Dear ToddCohen.com Sales Community,
Delegation is a skill and one that we all need to be very good at if we are to be great sales leaders and build sales culture. We all know that our business is well…busy, and one of the many things we can learn to do better is to delegate and empower people. Effective delegation is a skill that I have observed great sales professionals do well – it is a strength that separates good from great.
I have worked hard in my career to be an effective delegator and have learned the hard way how to do it right. It can be challenging at times because we tend to forget that delegation is not telling or ordering.
For more information, see this month’s article on Delegation is S.M.A.R.T.E.R.
Good Selling!
-Todd
Delegation can mean lots of things and it all depends upon your perspective and position. As a manager you can delegate to subordinates or peers and you might even try to delegate up to your boss (read the HBR classic “Monkey on My Back”). Actually, delegating responsibilities can be a great way to have others learn a new skill since “experiential learning” is considered the most meaningful method for learning. It also allows the opportunity for others to take ownership in a project which is incredibily important for the successful implementation of tactics. However, as a sales person we should also consider delegation as a method for what I call “viral selling”.
Viral selling is the technic used to have others sell your product for you. Some may call it referrals and still others consider it a closing skill, but the reality is that by simply asking your customer to spread the word about your product, you are delegating your sales goal to others. Pretty smart if you ask me!
Simply ask a satisfied customer to mention your product to a friend or a peer. You might even consider providing them with an incentive if they find you a new customer or a new lead(depending upon your industry). It’s hard for a friend to say no to a friend and if you have created a satisfied customer, why won’t they want to help you? In fact, you are now delegating.
The results can be contagious and the rewards significant. So give “delegation” a new twist and increase your sales exponentially in 2009.
Ron Wickline
Vice President of Sales
Targanta Therapeutics