| Almost every successful sales person I know | | | | them. Find the right opportunities to tell |
| can point to one or a few people who were | | | | them you see greatness in them. Instead of |
| instrumental to their success. They can name | | | | always telling them what they should do |
| the mentors who encouraged them, showed them | | | | differently, ask them how they could have |
| the error of their ways and helped them over | | | | improved in a given situation. |
| the humps. I began my sales career with | | | | |
| Jantzen Sportswear. I had an apprenticeship | | | | 2. Keep them focused with a specific plan off |
| with one of their top reps, Kent McCreight in | | | | attack. Explain the three to five key daily |
| Minneapolis for ten months before taking over | | | | activities that will drive their performance |
| my first sales territory. That experience | | | | and create a scorecard for a goal to attain |
| with Kent was invaluable. He was a seasoned | | | | and their actual results. You can track their |
| pro who took the time with me a served as an | | | | progress daily or weekly, but stay in touch. |
| excellent role model. My next mentor Tom | | | | As a mentor, you can not coach them on what |
| Hopkins, was a virtual mentor. I purchased | | | | you can not measure. |
| two of his tape series on sales and success | | | | |
| and listened over and over while driving | | | | 3. Get them a Journal as a gift. Encourage |
| thousands of miles in my territory. | | | | them to not trust their memory and to write |
| | | | down what they are learning and enjoying. |
| I began working for Tony Robbins in September | | | | Tony gave me my first Journal and I now have |
| of 1988. The manager of the sales team was | | | | 18 valuable editions. It is a great way to |
| Michael "Hutch" Hutchison. Almost twenty | | | | capture moments that you would normally |
| years later, he is still a mentor and one of | | | | forget. You can use it as a scrapbook of |
| my closest friends. Here are a few ideas to | | | | accomplishments and lessons. |
| make a difference in your role as a mentor. | | | | |
| If you choose to become a one, the first | | | | 4. How they "tell the story" of what you and |
| question you will ask yourself is why? | | | | your firm does for clients is critical. For a |
| | | | mentor to conduct role modeling on a sales |
| Usually a mentor has achieved great success | | | | call, the protege must be invited to watch as |
| and is a role model other look up to. | | | | often as possible. Get permission to record |
| Sometimes the mentor is in later career | | | | the sales call from the client or prospect |
| stages and can sometimes become disengaged | | | | and tell them you would like to use it for |
| and switched off. Mentoring provides a way to | | | | training purposes for your protege. |
| reengage the mentor and get them switched | | | | Repeatedly listening to you and others at |
| back on. For example, in the act of teaching | | | | their best will cut the learning curve |
| someone else, the mentor may begin to see a | | | | dramatically. |
| new role for contributing to the firm he or | | | | |
| she may "catch" some of the protege's | | | | 5. It is tempting to solve their problems. |
| enthusiasm, and be reenergized him/herself. | | | | This is not mentoring. By solving their |
| They will be motivated to set a strong | | | | problems you take away their opportunity to |
| example and challenge themselves to get back | | | | become educated, and their ability to solve |
| to executing the disciplines that got them to | | | | problems for themselves. People learn best |
| the top in the first place. | | | | when they face new challenges, in addition, |
| | | | they gain the skills to solve other, more |
| A good mentor should put their new protege at | | | | difficult, problems. It builds self esteem |
| ease and let them know they did not learn the | | | | and the belief they can handle any situation |
| business overnight. Anything worth doing | | | | once they are on their own. |
| well, is also worth doing poorly. You do not | | | | |
| master anything worthwhile quickly. They must | | | | Being a successful mentor is a tremendous |
| know you do not expect perfection. Your | | | | experience and delivers a great feeling of |
| expectation should be consistent progress. | | | | satisfaction. Being able to drastically cut |
| They must be allowed to learn by doing and | | | | the learning curve for someone is a great |
| doing means making mistakes and learning from | | | | gift and of course a cost savings. You get |
| that experience. | | | | the person up to speed quicker and cut the |
| | | | failure rate too. It can even be an informal |
| 1. Often the protege is in the enthusiastic | | | | relationship over the phone. Keep these five |
| beginner stage where they can be easily | | | | points in mind to make you even more |
| crushed with too much criticism. Look out for | | | | successful. |
| areas of specific improvement and praise | | | | |