Maintaining momentum within your team

 

There’s no doubt it’s been a shock to the system going back full time after such a long time away. Maybe you and your team are delighted to be back. But I’m sure it’s taken a while to get settled in and back into full swing. Back to a 5-day week and a daily commute, when you’re not used to it, can be exhausting.

And doubtless there’s been a lot that’s changed too.

New layouts and capacities for your event space.

Endless questions from clients.

Frustrated or angry guests who don’t want to comply with your safety procedures.

Complicated logistics or technology for hybrid events.

Either way, I’m sure you and your colleagues have invested much time and energy into ensuring your team came back feeling confident and energised, and ensuring you fulfil and exceed your guests’ expectations.

Whether it’s confirming arrangements for existing bookings, following up on past enquiries, or proactive sales activity to bring in future bookings, it’s possible your team have been working at full capacity.

Don’t let all that effort go unnoticed.

Continue to take steps to help your team feel valued, and to maintain the momentum right through the autumn and into your Christmas period.

Here are three key areas to focus on:

1. Recognition

Recognise and reward the extra effort that’s gone into the first few weeks, whilst the team is getting to grips with new ways of working, alongside keeping your current guests happy, and engaging with future clients. This is one of the best ways to maintain engagement from your team.

Give your team members a voice. Ask for their feedback and ideas, particularly over the first few events, to review how things are working. Acknowledge any improvements made, however small, even if things are not yet perfect.

Extend this to operations too; they are the ones who must implement what you sell, so their feedback is just as important.

Carry on setting mini goals so people continue to get that sense of accomplishment as they see these achieved.

2. Trust

Maintain trust with your team. Let them know they can confide in you, and continue with regular check-ins to see how they are feeling and what support they need. Listen to, and address any concerns they may have, and show you have their best interests at heart. Demonstrate your integrity, by always doing what you say you’ll do.

Be positive and optimistic about the opportunities ahead. However, be honest too, your team will see through any false bravado.

Trust is two way, so demonstrate your trust in your team.

Give them flexibility to adapt and adopt their own way of doing things. Empower them by giving responsibility and ownership for the areas within their control. When people have ownership, they’re more likely to take pride in what they do, and do an even better job.

3. Ongoing development

Although there’s been lots to learn in the weeks leading up to and post opening, ensure you continue to offer your team ongoing development, to give them the opportunity to grow and keep them interested and maintain engagement.

In many ways the pandemic has brought out the best in people. One of the results of this is highlighting interests and revealing strengths in people you weren’t even aware of before. Recognise any projects or activities they’ve been working on whilst on furlough, so you can take advantage of these, or give them the opportunity to continue their development in these areas.

Continuing to invest in your own team, as well as those in other departments who support your sales efforts, will help maintain commitment, engagement and loyalty.

 

If you only do one thing: Continue to be mindful of how people are feeling and respond appropriately.

 

This blog was written for Selling Savvy by Caroline Cooper, Director of Naturally Loyal. For more articles and resources on getting the best from your team, check out the Naturally Loyal website here