successful

by Jon Bishop – March 2014

Successful sales managers know how to set the stage each day to prepare their sales team to meet their goals. That begins with the morning sales huddle.  Follow these seven essential steps and you’ll  get sales reps prepared for the day with the right mindset.

Strategize

1. Effective sales rep huddles should last no more than 5-7 minutes – but they still require preparation and planning. Don’t wing it.  Take a few minutes the night before or in the morning to outline your objectives and meet with other managers to make sure you’re on the same page.
2. Consider using a prop or visual aid. Example:  Bring a horseshoe. Ask, “What do you think of when you see this horseshoe?” Who’s had some good luck lately? What strategy did you use to make luck happen?”
3. Vary the format and responsibilities. Some days break into teams, some days ask for individual responses.  Assign leadership to different reps, in part or in whole, as huddle captains.

Set the tone

1. 

   Start the meeting with music and get the blood pumping. Literally. Physical behavior influences the mental and emotional approach for the day.

2. Consider starting with a great quote (e.g., Bobcats’ Matt Fahr using Michael Jordan quotes). Kirk Madsen with Monumental Sports and Entertainment likes to send a quote out the night before to get his sales staff thinking.

Spotlight individual and team successes

[dropshadowbox align=”right” effect=”lifted-both” width=”250px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]Why should you lead team huddles?

1. 1. Gather: It’s important to bring the group together; to build community.
   2. Game plan: Your team needs to identify issues and strategies to overcome.
   3. Motivate: Sales is a motivation game. Play it.[/dropshadowbox]

1. Recognize winners from the day before and celebrate their achievements with their peers in the room.
2. Joel Adams of the Cavaliers asks what led to that success to uncover instant best practices.

Support and provide encouragement

1. This is an opportunity to feature the right activity, even if it did not directly lead to sales that day.
2. Share values in action. Have reps nominate someone else who demonstrated or embodied that value (e.g., Spurs: success, integrity, caring). 
3. Brian Norman with the 76ers enjoys sharing positive emails from customers and other praise that encourages the right behaviors.

Strengthen by overcoming biggest challenges

1. Recognize problems (“What are you hearing on the phones?”). Identify solutions.
2. Use feedback to develop a plan of attack to common objections or hurdles in the sales process.
3. Demonstrate that you personally care for them. When asked what stood out most about Spurs Coach Popovich, former Spurs player Malik Rose said, “He cares.”  Great leaders earn respect by showing they care – why not show this on a daily basis? 

State the focus and goals for the day

1. This is when you get to hit “Reset” and draw up your play for the day.
2. Go around the room asking for a unique response to the question of the day (“What do you want to achieve today?”).
3. Create accountability and buy-in by getting reps to express their personal goal for the day.

Stimulate emotions with celebration & inspiration

1. Target at least one thing to get into people’s hearts.
2. Challenge them with a question like “What will you do today to get better?”
3. How we feel that day influences what we think and do.
4. Gathering for the huddle is a way for the staff to get into their starting blocks.  Reps know that when the huddle is dismissed – it’s time to seize the day.

What are your essentials for a morning huddle?