Sales Team Not Hitting Those Numbers? Here’s a Simple Tip That Causes a Huge Shift in Productivity

If your solar sales team isn’t performing, at the end of the day, it all goes back on the shoulders of the leader. As the leader, it’s your job to motivate your team, determine the metrics they need to meet, and then hold them accountable. 

if they’re missing the mark, it’s on you to turn that around.

Think of Your Company’s Sales Culture

What’s your company’s sales culture like?

And I don’t mean having a keg in the office and Summer Fridays and boondoggling at solar conferences just for the sake of being there.

I mean how the team interacts, how open the communication is, how driven your organization is as a whole, and the structure of your entire department.

If you create a culture of laxness, your team will put in minimal effort.

If your culture is one of overworking and underpaying, your team will burn out––or quit.

You need to strike a balance between performance and understanding that your team is only human.

Taking a “people first” approach means more productivity overall.

But to create a sales culture that both values its people and its profits, you need to start with the foundations.

Building a Strong Solar Sales Team

Building a high-performance solar sales team means starting with the basics.

So, first, let’s talk about WHO you should hire, how you should train them, and the secret to keeping them performing at the highest level.

You Can’t Cattle Call Your Way to Success

Want a killer sales team that closes more deals and gets more glass on the roof? 

You need people with rockstar potential. Don’t just hire anyone who walks in off the street just because you need more boots on the ground. Most of the time, doing this leads to high turnover and sinking money into onboarding, training, and paying team members who will undoubtedly leave.

Then leaving you to repeat the process until you get 1-2 diamonds in the rough.

Take a laser-focused approach.

When posting solar sales jobs, know exactly what––and who––you’re looking for.  Have a list of candidate must-haves. Have a list of deal breakers. 

And go into your interviews asking the right questions that help you determine whether or not each candidate will fit into the company culture you’re trying to create.

And it should go without saying, if you want rockstar talent, be prepared to pay for rockstar talent. If you won’t, your competition will.

Train Them The Right Way

Impactful training isn’t just sitting your new hires in front of a screen and having them read your company policies.

You need to be high-touch and hands on.

Not only does a detailed, crystal clear training program prepare new hires to perform well, it gives them a set of standards they need to perform to and shows that not only are there accountability measures in place, but that there’s a clear path to success.

Don’t skimp on solar sales training.

And I’ll say it again:

DON’T SKIMP ON SOLAR SALES TRAINING.

And the BIGGEST Secret to High-Performing Sales Teams

So let’s talk about the reason you’re probably here:

You want to turn around your solar sales.

I’m going to give you the biggest secret to high-performance sales teams––and you can do it in just 15 minutes per week.

15 Minute Weekly Check Ins: The Breakdown 

Spending 15 minutes per week with each member of your team can completely shift the productivity of your team, and here’s why:

Creating a personal rapport with your team, knowing what drives them both personally and professionally, and working with them on defined goals motivates a person to succeed.

So let’s break down the 15-minute daily check in:

5 Minutes of Personal

The first five minutes of your 15 minute daily check in should be focused on personal topics. Get to know your sales team, even if it’s just five minutes at a time. Get to the core of what drives them. Find out what motivates them. Figure out what gets them out of bed in the morning. 

And, building relationships with your team isn’t just good for the company, it’s good for morale.

Professional 

The next five minutes of your check in should focus on professional development. What do they need help with? What challenges are they facing in the field? How’s their performance compared to last year, last month, or even last week?

Remember to give praise where it’s due, but don’t let poor performance go unaddressed. If their performance is hitting an unusual low, see what support or re-training you can offer. 

Point of Focus

The final five minutes should be spent giving team members a specific area of focus that you’d like to see them focus on before your next check in. Give them goals to hit that can be achieved within the next week, or even larger goals that can be achieved next month. If you’d like them to focus on a longer-term goal, remember to check in on their progress during the next call.

Spending just 15 minutes per week one-on-one with the members of your team helps give clear direction, keeps your team accountable, and keeps them moving forward.

Sometimes it Takes a Third-Party Perspective

If the culture in your sales organization has remained unproductive, stagnant, or toxic for far too long, it can be difficult to turn things around when you’re so close to the project. 

Don’t be afraid to consult a third-party solar sales coach to help rebuild your department and your team.

Sometimes, an outside force is what it takes to uncover unseen strengths and weaknesses that have gone unnoticed.

Cultivate an Amazing Solar Sales Culture

A strong sales culture starts with these; a strong foundation, training and support, accountability, and personal development. By spending just 15 minutes per week with your team, you’ll see productivity shift and your sales culture flourish.

Need Help? Contact the AJC Group

Need help turning around your solar sales team? At the AJC Group, we’ve been helping solar companies just like yours revolutionize sales culture through high-impact training, coaching, and performance tools. Contact a member of our team to see how we can help drive revenue for your business.