In order to help our salespeople be successful in reaching goals, we must hold them to the necessary activity by building strong tracking and accountability processes. Most companies desire accountability in their sales organizations but fail to track the sales activities that are the most predictive of sales results. Too often, the metric of “closed sales” is the only one identified and inspected. Tracking only this metric is similar to looking in the rearview mirror as it does not give you early predictive information. In hindsight, nearly anything is clear.
Instead of focusing solely on closes, we need to track metrics like the number of prospecting dials made, number of appointments made, number of appointments kept, number of second meetings set, and so on. Tracking this type of information allows us to determine important ratios, like the ratio of prospecting dials to first appointments and the ratio of prospecting dials to closes. With this information, we can intelligently set sales goals and make real progress on coaching accountability in sales.
Why Tracking Matters for Coaching Accountability in Sales
To be effective sales managers, we must track, inspect, and coach each step in the selling process, such as initial phone calls, first contacts, opportunities, appointments, proposals, and closed sales. If we hold our salespeople accountable for their activities, we can better predict future sales.
This detailed information provides the raw data needed to identify patterns. It helps you recognize the correlation between each step: prospecting to qualifying, qualifying to first meeting, first meeting to presentation, and presentation to sale. Many salespeople and managers do not know how many prospecting calls are needed to make a sale (call-to-sale ratio). Yet this detail is vital to the success of each salesperson and organization. For example, if you know Jane averages 15 calls per sale but she is only making 10 calls, chances are she will not reach her sales goal.
Holding People Accountable
Tracking activity only matters if the data is used to hold people to their promised goals. Each salesperson should understand the consequences of failing to achieve those goals. Unfortunately, many companies allow excuses for lack of success, which often leads to failure in other sales systems and processes.
Consistency in holding salespeople accountable to their behaviors is key to coaching sales accountability. One effective approach is to have direct conversations:
“Bill, what will happen if you don’t reach this goal? If you don’t achieve the goals you established?”
Then wait for the answer, allowing them to think through the consequences. This helps them take ownership of success or failure and increases receptivity to accountability systems.
If someone responds with “Oh well, maybe next month,” they may not be the right fit for the role. If they scramble to figure out a solution, they likely are.
Creating a No-Excuses Environment
Approximately 66% of salespeople assessed in OMG’s evaluation process make excuses for lack of performance. They may blame the company, competition, or market instead of themselves. Left unchecked, this erodes standards across the organization.
For example, if Jane says she did not meet her phone call goal because of operational issues, she is blaming the company. A strong accountability-based response would be:
“Jane, if I did not let you use that as an excuse, what would you have done differently?”
This shifts responsibility back to the salesperson and encourages problem-solving. By asking this question regularly, you prevent excuses from lowering performance standards.
Remember, excuses come in many forms. Make it a habit to use the question:
“If I did not let you use that excuse, what would you have done differently?”
Track how often you use it in a week and watch how it strengthens coaching accountability in sales.
