6 Ways to Increase Sales Performance & Create a Winning Team

Are you looking for ways to increase sales performance? Do you long for more consistency from your sales team?

Well, you’ve come to the right place.

Let’s explore 6 ways to increase sales performance and create a winning team within your organization.

6 Ways to Increase Sales Performance

Let’s jump right in.

1. Start with Process

If you’re looking for ways to increase sales performance, start with process.

Why process? Because it’s literally the skeleton of your entire operation.

Don’t believe me? Consider franchise-model organizations like McDonald’s, Subway, Burger King, and others. Michael Gerber, author of E-Myth Revised, refers to these types of companies and their processes, as the “Franchise Prototype.” In his book, he explains how the companies mentioned above created systems for success. He doesn’t suggest that companies necessarily try to create a business to be franchised. Rather, he encourages readers to use the “Franchise Prototype” as a lesson: you need a well-documented system to run your business.

So, place to start if you’re looking to increase sales: focus on your processes.

Need help with this? Grab a free copy of our eBook: Building a Sales Process for Repeatable Success.

2. Solve Problems

There are many ways to increase sales performance. But we believe being a “problem solver” is the single best way for anyone to grow.

Are you a CEO? Sales Manager? Salesperson? Coach? Marketing leader? Whatever your role, I encourage you to adopt “problem solver” as your new position. Why? Because everyone’s got problems! But not everyone has the ability or knowledge available to solve said problem.

Want to know the best way to solve problems? Here are 4 great articles:

• Want to Sell More? Start by Solving Problems
• Solving Sales Problems: Disconnects Kill Sales!
• 5 Ways Sales Managers Can Help Salespeople Become Better Problem Solvers
• Sales Best Practices: People Care About Problems [Video]

3. Practice Active Listening

“Most people think ‘selling’ is the same as ‘talking.’ But the most effective salespeople know that listening is the most important part of their job.” – Roy Bartell

Practicing active listening goes hand-in-hand with solving problems. In order to solve problems for others, you must first practice active listening.

In The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey stresses the importance of listening. Covey's fifth habit is “seek first to understand, then to be understood.” He notes that empathetic listening, also known as active listening, is the truest form of listening. Covey provides a template to begin practicing empathic listening:

1. Mimic the content: repeat what the other just said.
2. Rephrase the content: tell the same story, but in your own words.
3. Reflect on feelings: focus on the emotions that lie behind what is told, not on the words that try to express these emotions.
4. Rephrase the content and reflect the feeling: this is a combination of the second and third form of empathic listening. It shows that you are really listening and understand what message lies behind the words.

4. Perfect Your 30-Second Commercial

Now that you and your team are focused on process, solving problems, and active listening, let’s add the next element that will help improve performance: 30-second commercials.

Our CEO, Charles Bernard, likens your 30-second commercial to a dance:

“These pitches end up like the awkward solo waltz – you might be trying to dance with your partner, but you’ve ended up focusing on yourself. The solution? Rather than telling people what you do, and boring them in the process, engage them, allow them to dance with you, and show how they can benefit from talking with you. Make the conversation – the dance – all about them.

If done right, you’ll engage your listener to the point that you get them to ask how you can help them. All in less than 30 seconds. Do I have your attention now?”

5. Use Email Templates

Using email templates is not only another way to increase sales performance—it’s also a huge time hack. So, come on, utilize the power of templates!

Below is a list of email templates you might consider creating and using. Email templates for:

• Prospects
• Current clients/customers
• Past clients/customers
• Introduction request to cold, warm, and hot leads
• Relationship management
• Post-Meeting Follow-Up Email Templates
• Radio Silence Busters

6. Use a Sales PlayBook

As you’ve discovered, there are many ways to increase sales performance. But this last point really ties it all together. If you really want to make an impact on selling and your business, start using a Sales PlayBook!

A Sales PlayBook is a dynamic resource that contains your organization’s best practice sales strategies and processes. We recommend using a cloud-based PlayBook that can grow and develop along with your team.

Want to learn more about creating and managing a Sales PlayBook? Click here or on the image below to get started!