J A S O N F O R R E S T

LEADERSHIP SALES
COACHING
Transforming from Manager to Coach
Author of 40-Day Sales Dare and Creating Urgency
This approach has never been done before.
Liesel Cooper, Senior Vice President, MDC Holdings, Inc.
2012 Jason Forrest
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in any form,
or by any means whatsoever without express written permission in advance from the author,
except in the case of brief quotations in critical articles and reviews.
For information or bulk orders, contact:
info@forrestpg.com
ForrestPG.com
Published by MJS Press
Printed in the U.S.A.
International Standard Book Number: 978-0-9887523-0-6
To my children, Saunders and Mary Jane
May this book provide a lasting reminder that you can
make a difference in the world.
Definitions to Lead By
LEADER
A person that you follow to a place
you would not go on your own.
Joel Barker
PRINCIPLE
Specifc guideline/rule to achieve success.
Dictionary.com
It would take another 300 pages to thank all who contributed to this project
in ways both big and small. Whether you ofered feedback, provided material
during one of my coaching calls with you, bolstered me with moral support,
or worked directly on the project, I appreciate you.
Tank you to:
My clientsfor trusting me enough to invest fully in Te Program and put
these coaching principles into practice. Its because of you that I can say the
ideas contained here are indeed tried and true. Your experiences provided
research for this book. Tank you for sharing your stories of growth with me.
You are why I do what I do.
Alicia Eastfor listening to the thousands of hours of seminars, coaching
calls, and brainstorming sessions that formed the ideas for this book and for
doing such an amazing job preserving my voice.
Michael J. OBrienfor being my coach as I wrote this book and for changing my
perspective on so many things.You are a shining example of what a Leadership
Sales Coach looks like.
Zig Ziglarfor being one of my frst coaches in life. As my childhood Sunday
school teacher and longtime mentor, you provided the spark that led me to
believe in, fght for, and become what I am today. And you taught me that
simple truth that sums up coaching so well: You will get all you want in life if
you help other people get what they want. May you rest in peace.
Country (aka Shelly)I must thank my amazing wife for encouraging and
supporting me throughout the writing of this book. I love you!
Jason

Acknowledgments
Contents
INTRODUCTION
Introduction to Leadership Sales Coaching
Youre Either Leading or Yielding
Paradox of Success
PART ONE: A LEADER LEADS
Principle 1: Remember Your Purpose
Principle 2: Be a Sales Pro First
Principle 3: Master the Sales Process
Principle 4: Be the Sherpa
PART TWO: COACHING TO WIN
Principle 5: Coach, Dont Manage
Principle 6: Be on Ofense
Principle 7: Be the 66%
Principle 8: Live by the Formula for Success
Principle 9: Prepare for the What Ifs
PART THREE: SETTING, COMMUNICATING, AND
MAINTAINING THE STANDARD
Principle 10: Declare Who You Are
Principle 11: Have Standards of Performance
Principle 12: Set Expectations Early and Often
Principle 13: Huddle Up
PART FOUR: GETTING BUY-IN
Principle 14: Revere Sales
Principle 15: Communicate to Sell Your Product
Principle 16: Earn Respect
Principle 17: Respect Teir Bucket of Knowledge
Principle 18: Get Permission
Principle 19: Use Negative Situations to Get Permission
PART FIVE: KNOWING YOUR PEOPLE
Principle 20: Understand Why Your People Are Who Tey Are
Principle 21: Understand Your Teams Programming
Principle 22: Inspire the Best
9
13
15
21
25
29
31
35
39
43
47
51
55
61
63
67
71
75
79
83
85
91
95
99
105
Principle 23: Know Your People
Principle 24: Know the Why Behind their Goal
Principle 25: Tree Whys Deep
PART SIX: BEING CURIOUS
Principle 26: Approach Coaching Sessions with Childlike Curiosity
Principle 27: Ask Better Questions
Principle 28: Get Tactical
PART SEVEN: COMMUNICATING ASSERTIVELY
Principle 29: Be Specifc, Specifc, Specifc
Principle 30: Say What You Mean, Mean What You Say
Principle 31: Strike a Balance
Principle 32: Have No Fear of Confict
Principle 33: Use Stories to Communicate
Principle 34: Be Vulnerable
PART EIGHT: COACHING THE SCIENCE
AND THE ART
Principle 35: Test their Instincts; then Teach the Gap
Principle 36: Teach Until Tey Get It Right
Principle 37: Coach Timing
Principle 38: Coach the DTR (Determine the Relationship)
PART NINE: BUDGETING YOUR
COACHING TIME
Introduction to the Six Levels of Coaching
Principle 39: Spend 5% of Your Time Coaching Circumstances
Principle 40: Spend 5% of Your Time Coaching Results
Principle 41: Spend 10% of Your Time Coaching Activities
Principle 42: Spend 15% of Your Time Coaching the Process
Principle 43: Coaching the Presentation
Principle 44: Spend 50% of Your Time Coaching the People Side
109
111
113
119
123
127
133
137
141
147
151
153
157
159
163
167
171
175
181
185
189
193
197
PART TEN: COACHING THE PEOPLE SIDE
Principle 45: Dig Down Deep
Principle 46: Coach the Want to
Principle 47: Expand their Comfort Zone
Principle 48: Teach at an Inch Wide, Mile Deep
Principle 49: Change Perspective
Principle 50: Lock on, Lock out
Principle 51: Expect More, Get More
Principle 52: Provide Objective Reality
Principle 53: Create Self Assurance
PART ELEVEN: CELEBRATING THE ART
Principle 54: Celebrate Efort
Principle 55: Celebrate X Factor Sales
Principle 56: Focus on Whats Improved
PART TWELVE: HIRING TO WIN
Principle 57: Avoid the Experience Trap
Principle 58: Always Top Grade
Principle 59: Hire the X Factor
Principle 60: Hire Based on the Assumption that its as Good as
its Gonna Get
PART THIRTEEN: BUILDING A
GROWTH MINDSET
Principle 61: Encourage a Growth Mindset
Principle 62: Create an Achievement Drive System
Principle 63: Give Team Members an Opportunity to Learn and Grow
PART FOURTEEN: BUILDING AN
X FACTOR CULTURE
Principle 64: Create the X Factor Revolution
Principle 65: Teach Cultural Alignment
Principle 66: Trump Logic with Passion
Principle 67: Increase the X Factor Advantage
Principle 68: Retain Good People
Principle 69: Model the X Factor Mindset
Principle 70: Bring It
201
203
207
211
215
219
223
227
229
235
239
243
247
251
255
259
263
267
269
273
275
279
283
287
291
295
Principle 71: Overcome Success Disease
PART FIFTEEN: BRINGING IT
ALL TOGETHER
Principle 72: Hold Yourself Accountable
Principle 73: Hold Your People Accountable
Principle 74: Revere Criticism
Principle 75: Give Roots and Wings
PART SIXTEEN: RESOURCES
1. Assessment
2. Survey Questions
3. Manifesto Models
299
303
307
311
315
321
363
367
When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.
Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle
Introduction
Intro to Sales Coaching
9
nformation without a change in behavior is useless. Te most
efective, longest-lasting way to change behavior is to change beliefs. If
we can change what people see (and therefore, what theybelieve),we
can change how they behave because beliefs drive emotions, emotions
drive behaviors, and behaviors drive results. Tis belief permeates my approach
to everythingmy work, my life, and all of the in between.
Its not about working harder; its about thinking diferently
Instead of just seminars (which teach behaviors) I believe in coaching,
which challenges current beliefs and develops new beliefs and then follows
up with experiential training. Seminars ofer a short-term hype, but true
training occurs over the long-term and coaches beliefs. If the beliefs line up,
the behaviors will follow. And with changed behaviors come changed results.
As a sales coach, you are in a unique position to improve your sales
professionals lives. By infuencing the way they think and leading them to see
I
When you change the way you look at managing, managing changes.
Jason Forrest
10
things diferently, you can hold your team members accountable to being more
than they believe is possible and (ever important in our business)increasing
their earnings.
Tis book may not be for you if:
You would rathcr managc tasks than improvc livcs.
You includc Starbucks drinks as onc ol your top motivational tools.
You think your rolc is to bc a liaison bctwccn salcs prolcssionals
and management.
You would rathcr makc cxcuscs than takc succcss into your own hands.
You don't carchowyour salcs prolcssionals gct salcs rcsults, justthatthcy
get them.
On the other hand, this book is for you if:
You arc a salcs prolcssional who would likc to bccomc a salcs coach.
You arc a good salcs managcr and would likc to bc a bcttcr onc.
You want to crcatc an atmosphcrc whcrc your salcs proswant togct timc
with you because they know it makes them better
(and earns them more money).
You want to truly makc a dicrcncc in pcoplc's livcs.
You want to lcad, communicatc, and maintain a standard.
You want to gct buyin lrom tcam mcmbcrs, pccrs, and managcrs.
You want to know your tcam mcmbcrswhat makcs thcm tick and what
ticks them of.
You want to communicatc ccctivcly, usc your timc wiscly, and crcatc scll
assurance in your people.
And most of allif you want to build a culture where sales professionals
believe that what they do matters, this book is for you.
What we believe, how we feel, how we think, and how we see ourselves have more
Intro to Sales Coaching
11
infuence over our sales success than what we do. And the coaching we get along
the way makes all the diference. You are in a position to be that leader for
someone. Will you accept the task?
Heres to coaching your sales professionals to earn what theyre worth!
Your sales coach,
Jason
A leader is a person that you follow to a place you would not go to on your own.
Joel Barker
Youre Either Leading or Yielding
13
oure either leading or yielding. And true sales professionals,
sales coaches, and executives lead. Te above defnition of a
leader is at the core of my Leadership Selling, Leadership Sales
Coaching, and Leadership Sales Culture philosophies and
training programs.
Leadership Selling trains sales professionals to create interest in the
uninterested and to convince the just-looking prospect to buy from them
today over all alternatives.
Leadership Sales Coaching trains sales managers (coaches) to lead sales
professionals to do the things they dont want to do so they can earn what they want
to earn.
Leadership Sales Culture trains executives to transform companies into sales
organizations.
Y
When you change the way you look at leadership, leadership changes.
Each program goes back to this concept that a leader is a person you
follow to a place you would not go on your own. Without a sales professionals
leadership, customers delay decisions on products that will improve their lives.
Sales professionals may not reach their potential to earn what theyre worth
without their sales coachs accountability. And a company may not achieve
sustainable proftability without executive oversight.
In this book, were focusing on the sales coachs aspect of this theory
leading sales professionals to do the things they dont want to do so that they
can earn what they want to earn.
Jason Forrest
14
Paradox of Success
ost likely, what your boss, peers, and team members expect you
to do is exactly the opposite of what you need to do to be truly
successful in your role. And, even more harmful, if its what
others expect from you, its likely what you expect from yourself.
When you signed up for this job, you were told that you were in charge of
the sales results for your company. Te variables that you use to achieve those
results are known as the nine Ps of marketing. On the graphic below, count
which Ps are covered in your job description and/or the socially-accepted
expectations of your role.
If youre like most of my clients (at least when I frst sign with them), most
of your answers fall on the left side. Te left side includes things like what
your marketing materials look like, whether the colors on your billboards are
just right, and whether your store has the right lighting. And thats exactly the
paradox of this whole thingbecause the aspects of your job that are truly
going to increase your sales results are those on the right.
Tis book came about because I kept seeing job descriptions and titles that
lumped marketing (which encompasses the Ps on the left) and sales (which
M
15
focuses more on the Ps on the right) together. Tat dangerous lumping practice
is also what I saw in my experience as a national sales trainer for a large public
homebuilder. A sales professional, Christine, asked if I could come out to her
ofce and shadow her the next time I was in town. I did and we spent three
hours together. I coached herpassing along the sales processes and techniques
that had worked for me when I was in her shoes. Two weeks later, she called
again. She said, When can you come out again? I just made three grand in
commission creating a sale of of what you taught me. I want to learn more.
When I asked about her sales manager, she said, Oh she doesnt do those
things. She helps with the paperwork side...makes sure I have enough brochures
at the ofce...negotiates deals.
Tough she didnt know it, Christine told me that her manager did the Ps
on the left. At that moment, I realized that I was on to somethingwhat I did
with Christine was the future job description of a sales manager. And a sales
manager would actually be a sales coach.
But I knew it would be difcult to convince builders of my controversial
ideabuilders were beneftting from a great housing market and stayed
competitive as long as those Ps on the left were in line. Sales managers were
six-fgure admins and that was just fne with everyone. Tey didnt want to
change. And whats more, it was a good market, so they didnt have to change.
But when the market tanked, that wasnt going to cut it anymore. People needed
the Ps on the left to be in line, but what they really needed was to focus on the
Ps on the rightthe ones that could set them apart from everyone else and
earn them a greater percentage of the shrinking market share. And thats what
this book is about.
Tose Ps on the right (the Ps of sales) are what the modern sales coach
needs to be focused on in order to succeedin good markets and bad.
If you accept what Im saying and pursue this new way of thinking, be prepared
to be lonelybecause it aint always popular. Your bosses are conditioned to
believe that success lies in the Ps on the left. So thats what they hold you
accountable to. Other department heads are blinded to the Ps on the right.
So theyll have no problem complaining to you about the Ps on the left and
expecting you to be in meetings that cover details you dont need to be involved
in.
Jason Forrest
16
Even your team members will expect your advice and leadership on the
things on the left. Tey might even rebel when you bring up the Ps on the
right. Everyone around you will create so much noise about things that dont
actually make you meet your sales goals. Teyll make it socially unacceptable
to be the coach you want to be.
Dont get me wrong. Te product, promotional strategies, packaging,
production, position, and place absolutely need to be in line. But this book is
about the Ps on the right because the Ps on the left do little more than keep
you in the game. But to win the game, you have to dominate the Ps on the
right.
Your people, process, and presentation are what will help you achieve,
increase market share, and outdo your competition. As I write, 100% of
my clients are beating their market. Its not because theyre producing an
extraordinary iProduct that sets them apart from everyone else. Its because
they see sales diferently and they coach their sales professionals to be the best
version of themselves.
Its about learning how to grow your sales professionals and improve their
sales processes and presentations. And trust metheyll all come around.
When your managers see market share increase, when other department
Paradox of Success
PARADOX OF SUCCESS
ProducI
Price
PromoIioh
PosiIioh
Packagihg
People
Process
PresehIaIioh
Ps of
MARKETING
Ps of
SALES
heads arent feeling the pressure that comes with low sales, and when sales
professionals start making more money, theyll see the light. Teyll believe.
You have two options here, contact Forrest Performance Group for a Forrest
Performance Coach who will lead you through a personalized program for
yourself and/or your company or follow the process below:
1. Read/scan through all of the content one time without doing the refection
questions and action items, then take the self assessment (in the resource
section).
2. Next, go through the book in detail, starting with the areas where you
scored the lowest percentage. Tis time, complete the refection questions
and action items.
3. Go through the book in detail (including the refection questions and action
items) starting with the areas of greatest growth potential. For example, if
your lowest score was on getting buy-in, start there.
4. Move through the book in this manner until youve completed each section,
then fll out the assessment for a second time.
5. Take a minute to enjoy your progress, and then get back at it by contacting
us for a 360 assessment, which will give you a better understanding of how
you see yourself, how others see you, and the areas you have the greatest
growth potential.
Heres to becoming the best version of yourself and earning what youre worth!
18
Jason Forrest
Part One
A Leader Leads
(Principles 1 - 4)
Principle 1
Remember Your Purpose
Managers get lost in the details.
Coaches remember their purpose.
21
hink of the most infuential people in life: the coaches, teachers,
and mentors who see more in you than you see in yourself.
Chances are, there are one or two very special people youll always
credit with pushing youchallenging you to achieve more than
you thought possible. Get this: Now your job is to be that person to each of
your team members. Why? Because the purpose of a coach is to lead sales
professionals to do the things they dont want to do so they can earn what they want
to earn.
Big ticket sales professionals want to make big money. If they didnt, they
wouldnt sign up for this gig. Tey know theyre going to have to work harder
than a Monday through Friday, fxed-income employee, and they choose that
course because they want to have unlimited earning potential.
So why do they often fall short of their potential? Te truth is that even
though sales professionals want to make the money, they dont always know
(or want to do) what its going to take. In either case, a coach is there to lead
them to do those uncomfortable things on a consistent basis so that they can
T
earn what they want to earn. Te toughest aspect of any leader is to get his
or her people to exceed their own expectations.
Why? Because every sales professional has a subconscious limit on what
they believe they can achieve and what is possible in their given circumstances.
Until Roger Bannister broke it in 1954, the four-minute mile was considered
impossible for runners. But as soon as Bannister demonstrated that it was
possible, others quickly followed suit. Te truth is, people made it impossible
because of their beliefs. And they defended its impossibility adamantly. Tey
will do whatever they need to do in order to live up to that. Even to the
point where they will defend their beliefs and get defensive when that belief
is challenged. But then theyll stop.
When people dont do something to earn what theyre worth, its because
of one or more of the following:
1. Tey dont know how (on a logical/ behavioral level).
2. Tey dont know why they should do it and/or lack confdence that they are
capable (on a beliefs level).
3. Tey have a reluctance/fear (on an emotional level) that keeps them from
doing the appropriate behavior.
4. Teyve had past or current conditioning from coaches, parents, signifcant
others, cultural infuences, or educators (on a programming level).
And thats why they need you. Tey need you to lead them toward personal
growth and self-efcacy. Its not as easy (for you or for them) as just saying,
Heres what I need you to do and then leaving them alone to do it. Most
human beings just arent wired to achieve their potential by themselves. Along
with instruction, they need follow-through, accountability, and maintenance.
Remember that youre dealing with their past coaching, fears, programming,
support systems at home, etc. And its a challenge. BUT precisely because it is
a challenge, it is also extremely rewarding.
Remember that your purpose is bigger than just getting strong sales results.
Its a key that will guide you through frustrating times. Sometimes, its going
Jason Forrest
22
to seem like people just arent getting it. Sometimes, its going to seem like
team members arent interested in exceeding their own expectations. But it all
becomes worth it when even one persons life is more fulflled because of you.
When you start to have those successes, youll be able to say, Okay, Ill take
the rest of the crap. It all becomes worth it with one good success.
You want to improve your life. Your sales pros want to improve theirs. Tap
into that desire because if you can lead them to get what they want out of this
career, then you yourself will get what you want out of it. As you challenge
yourself with the ideas and tasks ahead, think, How will my life be better by
doing this? How can I improve things for my family?
Tis stuf matters. But it aint easy. And in order to have those moments,
youve got to be a coach who leads sales professionals, maintains the coaching,
and creates self-assurance.
Every principle from here on out is about you achieving that purpose.
And ultimately, that purpose comes down to improving lives. You will be the
diference.
Refection
1. Who in your life would you credit with investing in you and believing in you?
2. What attributes do/did they have that made you realize they truly cared
about you?
3. Who on your team do you feel most needs someone to invest in them? Or,
who has the most to gain from your investment?
4. What obstacles are in your way of fulflling your purpose as a sales coach?
5. Why is the toughest aspect for any leader getting people to exceed their
own expectations?
6. Tink back on pursuits youve had (maybe sports or music) where a belief
system limited what you thought was possible. Were you able to break from
that? Why or why not?
Remember Your Purpose
23
Action Items
1. Do you agree or disagree with the description for your role?
2. Write three specifc examples of how you can fulfll that purpose this week.
3. Invest in your people!
Additional Reading
Management Challenges of the 21st Century, by Peter Drucker
People Principle, by Ron Willingham
Jason Forrest
24
Principle 2
Be a Sales Pro First
A manager says, Because I said so.
A coach sells the idea, belief, or behavior.
25
n order to sell, you must understand your customers desire to improve
their life on a functional and emotional level, solve that desire on
a functional/emotional level, and hold them accountable on a
functional and emotional level. If thats what selling is, then youve
gotta see yourself as a sales pro frst. Te old idea is that if youre a great sales
professional, you cant be a great sales coach. But I dont see it that way at
all. Te only diference is the product youre selling. As a sales coach, your
products are the beliefs, behaviors, and solutions you want to pass along to
your sales professionals.
In situations with your team members, go back to your instincts as a sales
pro. When you feel like youre in a jam, ask yourself, If this sales professional
were a customer with an objection, how would I get them to see it my way?
To compromise?
Just do it. Dont over think it. What you did as a sales pro or what you teach
your sales pros is exactly the process to use when selling your ideas, beliefs,
philosophies, techniques, etc.
I
What if your sales pro gives you the cold shoulder or is combative? Tink
of them like a just looking buyer. Well, whaddya do in that case? You break
the ice. You start with fnding out what theyre looking for. You show value by
teaching them things they havent thought about. Just like a sales pro, youve
gotta get over yourself and be comfortable being uncomfortable.
Remember that a customer says shes just looking because she doesnt
believe the sales pro can lead her. So you, the sales pro, just have to prove that
you can indeed provide the leadership and advice she needs to move forward.
And you know what happens nextthe prospect who was just looking turns
into an interested buyer.
So you approach a sales pro and she comes across as standofsh. Well, shes
never had a coach add value to her day/process. Her experience tells her that
youre a waste of her time and energy. Well, thats a customer.
So you gotta get them to warm up to you and teach them something new.
Whatever theyre working on, think, I have to get them to tell me about it so
I can add value. Ask them about a customer they havent been able to close
and what objections theyre having a hard time handling.
Jump in there and engage. Youll earn the respect youre asking for. Just like
any sales pro, youre not entitled for them to want to spend time with you. Get
over yourself.
A sale is made when you close the buyer. Youve got to close the sales
pro on the advice you ofer. Its not just understanding what theyre trying to
accomplish and solving it. Its also closing (resolving) them on the advice so
they agree, then following up to fnd out if it worked for them.
Your sales pros are your customers. You wouldnt pressure people into
buying something if they didnt see the value. You know in that case theyll
just regret their decision and/or cancel later.Just the same, you must sell your
sales pros on the beneft of change so that they dont cancel (by not believing
and following through).
If you came from being a sales pro, then you are already a coach.You just
need to change how you see coaching. You are a sales pro frst and foremost.
Dont tell your people to do something because youre the boss...sell them.
Jason Forrest
26
Refection
1. What are some specifc objections that your sales professionals have given
you when it comes to you being their leader?
2. Can you think of sales pros right now that have not done something that
youve asked them to do (akayou havent closed them)?
3. Now knowing that youre a sales pro frst, write out a conversation/script
to understand what their objectives are, then present your solution to them.
Close them on that solution.
4. Extract objections. If youre really a leader and going to infuence your team,
youll jump in the fre of the objection.
Action Items
1. Embrace confict this week and every time you give advice to sales pros on
something that will improve them.
2. Ask specifc questions, such as, What is holding you back to locking on
and doing this 100% of the time?
3. Its the same advice I tell sales professionals: Your biggest competitor is the
conversation youre not present towhatever theyre thinking and saying
after you leave. So dig deep to fnd out what they really feel about it so you
know that theyre not going to smile and nod and then leave saying it was
a waste of time.
Be a Sales Pro First
27