How to Unleash Your Reps Superpowers

In sales, discovering the unique strengths of each sales rep can feel like uncovering hidden superpowers.

But how exactly do you pinpoint these abilities?

And once identified, what's the best way to use them for boosting productivity and driving sales?

When it comes to refining sales tactics, what advantages does coaching forward have over traditional call reviews? And how can leveraging data-driven strategies not only measure but significantly enhance rep performance?

So many questions. Answering them might feel like a burden.

But not for our guests.

In this episode of The B2B Revenue Executive Experience, Steve Waters, Vice President of Sales at ZoomInfo, sheds light on all of the above.

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A Step-by-Step Guide to Unleash Your Rep Superpowers

1. Employ Data-Driven Insights

Steve highlights the importance of leveraging data to reveal the unique strengths of each sales rep.

By analyzing performance metrics and observing behavior using tools like Chorus, leaders can identify specific talents within their team, such as the ability to create a sense of urgency in one-call closes.

It's an approach that will boost the morale of those recognized but also foster a culture of peer learning.

“The data reveals the superpowers. The recordings help to teach it. We let the rep teach it. They get the confidence everyone else gets better. And it's just a play that we can run over and over and over and over for all the different aspects of sales. And I found it to be really successful across my team.”

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2. Coaching Forward Versus Call Reviews

Steve draws a clear line between the traditional practice of call reviews and his preferred method of coaching forward.

Instead of focusing on correcting past mistakes, forward coaching prepares reps for future interactions by strategizing around potential client objections and pain points.

This proactive preparation ensures that reps enter calls with personalized strategies, significantly improving their performance.

Steve explains, “Coaching forward to an event that is going to happen, I find to be so much more practical than coaching retroactively. Retroactively is helpful. Yes, we should do that. And we need to call reps out when their calls are a snooze fest or when they mess things up or whatever. That's all fine, but I find coaching forward to be a bigger lift and a better use of everybody's time.”

Imagine you have a call scheduled in 15 minutes.

Before the call, it's best to speak with a representative to discuss the following: who will be attending the meeting? Do we have a personalized presentation ready? How should we begin the conversation? What potential objections might arise, and how can we address them? What are the key points of concern for the client, and how can we emphasize them? What should we showcase on the platform, and how should we do it?

By outlining these details and coaching the representative, you'll be able to prepare them for the call and ensure a successful outcome.

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3. Elevate Performance with Personalized Data

If there's one thing you should know about sales, it’s that a one-size-fits-all approach hardly cuts it.

Steve champions the use of personalized go-to-market data to elevate rep performance dramatically.

By focusing on strategies like targeting customers similar to the top 20% of revenue generators at suitable times using intent data, SDRs can initiate more meaningful conversations and drive success. 

“It's so much easier to find more customers that look like the 20% that do 80% of your revenue. And how can we replicate those and then target them at the right time with intent data or leadership moves? Or when they get funding or add or drop technology? That's all really data-driven.”

Sales leaders can unlock unprecedented levels of productivity and success in their teams by identifying and nurturing the unique strengths of each sales rep.

That's why they should adopt a forward-focused coaching approach and employ personalized, data-driven strategies.

Remember, the key to unleashing your sales reps' superpowers lies in recognizing their individual talents, preparing them for the challenges ahead, and strategically leveraging data to guide your efforts.

‍Now that you know how to find your rep superpowers, learned the difference between coaching forward and call reviews, and discovered how data-driven go-to-market strategies allow you to really measure rep productivity, discover the full list of episodes at The B2B Revenue Executive Experience. If you enjoy the show, instructions to rate and review it are found here.