Who’s in your Community?

When I was growing up I lived in a small town. There was a real community to the town. My family’s community included rural and town people, church members, schoolteachers, community business and political leaders and friends. Everyone looked after and kept an eye out for members of the group. People played different roles in making the group work. When it comes to your sales game who makes up your community?

What is the make-up of your sales community?
Community is important for your development, your tenure and the health of your business. So who is in your circle of influence? Who do you need in your circle? You need someone for moral support, you need someone to be a mentor, you need someone for advice, you need professional help from lawyers and accountants, you need people to fulfill and complete your orders; the list can go on and on. Everyone has a different list.

How do you create community? First you have to believe that community is important and serves a purpose. Once you understand and believe there is a purpose – you now want to know what your group looks like and what purpose it will serve. From a sales point of view that means how you want to serve your customers, what their experience will be and who you want on your team.

What makes a community?
Your team is put together much the same way as your customer teams. In fact it may be the same team. Your community is built on a base of trust and respect. It is built based on talents and the sharing of the responsibility of providing you with what you need to be successful. It is built over time. It is also fluid. Your team will change as you change and grow as a rep.

There is always a core of people that make up your community. I have a group of eight men (The Boy’s) that I have known for over 30 years. This core group has remained the same during that time. Others have come and gone during those years. During that time a bond and friendship has developed that is very special. A big part of that bond is based on the time we have known each other. It is that core group that you want to have with your team.

What does your core team look like? In the next week, make a list of the people you want in your community. Now that you have the list; who is already on your team? Who do you need to find? Now your focus will be on creating the community you want. Talk to other successful sales people and find out who the people are that support them and make them successful. As you build your team give your community the time to mature, grow and bond as a group. If you are changing jobs each year, changing your core team each year and not giving time a chance to build the bonds you need, then you will never have a strong team.

Communication
A big part of your success will be in your communication with your team. There is work involved in keeping your community working. What are you sharing with the group in terms of what is happening with your business, where you need help and what your strategy is? With all the technology and social networking we have, people have begun to lose the art of communicating effectively.

What is the single message you want to communicate, are you communicating on a regular basis and with a frequency that is appropriate. Communicating this way will keep your team focused and together. They will know what needs to be done and work as a community to make it happen.

Sayers Says…
Who is in your community? What are you doing to build a community? How are you communicating and keeping your team focused? How much time are you prepared to give to your group’s growth? What is the purpose of your community? What is the vision of your community?

Who’s in your Community?