What Are My Salespeople Saying Out In The Field?

by Steve Fodor

If you’re a sales manager with a remote sales force or selling through independent reps, you’ve probably asked yourself this question.

Think about it. You invest money (a lot, sometimes) in creating a consistent brand message. Yet, the salespeople in the field are often where the sale lives or dies. If what salespeople do and say is inconsistent with the message and image you’re trying to portray in other marketing communications, you’re defeating your own purpose.

It’s impossible to have complete control over what a sales force says while out in the field. And, as a sales manager, you don’t necessarily want to control their every word, unless micromanagement is your sole source of entertainment.

But here are two simple, “no-brainer” and low-cost ways to help get some consistency of message that you can use today.

First, give salespeople e-mail “templates.” Create e-mail templates for use in obtaining an appointment, for thanking a prospect for a first visit, for presenting a quote, and whatever scenarios you need. Create these templates as YOU would like your sales force to present your brand image.

Second, create “questions to ask” worksheets or selling guides for salespeople to use. It’s difficult to evolve to a solutions-based selling approach if salespeople only know how to ask, “Do you want to buy anything today?” What information do they need to obtain in the first sales call to make a value-based sale possible?

These two, simple things won’t fix all the issues associated with managing a remote sales force. But, they will begin to give salespeople some tools to make their sales efforts more consistent with your marketing efforts.

I’ve worked with many business-to-business clients who have remote sales forces. Simple selling tools like these seem so “obvious.” Yet I’m amazed how frequently the obvious things get overlooked.

Flickr Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/petesimon/