7 Game-Changing Strategies to Boost Your Sales Success

Leading a high-performing sales team requires a combination of the right mindset, robust preparation, and continuous team development. Drawing inspiration from the All Blacks’ century-long remarkable approach to winning, here are seven key strategies for sales managers to implement and help their teams thrive. If your Sales Manager isn’t overly proactive, we recommend you step up to help! These tactics go beyond the basics to push your sales team to the next level.

1. Emphasise Bone-Deep Preparation

When interviewed after winning games, many All Blacks mention that their preparation was ‘bone deep’. In sales, too many salespeople do shallow and off the cuff preparation. Preparation should go beyond a cursory review of client details. Encourage your team to prepare thoroughly for every meeting, email, and phone call. This means understanding the client’s business, anticipating potential objections, and customising the sales approach. Competitor analysis is an example of bone deep preparation you can do. 

2. Be Present and Focused in Every Moment 

The All Blacks speak about ‘being where your feet are’. Ensure your salespeople are fully engaged in each conversation, whether it’s with a customer, a team member, or a supplier. Encourage them to “be where their feet are” and avoid distractions. Implement daily routines, such as calm breathing or NLP anchoring techniques, to help your team stay focused and present, ensuring each interaction is handled with maximum attention and effectiveness. This should improve the ‘quality’ of their work, to reduce the need for a ‘quantity-only’ strategy. 

3. Prepare for Contingencies 

No sales strategy goes perfectly according to plan, just like a game of rugby. Train your team to expect setbacks and be ready with a Plan B, even Plan C! This could involve having extra leads in the pipeline, alternative solutions for client objections, or plans for market downturns. By planning for the unexpected, your team will be more resilient and adaptable, maintaining momentum even when challenges arise. A common issue we hear people share is: “we have a big client who annoys our team and doesn’t pay good margins, what do we do?” Answer: you build contingencies by winning other medium clients first, then you sit the big client down and negotiate for them to step up their behaviour, knowing that if they walked away you have the income covered. 

4. Foster Growth Mindsets 

The All Blacks seek continuous improvement. Adopting a growth mindset means seeing every setback as an opportunity to learn. Encourage your salespeople to analyse their wins and losses with a focus on continuous improvement. Create an environment where feedback is welcomed, not feared, and celebrate the process of learning as much as the results. This mindset will help your team stay motivated and driven, even in challenging times. This starts with the manager or owner: THEY need to show transparency! 

5. Encourage Humility 

The All Blacks’ tradition of "sweeping the sheds" after every game teaches humility. It is their core value as a team. Encourage your team to maintain a humble attitude, regardless of their success. This can be demonstrated through small acts, like helping other departments during peak times, acknowledging support teams, or mentoring new hires. A culture of humility fosters better teamwork, reinforces a strong work ethic, and builds a positive reputation. WARNING: bad-mouthing your clients in the office is the OPPOSITE of humility! 

6. Invest Time in Role-Playing 

Like most teams, the All Blacks run in-game scenarios again and again. They train for success. Under pressure, your team will likely revert to their level of training. Ensure they are prepared by incorporating role-playing exercises and scenario-based training. Practising difficult conversations, handling objections, and refining negotiation skills in a controlled environment prepares your team to perform at their best when it matters most. Make ongoing role-play training a core part of your sales culture, few sales teams do.

7. Create a Culture of Accountability 

Encourage your salespeople to regularly review their performance. This can be done through self-assessments after meetings or peer feedback sessions. Establish a practice where each team member identifies three key actions they can implement to improve. Accountability isn’t just about hitting targets—it’s about fostering a mindset of continuous improvement.This has become the main aspect of our Sales Mastery Academy, with good reason. 

In conclusion, by implementing these seven strategies, you can help your sales team achieve higher levels of performance and resilience. Just like the All Blacks, it’s about mastering the basics, embracing setbacks as learning opportunities, and preparing thoroughly for every encounter. Together, these practices will help build a sales culture that not only hits targets but also consistently exceeds them. 

The All Blacks, on average win 8 out of every 10 games they play, drawing 1 of the other 2 games. Those are stats that are worth working towards in your own team. BUT, it takes WORK and COMMITMENT.

Contact us to learn how our Sales Mastery Academy can support you in implementing these strategies and more, to drive exceptional results in your business. Make winning a habit! Email [email protected]