Shifting From an Account Management Culture to a Proactive Selling (hunting) One

Let me share a quick story about a sales leader who worked for a well-established building materials manufacturer. Let’s call him Tom. Over a five-year period, Tom’s company experienced remarkable growth. Tom explained that the organisation’s success was due to continuously excelling in customer service and ensuring their customers were successful. He said they invested a lot of time and training to create a culture that nurtured existing accounts and ensured repeat business. They also developed strategic partnerships with architects, contractors, suppliers and builders. However, as the company continued to expand, they needed to reach new markets and customers.

Now Tom’s issue was his company hired a new VP of sales. At the time I spoke with him in early 2023, he shared that she had been recently hired to drive growth and his job was to help her. At the time, I remember he expressed that he was nervous because she set ambitious sales targets, aiming for a 35% increase in revenue over the next year. On her third day on the job she had already identified many issues. ‘’Look Tom, this organisation lacks a hunting culture. And this is a problem because there are a lot of untapped markets we need to reach. With this current landscape we’re not going to be able to survive if we stay complacent.’’ She told him.

So this VP of sales, with Tom’s help tried very hard to revolutionise the sales division into an aggressive one. But she failed to change both the culture or hit their revenue targets. In fact, their performance was even worse than the previous 3 years. Tom said there was a lot of resistance. Upon further examination of the VP of Sales' strategy, it became apparent that certain changes were necessary to transition from a reactive account management approach to a proactive sales mindset.

1 -?Get a Buy in and Manage the Change

When implementing any change whether big or small, it’s critical to get a buy in. Clearly communicate the need for change. Explain the why behind this change, and how it’s necessary for company growth and survival. Share how embracing a hunting mindset can benefit everyone involved. But most importantly, let each individual come to the conclusion that this change is a necessity on their own. Perhaps run a team activity, with group brainstorming sessions. Have questions that create reflection and problem-solving.

Group brainstorming questions could look like this:

• ‘’What are the benefits of increased business growth?’’
• ‘’What are some of your fears or concerns about this new change?’’
• "How can we reach our goals successfully?"
• "What are the consequences of falling short on our sales revenue targets?

Help individuals create their own insights and reasons to why these goals are important. It’s usually the quality of the questions that we ask that can shift an individual’s behaviour and help create change.

2 - Set Clear Sales Growth Expectations and Metrics

To successfully drive sales growth, it is important to establish clear and specific targets for key performance sales activities, such as new leads generated, sales calls made, meetings scheduled, RFQs sent and orders made. These targets should be measurable, time-critical, and provide a roadmap for the sales team to follow. It’s vital for the sales manager to give guidance and conduct regular reviews of progress. These reviews should include commending the sales reps wins, milestones, as well as challenges, gaps and actions to implement to achieve these goals. By being consistent in reviewing and analysing performance, sales teams can make necessary adjustments and improvements to drive continuous growth and success.

3 - Targeted Sales Growth Training and Coaching

Targeted sales growth training and coaching are vital components when it comes to having a high-performing sales team. Especially one that needs to hunt. Many sales professionals struggle with the concept of being a hunter in sales, which is why targeted learning initiatives?addressing these skills are crucial. Training and coaching?should cover various prospecting methods such as cold calling, email outreach, and social selling. Additionally, it should include strategies for tapping into new accounts and expanding the client base. As well as follow through after attending industry events, trade shows, and builder conferences. Sales managers should conduct weekly morning 20-minute sales training huddles with repetition, role play and application. By regularly engaging in role-playing exercises, sales teams can improve their communication skills and become more confident in their sales approach. Also, don’t forget about developing your sales leaders into ones who know how to sales coach, and drive performance. The bottom line, studies show that investing in targeted sales training can deliver an average ROI of up to 353%, and companies that prioritise training are 57% more effective than their competitors.

4 -?Incentives and Recognition

To promote a hunting culture within a sales team, it is important to offer incentives and recognition. This can be accomplished through various strategies such as implementing a commission structure that rewards reps based on the quality and quantity of leads they generate, and providing bonuses for achieving lead-related milestones. Also, things like organising team competitions, public recognition can play a major role in motivating sales reps. This can be done through team meetings, email shout-outs, LinkedIn shout-outs, newsletter interviews, and creating a "Wall of Fame" to showcase top performers. Peer recognition and leadership acknowledgment are also essential elements of a successful incentive program. While maintaining a feedback loop with marketing and sharing customer success stories can provide valuable insights and inspiration for the team.

Finally, the biggest issue that Tom’s new VP of Sales faced as she tried to move away from the account manager culture, is that she lost sight of what was important. Taking care of their customer base. As we build a proactive sales culture, we must not forget how vital the account manager role is. As taking care of our customers, continuously setting them up for success, and building relationships are also fundamental for business growth. By prioritising customer care, fostering strong relationships, and aiming for repeat business and referrals, we can maximise profits and sustain long-term success. Remember, our customers are at the heart of everything we do, so as we grow, we need to continue prioritising their needs and striving for excellence in customer service.

Are you a sales leader looking to boost your sales team's performance and enhance their sales techniques? Schedule a quick 15-minute chat to explore how we can support you in achieving your goals. No strings attached, just a friendly chat to see how we can collaborate and help you drive sales success.