Creating a successful sales team begins with an effective sales manager. Branch managers are not only responsible for their own success, but also for the success of their team members. It’s up to them to create a productive environment and to find new ways to motivate their employees. This isn’t always easy, but with great management practices, there are plenty of ways to optimize the productivity of the team and maximize the potential success of the entire branch. Here are some of the best practices to maximize the success of your mortgage team:
Hire those who match the branch culture
From the beginning, your team’s success rests on your hiring process. Managers should, of course, hire for skill and perceived talent; but there’s more you should be looking for when building your team. It’s also important to make sure your candidate matches with the culture of your branch. This kind of vetting takes more time and intention up front, but it can save you a great deal of effort and energy in the long run. By keying in on personality and work style in your hiring process, you’ll build a solid foundation for the branch to thrive.
Prioritize coaching
Managers who want to create a solid team need to invest in consistent sales coaching. Make time to set up both branch and individual goals with your employees and to follow up with constructive feedback along the way. Managers also need to make sure they’re out in the field and leading directly. This way, they’ll be able to give relevant feedback in the moment. Although you may feel too busy to take away from your daily task list, investing time in great coaching is a worthy investment for the success of the branch.
Set the rhythm of the team
Managers can up the performance of their branch members by creating the right framework for success. You should establish regular standards and schedules that your team can follow. You can’t hold them to expectations you haven’t clearly defined. In order to drive their team to achievement, managers should also use the right organizational tools. They should utilize tools to track employee progress so they can give feedback efficiently. One of the best ways to set a rhythm for success is to lead by example and demonstrate the standards you want your team to follow. If you’re consistently leading in this way, you’ll set the tone for the rest of the team.
Pinpoint and tackle small issues
Another tip to help managers maximize branch success is to keep a close eye on performance and to catch small issues before they turn into large ones. Managers who are proactive in this way can nip bad habits in the bud and help employee performance to grow. This means being in-tune with your team, their sales numbers, and the trends that can indicate a decline. Try not to manage only when things get bad, but stay involved along the way wand catch any bad patterns as they’re forming. By handling problems before they become larger issues, you’ll create a better path to branch success.
Acknowledge the wins
Celebrating small successes can help increase team morale and motivate employees to strive for more. Branch leaders should make sure they’re not only acknowledging the wins, but doing so in a way that celebrates these victories. These moments could be individual with one team member or relevant to the entire branch. No matter what the success is, managers should lead in a positive way and use these opportunities to reward the team and to boost morale.
A manager must understand how to empower their employees to reach for their own success and the success of the branch. For times when you may feel uninspired, incorporating new management strategies can go a long way. Give a few of these a try, and invest in the long-term success of your branch.
