What are the key practices for mentoring in Direct Sales?

Create an atmosphere of psychological safety. The mentee will perform and learn more if they are not overly stressed or fearful of making mistakes. Make it clear that as the mentor you expect to observe positive skills and behaviours which we can look to further embed and also will expect mistakes too which are merely opportunities to analyse and improve upon for the next attempt

Trust can only be established in one most simple way. If the mentor opens up completely to a mentee , not only the best side but also the limitations are exposed. So its just not the mantee but mentor is also dependent and the confidence of both of them being together in this , will establish mutual trust & respect.

Mentorship always works well when mentor also believes in the process he/she also needs to learn from mentees. Reverse mentorship is the best outcome of any Mentoring process.

Mentoring in any kind of job is wholly based on your experiences. in Direct sales, the more you share your sales stories, the more your team connects with you. Your good as well as bad experiences will train your mentees for every situation. Sales is a common-sense, your team needs to understand and believe in their goals that they are achievable. Appreciation at every level is a boost to any mentee.

The opportunity to increase employee engagement among your sales team is another notable advantage of implementing sales mentoring. It's especially important when you have new hires, or you want to streamline your onboarding process.

Small steps take you to huge success in mentoring for direct sales. Start by setting clear and SMART goals aligned with the mentee's vision. Once the goals are in place, craft action plans detailing steps, resources, and support needed. Include milestones and deadlines for effective progress tracking, ensuring each small step propels the mentee toward significant achievement.

An action plan should depend on what the result is you're trying to achieve. Is this a voluntary relationship from the mentee side in which they are developing a specific skill set? Or are they shadowing/meeting with you to learn their role and how to become a top performer? The former will likely be self-motivated and aware. The latter will hopefully be both, but could be neither. Ask them where they struggle, then observe whether you agree or disagree. Pick one, but no more than three items to work on. Simplicity is key. If you've ever been part of sports, the reps are designed to build muscle memory. Later, you put it all together for game time. Same with sales.

The "sandwich method" can help you deliver constructive feedback. 1. Acknowledge something positive they did 2. Provide negative feedback in a kind way 3. Encourage them in a way that they feel they can handle the challenge

I'm not a fan of the sandwich method. It rarely works for me. I've learned to say it nicely, then get blunter as needed. Sometimes, people don't understand the impact of their actions, and sandwiching constructive feedback between two "good jobs" can lead people down the wrong path. Other times, people need encouragement and self-confidence to become who they are meant to be. I see it. I need them to see what I see. This is often the case with new reps. Sales is a playground with stakes. You can try new things and connect with new people. Yes, your income depends on it, but the core of sales is failing first and often. It's why coaching is integral to success and celebrations should take place early and often.

Giving feedback is like showing a torch in the dark journey of mentoring. It's crucial for improvement and celebrating achievements. Timely, specific, and balanced feedback, addressing strengths and weaknesses, is key. Combine this with sincere, frequent recognition to acknowledge efforts and show appreciation. Tailor your approach to the mentee's preferences, delivering feedback and recognition in a positive and respectful manner for effective mentorship.

Feedback & recognition are as vital as blood to life. Giving timely & accurately, backed with positive energies is way better to highlight keeping it optimistic approach is more productive. Appreciating is Public and denouncing behind the doors, keeps it healthy for collective goals.

One of the key attributes of a great mentor and coach is one that is prepared to walk with the mentee in their shoes. A mentor should be prepared to roll up their sleeves and not coach from above, but at the level the mentee requires. This means going to sales calls, meeting prospects, decision makers and sometimes taking the lead so the mentee can gain valuable insight into how to talk, what questions to ask and how to gain trust. Gradually the mentee should start to take the lead in these calls until the point that the mentor is no longer required to attend.

Don't just give the answers, but rather provide sufficient resources and proper coaching so they can reach the answers themselves.

Give a man to fish, he'll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he can build a successful fishing business. Hopefully, he'll give you a good deal. Same with sales. Teaching reps the how and why so they can apply the skills moving forward, is key. This means having them research the information, with guidance from you. It means having them try a different phrase or a new method of outreach. Sales is learn by doing. It always has been. I like to share with them high-level "how i do its" and if they want to know more, providing more information for them. I've mentored both reps who want to know the most efficient way and reps who like to be SMEs. Feed the knowledge beast to those who want to learn more. You'll be glad you did.

Offering support and resources in mentoring is like providing a compass and a map for the mentee's journey. Emotional, practical, and strategic support, along with relevant resources, help them overcome obstacles and seize opportunities. This support can take various forms, from empathetic listening to practical advice or connecting with valuable networks. Resources, be they material, informational, or educational, should be tailored to the mentee's needs and goals, guiding them towards success in their direct sales endeavors.

Yass! Encourage them. Celebrate them. Remind them how far they've come. Challenge them to take the next step. I like to tell my mentees to lean in where other reps avoid. You'll have less competition in those areas because most people avoid it, giving you a competitive advantage. You don't need to know everything, you just need to be motivated to find the people that know that thing. Play in the niches, in order to get the riches.

"Encouragement is boosting the seeds of growth and development in mentoring, much like providing the sunlight and nourishment needed for a plant to flourish. As a mentor, your role is to inspire your mentee to step beyond their comfort zone, embrace new challenges, and learn from experiences. By helping them recognize and leverage their strengths, passions, and potentials, while addressing weaknesses and fears, you guide them towards meaningful growth. Through your own example and encouragement, you foster an environment where your mentee can thrive, pursue dreams, and achieve success in their direct sales journey."

Being a mentor's goal is to keep himself/herself positive, having a strong belief to hit it, which impliedly develops a "Can Do" attitude in mentees. Rolling over mentor's sleeves mostly helps mentees to stay motivated and develops a strong personality of dedication, discovering potentials and step takers. Taking leverage of the situations, and going out of the box/ ignoring normal practices. Having a strong belief: "I can do everything which everyone can do, but what I can do, no one can do". It's that simple in my opinion.

It's very important to look back to see what is working well and not so much. Taking a step back to review will prevent early mistakes from happening and increase the mentorship effectiveness. During this time look back at the main focus and objectives and make necessary adjustments for anything that seems out of line. This will keep things moving forward productively.