In the past few years, many landscaping companies have been able to get by with their salespeople functioning more as "order takers." Our clients, and potential clients, are contacting us with their needs and we are fulfilling their orders.
It's time to change that.
Whether the economy is good or bad for us next year, it is time to get back to good old-fashioned sales.
We are approaching the halfway point of the year and if you don't take time right now to organize your sales efforts, you don't only risk missing opportunities this year, but missing opportunities next year.
Yes, that's right, the sales process and efforts that you put forth now will affect your for 2024 revenue goals. So, what should you be doing? Here a few things that are working for us:
1. Have a process for communication with current clients and prospective prospects. Do you have a process for how many times an account manager is to walk a property? Do you have a process for how many bids must be sent out? Do you have a process that forces salespeople to follow up with prospects? Communication is the first part to a sale. If you are waiting for clients and prospects to get back in touch with you, you will lose sales.
2. Have regularly scheduled sales meetings. Sales meetings drive progress, accountability, and allow for positive coaching and encouragement. In that meeting you should be covering your backlog, your weighted pipeline, progress toward specific sales goals, and leaving time for role-playing and coaching.
3. Celebrate the success of sales won. Often times, we are so driven to succeed to don't stop and celebrate the wins of tour teams. Ensure that you are actively and publicly praising your sales team for each and every sale they make. Positive momentum always breeds more good things. So whether it is ringing bell or giving the best salesperson of the month a wrestling belt to keep in their office like our friends at Mullin do, celebrate the wins.
Looking for more ways to supercharge sales? Chris Psencik, Executive Coach and ACE Peer Group facilitator with our partners at McFarlin Stanford, and I will be joined by Vince Torchia, for our Virtual Sales Bootcamp 2.0 this week.
During this event, the three of us will share strategies, tips, and tricks that can take your sales efforts to the next level. We'll go over sales management strategies, how to train your team, what metrics you should watch in 2023 and 2024, the marketing tactics that are working for us, and more. This two-day, live, virtual event will be a fantastic way to jumpstart your sales team's professional development.
Will I see you online? Remember, nothing happens until someone sells something!
President & CEO
The Grow Group & Grunder Landscaping Co.