Heiner Wankel has been a coach for sales employees at Lorenz-Seminare for many years. We conducted an interview with him and asked him how sales coaching works and what the benefits and results are.
1 Mr. Wankel, you are not only a trainer at Lorenz-Seminare, but also a sales coach. When is coaching in sales the right thing for me and what is the difference to “classic” sales training?
That’s a very interesting question, because the terms “trainer” and “coach” are often equated, especially in sport. In our environment, I see the trainer as an instructor who teaches the seminar content to a group and then reinforces it in practical exercises. Incidentally, these practical exercises, usually role plays, are repeatedly highlighted as a highlight in the seminar feedback at Lorenz Seminare. The sales coach, on the other hand, accompanies and supports the sales employee 1-to-1 in day-to-day business in order to apply what has been learned in practice, tailored to the personality of the sales employee.
2 That’s very exciting! Does that mean that coaching is actually the ideal complement if I’ve already done some training?
Exactly. Training is about learning or refreshing knowledge and getting ideas for practical application. The content of the coaching is to embed this knowledge from the training in the coachee’s own personal style in order to develop their sales skills and remain authentic. If you like, sales coaching is a kind of catalyst for transferring more learning content from training into practice in less time.
3. how can I imagine sales coaching, what is the content?
As a sales coach, I am a feedback provider and sparring partner. I accompany the sales employees during customer meetings, give feedback on how this has affected me and also what effect I have had on the customer. We reflect on the feedback together and the coachee decides whether they want to be perceived in this way or whether they want to change something. I then provide assistance on how the desired change can be achieved, tailored to the respective sales personality.
I pay particular attention to individual strengths and help to use these in a targeted manner to ensure a positive course of the conversation.
4. how can I as a sales representative or employee prepare for the coaching?
The basis for coaching is trust. That’s why we have a personal meeting beforehand to get to know each other, explain exactly how the coaching will work and clarify the coachee’s expectations. We then summarize together in writing which coaching goals are to be achieved, which customers are to be visited and define goals for the customer meetings. The employees arrange the customer appointments in the same way as they normally do. Sales coaching is intended to take place in real day-to-day business, which is why no further special preparation of the coachee is necessary.
5. accompaniment then means that you really go along with the coachee into the sales talks, or how can I imagine that?
Yes, I accompany the sales employees during real customer meetings. The appointments with customers should be arranged so that there is time in between for brief feedback of around 20 to 30 minutes, with suggestions for the next meeting. Three to five appointments in one day are necessary in order to be able to give final, comprehensive feedback. I agree very carefully with the coachees how I will be introduced to them so that the atmosphere of the meeting is not compromised. Incidentally, this has always worked very well so far.
6 I think I already have a very good picture of coaching. How does coaching work in detail? Please give me a concrete example.
We meet and start with a briefing for me so that I know which customers are being visited, with what background and what discussion objectives. After the appointments, I give brief feedback, usually including ideas and suggestions on how to conduct the next meeting more effectively or how to make better use of strengths. At the end of the day, we summarize together what insights the coachee has gained, what he or she would like to do differently in the future and I give specific tips or point out methods on how to achieve these changes. Of course, this is also recorded in writing so that the coachee can take away a personal “development plan” for themselves.
7. briefly summarized again: What benefits do employees and managers in sales have from your sales force coaching?
Constructive feedback reveals starting points for improving your own appearance and therefore your impact, and specific instructions from the sales coach effectively increase your sales skills. An important part of sales coaching is recognizing personal strengths in order to consciously use them and thus further develop your own personal sales style.
In addition, the sales coach can provide managers with very good suggestions on how to improve sales processes or the sales strategy based on the findings from the customer meetings. Of course, this does not include any “evaluation” of the participants. This would impair the relationship of trust between coach and coachee and jeopardize success. Overall, the individual members as well as the entire sales team benefit from the well-founded feedback from the perspective of an external sales coach.