

Your team is made up of 100 percent sales superstars who knock it out of the park and raise the bar day after day, week after week, month after month. Their potential for success is unlimited.

If that scenario sounds like a dream to you instead of a reality, you are in the majority.

Our just-released fifth annual Media Sales Report found that 76% of sales managers don’t consider most of their teams to be superstars.

2024 is here, and we can already point to one major trend – the big return to the office. 

In a new survey by Korn Ferry, 99% of more than 500 US C-suite and business leaders said that they expect employees in the office at least one day a week, a big change from last year when that number was just 66%.

Asking questions is one of our most important, yet overlooked, skills for effective communication, whether at work or in life. The best leaders are often not the ones who have the answers - they are the ones who ask the right questions and actively listen to what others have to say.

There is an art to asking questions that bring others to the table, encourage their opinions and perspectives, and help them see their value to your team and company.

Famous leaders throughout history have often used questions to inspire, lead, and drive change. As Oprah Winfrey herself said, "When you ask the right questions, you get the right answers."

One of the most important, and often most fun, parts of the sales process is discovery meetings. These are often referred to as “needs analysis meetings,” and their main goal is to uncover the desired business results of the prospect or client.

The success of these meetings lies in both the setup and the execution.

It’s important to:

• Prepare yourself and the prospect or client by sharing an agenda and expectations for the meeting.
  
  
• Create psychological safety to help prospects and clients let their guard down and open up for a more honest discussion, whether in person or with a shared screen remotely.
  
  
• Master the art of asking questions to uncover key information.
  
  
• Use a Needs Analysis process to uncover desired business results, prioritize the most important needs first, and confirm next steps.