For salespeople on the ropes, Monday morning sales meetings are an invitation to having their fingernails pulled out with rusty pliers in front of gawking peers.
Suicide’s no joke, but in this moment, it may seem like a better option than sitting through a Monday morning massacre.
You may have had a rollicking Sunday, binge-watching Rom-Coms with the guys, but come Monday, your presence is mandatory for the weekly Sales agenda.
Pipeline review, strategy, product releases and/ or performance are all on the table and you’re on the chopping block.
.
Sales meetings are a necessity even though sometimes they feel like a total waste of time.
Combined with a case of the Monday blues, these meetings can be stressful events where once manageable affairs suddenly feel insurmountable.
And with your numbers down, you can’t process rationally; you’re stuck.
Having a bad week, month or quarter happens to all salespeople; no one rides a rainbow 24/7/365.
But, if you’re struggling, there’s not a soul on the planet that can help you unless you can help yourself.
We, the salespeople, are full of pride and find it difficult to have our performance critiqued.
Maybe you’ve been in sales for a while and think asking for help is a sign of weakness or beneath you.
If you’re closing bagels though, it’s time to accept some direction.
Misery Over Sales Development – Hold the Mayo
I once had a short stint in a global recruiting firm that touted 8AM Monday meetings as the only way to jump-start the week and get the best out of Sales.
Hated it!
Not only was I not closing because the gig was outside my wheelhouse, I didn’t ask for the guidance to course-correct.
Instead, I continued square-pegging a round hole.
It didn’t end well.
Self evaluation in sales is the opposite of easy.
But continuing the same ineffective behavior until the wheels fall off or waiting for divine intervention are dead-end solutions to real-life problems.
In our industry, you’ll find salespeople whose backs are up against the wall repeating the same tactics on a loop in spite of the evidence.
If you’re not converting prospects into clients, look in the mirror with the lights on because your job depends on it.
How to Improve Your Sales This Week
- Who’s always on the phone?
- Whose pipeline is so stacked, they don’t crumble when they lose a prospect?
- Who signs a client, takes a moment to celebrate, then gets right back on the horn?
- Who doesn’t walk around the office gloating after landing a new logo?
- Who comes in early and leaves late?
- Who’s a Driver/ never a passenger?
- Who’s on the phone helping the newbie close his first deal with the company?
- Who’s the darling of upper management because they’re responsible for a fat slice of the sales revenue?
- Whose clients send them cookies and holiday pics from their vacation in Bora Bora?
- Who’s Making it Rain?
Lunch on You
Find that rep and buy them lunch.
- Go to a decent spot off-campus away from the riff-raff to focus
- Make sure it’s after the lunch rush so there are no crowds
- Don’t order the wings or spaghetti with meatballs
- Be honest with yourself and list 3 specific areas where you need help
- Ask a lot of questions, take notes, say thank you and don’t forget to tip
The advice from a peer is a life-line to get you out of your own way and back to closing business.
Sure, you’ll have to swallow some pride.
But, would you rather buy a colleague a gourmet sandwich or be binging Rom-Coms all day unemployed?
Sales meetings can actually be a productive part of the week if run properly.
Once you level out, you’ll see.
And when you’re killin it, well, they’re an absolute breeze to get through.