Your sales team is important. If you run a business or sales team, you likely know what they do is the engine that drives your business. So hopefully you're investing time and resources in making sure they're well equipped to make sales.
But others in your organization have to be well equipped also. Your entire team is a potential sales force for you, if you've done a good job of preparing them.
One of our clients is in roofing. They work with a lot of insurance agents and mortgage companies. A while back, their office manager was visiting a friend at her workplace and chatting. Suddenly a couple came into the friend's office. Over the next few minutes, the office manager stood there silently while the couple complained about their insurance company and mortgage company.
Suddenly, her friend piped up. "You know, my friend could probably help you with that."
The office manager talked with the couple for a few minutes, put them in touch with the right person at her company, and they ended up getting a signed agreement!
Whether you want to admit it or not, everyone on your team is a potential salesperson for you. And they're having an impact now, whether you've trained them to do a good job at it or not.
Our client's deal didn't come from a salesperson who was out prospecting. It came from their office manager!
You may be wondering what they did to prepare her for that opportunity. They had helped everyone in their organization be good at two key things:
- Identifying who is and isn't a good fit for them.
- Communicating what they're good at.
You'll also notice that the office manager did not pipe up herself. She didn't jump in and say something like, "We can help you with that!"
Instead, she'd done a good job communicating with her friend over time. She'd made her friend so comfortable with what they did that she recommended her right then and there.
Have you helped your entire team know who your ideal prospect is and isn't? Do they know when you are and aren't a good fit?
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