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10 things to look for in a sales coach

Posted by Carole Mahoney on 7/11/16 2:30 PM

How to find the right sales coach (and why these criteria are important)A_good_coach....jpg

There are a lot of coaches out there, all with different styles and methodologies. It can be difficult finding the one that will help you get to where you want to be. How do you determine who is a great coach? What criteria should you use, and how will those impact your results?

  1. They start with you.
    A good coach will want to know what
    your personally meaningful goal is and tie that to measurable results. They will dig to find out what makes you tick personally and professionally and understand what motivates you to change. They will probably ask you a lot of personal questions. They probably don’t work with everyone and if they don’t identify with your goal or can’t find what motivates you, they will not work with you. 
  2. They seek objectivity. 
    They don’t rely on your assessment of yourself, or even their own assessment of you and your approach. They take the time to get an objective and outside evaluation in relation to your sales role. This isn’t just for them, but also for you to start to gain a new perspective on your strengths and weaknesses. An evaluation will enable you to create an action plan together with your coach. The evaluation will also help you and your coach know when an opportunity requires your strengths to make an impact, or when to fix a weakness to make an adjustment.
  3. They challenge the status quo.
    They don’t rubber stamp what you are doing. A good coach will challenge it and look for what isn’t working, not a way to make what you are doing work. They will help you identify new opportunities, not just tell you what worked for them.
  4. They practice what they preach. 
    They use the strategies and tactics they coach. They’ve walked a few miles in your shoes and tested and tried it themselves. They don’t need to have sold in your industry, but they do need to know how to sell and have done so successfully. 
  5. They have a holistic approach.
    They don’t require that you learn their process and methodology. Their focus should be on who your buyer is, how they buy and how you need to adapt to that rather than have you memorize steps in a process, or the latest hack, trick or fad that might not relate to your buyer. Find a coach who has a holistic and personalized approach that addresses your unique strengths and challenges and will work in real time with the opportunities you have. 
  6. There is social proof of their results.
    They have been in the field themselves and have experience not only in sales,
    but in coaching and other people attest to the results they have gotten. 
  7. They push you.
    A good coach will push you outside your comfort zone (make you uncomfortable, maybe even make you upset) but will also encourage you and boost your confidence when appropriate. They will push your buttons because if they can, so can your buyer.
  8. They ask a lot of probing questions.
    They don’t just tell you what to do, but know 
    the right questions to ask that make you think of the right answer and action or makes you think differently about a situation or mindset. 
  9. They are available.
    Not just once a week and in more than one medium. A coach’s aim is to change your mindset and perspective in order to get you to change your behavior. Short calls multiple times a week to make some small but consistent changes that will not overwhelm you, but will start to change the way you think and therefore the way you behave and act. A coach should also be available to help you craft email responses, or debrief recorded sales calls.
  10. They don't want to be a crutch.
    Coaches who focus on helping clients 
    master the fundamentals of sales enable them to adapt any buying process in the future. They don't want you to be reliant on them forever.

Have you worked with a sales coach? How did you find them? What criteria did you use? What kinds of results did you get? Share them in the comments.

Are you thinking about finding your own sales coach but on the fence? Not sure if it will work, or how it could work, or what is involved? Not sure what questions you should be asking? Download the complete eGuide: "Is sales coaching right for you?" and get questions you need to ask yourself, a potential coach, and determine if you are ready to be coached.

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Topics: sales coach