By: Barrett Riddleberger

If your sales meetings were not required, would anyone show up?

Shared: From your friends #*@TechAutoCareers.com®* the online resource for the *Automotive Sales Fraternity™*

Sales meetings are notorious for being boring and unprofitable. The Sales Manager simply does not connect with their sales reps on making this time beneficial for the participants. The primary reason why sales meetings fail to offer value to the sales reps is because many Sales Managers don't know the primary purpose of a sales meeting.

The primary purpose of a sales meeting is to help your salespeople make more money. Everything else is a distraction.

Here are five (5) things that great Sales Managers do to facilitate great sales meetings:

1.They have a clearly defined agenda.

Know exactly what you're going to accomplish and the time you will invest in achieving your goal. Set aside a few minutes to recognize salespeople who performed well last week/month. Quickly move into the sales skill you plan to develop and dedicate most of your time to teaching and role-playing. Leave time for questions and problem-solving. End with something motivational like a video, quote or challenge.

2.They avoid policy and procedure topics.

It's not a sales meeting unless you're helping your sales reps make more money. If you have policy or procedure issues, then have a separate meeting. Don't forego your sales meeting. Nothing is more important then developing the skills and confidence of your salespeople. If the policy or procedure issue is not worth a separate meeting, put the information in an email and send it to your sales team.

3.They never let others hijack their meetings.

Sales meetings are sacred time. Never allow other departments to take over or allow them to take a few minutes of your meeting. If it does not directly put money in the pockets of your salespeople, then tell the person "no". It's your meeting--not theirs.

4.They focus on sales skill development.

They help their salespeople get better in a particular area of the sales process. Break up the sales process and work on specific topics. Don't rush. Take multiple sales meetings to get a particular skill right. Whether prospecting, qualifying, handling objections, negotiation or closing, take your time to ensure your sales reps execute that skill at a high level. Constant reinforcement is the key to changing behaviors.

5.They leave their salespeople wanting more.

Many salespeople complain that the sales meetings drone on and offer little value. Instead, when focusing on helping them make more money through focused skill development, they won't want to leave. They crave practical, hands-on, real-world training that applies directly to their job. Give that to them every week and they'll never miss a meeting, be late or cause another distraction again.

Transform your sales meetings by fulfilling the primary purpose. In your next sales meetings, start off by telling your sales reps that the new purpose for sales meetings is helping them make more money--and then do it. And if anyone else wants to interfere, tell them no. If they persist, then have them agree to empty their departments budget into the sales teams' account to make up for the loss. I think they'll see it your way.

About I.C. Collins

I.C. Collins is grateful that he can pursue something that is both interesting and has value on several levels. For over three decades in the Automotive Sales Industry a bottom-line guy Collins doesn't shy away from telling the truth in ways that cut through the noise to deliver streetwise and corporate knowledge from someone who's been there and done that, many times over.

He aims to create “a long-lasting major brand that for generations is a company that is business-critical to the leading brands in the world. We are focused every day on creating something that’s valuable and has permanence.”

P. S. Urgent if you’re looking to optimize your interpersonal skills for success get your copy of " How to Succeed in the Automotive Sales Industry " today @TechAutoCareers.com. Then settle in for a satisfying read that will surely enhance your interpersonal skills for success this year, it is not just a book we are a service.

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