Keystone to offer sales management coaching to producers and sales managers to continue filling the pipeline

    By November 2, 2020BLOG POSTS
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    Ask yourself: What is the cost of keeping a producer too long? The right support will help ensure that agency owners can gauge the effectiveness of their sales staff sooner rather than later.

    COVID-19 has flipped the script when it comes to sales. Clients may not want to meet in person, and social distancing has limited the more personal type of connections that are second nature to producers. So how do you fill the pipeline?

    How do sales agents stay motivated and strategize how to operate in this new, more virtual norm? And how do principals, already torn in multiple directions, provide sales mentoring and support to keep producers moving in the right direction?

    You need an ally.

    The cost of keeping a producer too long

    Ask yourself: What is the cost of keeping a producer too long?  How are you going to make the decision?  Will you hold on longer because you think they weren’t setup for success? Will you blame yourself? The right support will help ensure that agency owners can gauge the effectiveness of their sales staff sooner rather than later.

    Keystone is creating a sales management consulting team to help share best practices, coach, and mentor both producers and sales managers and hold them accountable for reaching their goals.

    The offering will share best practices on prospecting, lead management, setting goals and closing skills. It will help partners benchmark results among their agencies and with the industry.

    We are offering direct coaching with sales managers and with producers for small agencies without sales management staffing. This coaching and support will help sales staff:

    1. Define strategies that work for their unique agency.
    2. Fill the pipeline.
    3. Continue to work leads so they don’t fall through the cracks.
    4. Conduct research and ask the right questions to gain trust and interest.
    5. Make efficient use of their time.
    6. Leverage technology and smart data to manage leads and track goals.
    7. Strategize and define sales goals.
    8. Monitor results, tweak, and refine as needed.
    9. Learn sales strategies to bring in higher value accounts.
    10. Leverage Keystone’s products and services to augment an agency’s offerings.

    Producers can fail without continued support

    Even with sales and prospecting training, producers can fail without this type of continued support. Agencies can’t afford to lose valuable time on the hamster wheel of hiring, training, & waiting for results. Studies have shown that a failed hire can cost 2-3 times their salary when you factor in all the time investment and training expenses.  Hiring a sales manager has a high fixed expense with the same gamble on success. Utilizing your top producer or principal can take away bandwidth from doing what they are best at. Our sales management offering is designed to be a scalable and more cost-effective solution to focus on the producers that need the support.

    Our motto is independence works better together. We’re unique in that agencies don’t lose their independence or their local brand presence and voice. Yet partners continue to state that the most valued asset is the support and advice from other agencies. Partners freely share sales strategies, methodologies for pipeline management, and benchmarking results. They encourage one another to strive for transformational leadership.

    If you’re an independent agency, we encourage you to learn more about Keystone and determine if we’re the right partnership for you.

    Each quarter, we hold informational sessions on Keystone that candidates can learn from other partners on our services and their personal experiences. These sessions are confidential and at no obligation. Learn more by filling out our short interest form.