Asia Radio Today starts 2014 with a week of advice to help your sales team boost its performance. All this week, respected Australian sales trainer Stephen Pead will share articles from knowledge gained over a 30 year media career.
Making Sales Meetings More Effective
by Stephen Pead
Why is it that so many radio station sales managers feel it’s vitally important to have a sales meeting, in the office first thing on Monday morning? One sales manager told me it’s a way to ensure everyone is at work, while another said “it’s a great way to address team performance issues”. But the worst response of all – “because the meeting has always been held on Monday”!!
In my many years of media experience more time is wasted on ineffective sales meetings than any part of the sales process. So many times I’ve observed sales people leaving the meeting completely de-motivated, sometimes angry and more often than not wondering why they had to be there. A fine way for them to go into the field and sell advertising!!
Some Research
I recently found some research on sales meetings where salespeople were asked this question: “If your sales meetings were optional, would you attend?”
– 55% said “No, our sales meetings are boring and/or don’t help me make more sales”
– 18% weren’t sure if their sales meetings helped them sell more or not
– 27% answered “Yes”
For sure it’s tough to engage your team week in, week out with an effective sales meeting so here are a few ideas to create impact, interest and get the team involved – after all different is good.
Sales Meeting Ideas
Ask a long term client to come along and address the team on why they use your station – what they like, what they dislike, why they see your group as a partner.
Alternatively ask a traditional non-user of your medium to address the team (a prospect who has resisted all attempts). Maybe they can outline what your competitors do that you can’t (or won’t) do.
Invite the coach of a well-known and high profile sporting team to talk on winning. After all he (or she) motivates a professional sports team every week!!
Change the venue – maybe to breakfast at McDonalds or at the office of a client (a good opportunity for the client to talk to the team).
Hold a debate. The topic needs to be one the team can get their teeth into – “We should lower our rates” or “Online advertising is the most effective”. Google the rules of debate and involve as many of the team as possible.
Give the team a pop quiz – the subject could be media sales skills, advertising industry knowledge, the competition, your company products etc.
Conduct a brainstorm session. Each team member brings a problem or challenge and the rest of the team have only two minutes to come up with ideas. The key is quantity of ideas.
Hire a mini bus and take the team on a “magical mystery prospecting trip” – over several hours visit locations where everyone identifies potential prospects.
Have one or two of the sales team lead and conduct the meeting (maybe one senior and one junior team member). At the end the rest of the team provides positive feedback on their performance.
The “Other” Sales Meeting
Many times after the official sales meeting another meeting takes place. A meeting the sales manager isn’t invited to. It happens in the break room or nearby coffee shop and that’s where the team debrief and discuss what just happened at your meeting – the good and bad. You can ensure this meeting becomes more positive by implementing just a few of these ideas and creating an environment of team involvement, fun and interaction.
About the author: Stephen Pead is a media industry veteran of 30 years with significant global experience in radio sales and sales training. He has been a sales manager and general manager of radio stations in most of Australia’s major markets. He is now based in Sydney, Australia and runs his own sales consulting company, Sales Solutions specialising in training and coaching for media salespeople and sales managers.
His website is: www.yoursalessolutions.com.au