Sunday evening for a lot of people is when they review email, catch up on loose ends and plan the week ahead.
For sales managers, it is many times when they send out emails to the team letting them know about things and laying the groundwork for what is expected in the week to come.
There is nothing wrong with sending emails Sunday evening of this type, but what you do have to watch is how the email will likely be received.
An organization that is stressed out is going to receive an email on Sunday evening as a “gut bomb” — something that turns their stomach and basically demoralizes them even before the week has begun.
Conversely, a team and individuals who are working well together and are motivated will view it as the opening salvo of the great things to come in the week ahead.
Many times for sales managers, they don’t understand how their emails are being received. They view it purely as a tactical message designed to move something form their computer to the field. Sending out the Sunday evening email serves as an accomplishment they can tell their boss about.
Problem is the only thing they’ve done is create an even bigger problem.
Before sending out any emails on a Sunday or even Monday morning, be mindful of how it is going to be received and how it is going to impact the tone for the week to come.
Slapping a salesperson around on a Sunday evening can easily wind up resulting in the salesperson under performing all week. If, on the other hand, you take the time to word the email in a positive manner that encourages and motivates, then you can have the same salesperson charged up and ready to take the hill first thing Monday morning.
Your objective as a leader is not to pass information along to people. If you believe that’s your job, then change your name to Google.
Your job is to work with your team to be able to have them accomplish things individually and collectively they didn’t think were possible.
Use the emails you send on a Sunday evening as just one more technique that encourages your team to accomplish more than they thought possible.
Copyright 2013, Mark Hunter “The Sales Hunter.” Sales Motivation Blog.
