Bank Sales Corner

12 Things Sales Leaders Need to Remember

  

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1. Knowing how to do something is more important than knowing what to do. (Lots of bankers talk a good game; you want players.)
2. If you’re not having an impact on the business, you’re not doing your job as a Sales Leader. (You have to lead your bank’s sales process, not push paper.)
3. Don’t expect a CRM solution to create a sales process. (Build a process then buy a system that supports it.)
4. Keep studying your competition.  Learn how they sell. (And if you find yourself losing to any individual RMs consistently, try to hire them.)
5. Strategizing with your team members on prospects starts before the term sheet is in the works. (You have to vet prospect lists and discuss strategy on a regular basis.)
6. Recruiting top quartile performers can’t be left up to HR recruiters. (Build your own short list of top-performers—see #4 above.)
7. Sales training “events” rarely produce sustainable results. (It’s what you do afterward that matters.)
8. Reviewing why you won or lost a deal is important for everybody. (And don’t believe for a minute that “it’s always about price.”)
9. Selling is changing. (Prospects expect more preparation and clear signals that you can add value to their business.)
10. People + Process = Results. (If you have a good process but mediocre talent, you’re going to struggle.)
11. Not all line of business partners are created equal. (80% of the qualified referrals usually come from 20% of the partners.)
12. You have to keep sharpening your skills. (What are you doing to make yourself a better coach? What are you reading this year? What courses are you going to attend?)

Webinar Alert: If improving the productivity of your branch managers is a priority for you and your organization, you might be interested in our new three part webinar series on “Branch Manager as Inside Sales Coach and Outside Business Developer.” For more information, go to http://www.eventspan.com/event/2012-01-30-branch-manager-as-inside-sales-coach-and-outside-business-developer.

Other upcoming live webinars include:

• Opportunities in Health Care (February 13)
• Getting More Out of LinkedIn: Banking on Relationships (March 12)

 And don’t forget what’s available in the archive—over 30 sessions on a variety of topics including the following:

• Coaching Commercial RMs in Challenging Times
• Is Adding Value Just About Cutting Price?
• The 7 Mistakes Bankers Make in Prospecting

You can register for a recorded webinar at https://mzbierlyconsulting.webex.com.