Just promoted and unsure how to help your reps improve? Sales coaching is regular, structured feedback on real deals and calls, aimed at one skill at a time. Start small, stay consistent, and focus on quality.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Team performance when managers met coaching standards | 95 percent of stretch targets |
| Team performance at 50 to 100 percent of coaching target | 56 percent |
| Team performance below 50 percent of coaching target | 47 percent |
| Managers spending under 5 percent of time coaching | 73 percent of sales managers |
| Possible gain for middle performers | Up to 19 percent |
These figures come from a Training Industry article that summarises one company’s results and other research. Figures can change, so check the source before you rely on them.
What sales coaching is, and what it is not
Coaching is a manager helping a rep get better at specific behaviours over time. It happens through observation, questions, practice and follow-up. The rep does most of the thinking.
It is different from three things that often get mistaken for it:
- Deal inspection: asking for status updates and forecasts. This is useful, but it checks the deal and does not build the rep.
- Training: a group session that teaches a method or product. Coaching is how the method gets applied in real work.
- Telling: taking over a call or handing the rep your script. It fixes today’s deal and teaches little.
Many first-time managers were top sellers, so the pull to step in and “just do it for them” is strong. Resist it when the stakes allow.
Why coaching is worth the time
The best-known evidence is modest in scope but pointed. A Training Industry article describes a multi-year sales academy at a leading multinational telecoms company. When managers met or exceeded the coaching standards, their teams averaged 95 percent of stretch targets.
Managers who reached between 50 and 100 percent of their coaching target saw teams average 56 percent. Those below 50 percent of target saw 47 percent. The article concludes that the quality and frequency of coaching has a significant impact on sales.
Treat this as a pattern, not proof. Managers who coach more may also run better teams in other ways, and one company’s data will not match yours.
Why most managers coach too little
The same article cites the Sales Management Association: 73 percent of sales managers spend less than 5 percent of their time coaching. Forecast calls, admin, hiring and firefighting usually win the calendar.
If you want coaching to happen, protect it like a customer meeting. Common fixes include:
- Block fixed coaching slots in your calendar each week, and move them only for emergencies.
- Keep sessions short and focused on one behaviour.
- Pick a small number of reps to start, so the habit forms before you scale it.
- Write down one commitment per session so the next meeting has a starting point.
A simple coaching cycle you can run each week
You do not need a complex framework. A repeatable cycle is enough for a first-time manager.
- Observe: listen to a recorded call, sit in on a meeting, or read an email thread. Note what you saw, not what you assume.
- Ask first: open with “How do you think that went?” Let the rep name strengths and gaps before you do.
- Pick one skill: discovery questions, handling price objections, or next-step setting. Choosing one keeps feedback usable.
- Practise: role-play the moment for a few minutes. Reps rarely change behaviour from advice alone.
- Agree an action: the rep tries it on a live call before the next session.
- Follow up: review the result next time. This step is the one that most often gets skipped.
Give feedback people can use
Good feedback is specific, tied to something observable, and linked to an outcome the rep cares about. “You talked too much” is weak. “You answered the budget question at length before asking anything back, and the buyer went quiet” is something a rep can act on.
Before each session, prepare a few notes so the conversation stays on track:
- The one behaviour you want to discuss and the call or email where you saw it.
- One thing the rep did well in the same example.
- Two or three open questions that help the rep find the gap alone.
- The action you expect to review next time.
Preparation takes only a few minutes, but it separates a coaching conversation from a casual chat. It also shows reps that you take their development seriously.
Avoid the common traps. Do not pile on several issues at once, do not coach straight after a lost deal while emotions are high, and do not save all feedback for the quarterly review. Frequent, small corrections beat a rare, long list.
Finally, coach the process as well as the result. A rep can follow a strong approach and still lose a deal, or stumble into a win with weak habits. Judging only by outcomes teaches the wrong lessons.
Balance matters. Name what worked as precisely as what did not, so the rep repeats the good behaviour on purpose.
Keep private criticism private and praise open when it suits the person. Adjust to the rep: a new hire needs more direction, while an experienced one needs better questions.
Where to focus, and how to know it works
The Training Industry article cites Sales Executive Council research that both the bottom 10 percent and the top 10 percent of sales forces show minimal performance gains from coaching. The real benefit is in the middle, where effective coaching can improve results by up to 19 percent.
For a new manager, that suggests spending your first sessions on solid middle performers. Still manage low performers through a clear plan, and give your stars stretch goals and room.
To judge progress, pair behaviour checks with results. Track whether reps actually try the agreed skill, then look at outcomes using sales enablement metrics such as win rate and ramp time. Coaching also works best when reps have material to practise with, which is where sales enablement content such as call guides and battlecards helps. Both sit within the wider practice of sales enablement.
Frequently asked questions
How much time should a new manager spend on sales coaching?
There is no single proven number. The article cited here reports that 73 percent of managers spend under 5 percent of their time coaching, so even a protected weekly slot per rep puts you ahead. Start with what you can sustain.
Should I coach top performers or struggling reps?
Both need attention, but the cited Sales Executive Council research suggests the largest gains come from the middle of the team, up to 19 percent. Struggling reps may need a formal plan, and top reps need stretch goals.
What if my reps resist coaching?
Resistance often means reps expect criticism. Ask questions first, praise specifically, and tie each session to something the rep wants, such as closing more deals. Consistency builds trust over time.
Is coaching the same as a pipeline review?
No. A pipeline review inspects deals and forecasts. Coaching develops the rep’s skills, using deals as the material to practise on.
