In our last blog titled Q4 Keep the Drive Alive! we talked about the importance of having quality sales conversations throughout the buying/selling process to close a sales opportunity. We pointed out that this is analogous to the execution of each football play on a critical 4th quarter drive. This is all about preparing for the call/football drive.
In this blog, we will take a play from the military and its “after-action review” as it relates to coaching by providing feedback to sellers on how to improve.
Military’s use of the AAR “After-Action Review”
In the first Top Gun movie, we saw a scene where Maverick was being chastised for his aggressive maneuver by the instructors in an AAR. They gave him coaching (feedback on what he should have done differently) based on their experience. When Army units deploy to the national training center, a major part of the training is the AAR, where engagements are analyzed and then the leaders provide feedback on what went well and what could have been done better. Tom Lazzaro, Managing Partner at ZZ Sales Systems, was an Army Ranger and as such has lived this system and used it for continuous improvement. Tom says, “We were always looking at how to improve, so we could complete our mission and bring everyone home. All of this is in the context of assess, learn, and improve. We as sales leaders should be doing the same; however, the delivery of this coaching must be in the spirit of learning to improve not a “gotcha” on what you did wrong. Delivery is everything!”
In major deals, we find it much more effective to have an impartial third party conduct these reviews because you are not going to get an unbiased view when done internally. This third party can look at the data available, and provide an assessment of what needs to happen; thus, providing a much better picture of what can be done without factoring in internal bias, politics, friendships, etc.
How to help sales leaders hit their Q4 number, what can be done?
Look at short tactical plays. What are the plays that can be executed right now that will help to achieve Q4 objectives? At this point, one month into the quarter, sales leaders can still execute plays that will help them drive Q4 results. Leaders must be aggressive and diligent about analyzing the funnel, what is possible right now, determine if the funnel is real, and where should resources be allocated to ensure Q4 success. Weekly team huddle sessions to assess the next steps on a deal should be considered. Effectively utilizing all your team’s collective experience and ideas to drive a deal home is essential. When done well, the leader’s credibility with their team is significantly increased as is the likelihood of hitting your Q4 objectives.
If your company needs help with your annual sales meeting and/or help with coaching your front-line sales managers, contact us for a complimentary consult.
Sincerely,
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