Edification is what they refer to it as in the direct sales industry.  When selling in a team, edification or promotion of our team mates ensures that the whole team can contribute to closing the deal and servicing the client. 

Every team has a rainmaker, or star and they ’re often the senior sales rep, sales manager, or even the CEO.  In complex or high level project selling, these stars need the whole team to collaboratively sell and service the client. 

Too often the lead seller and provider dominates the pitch when courting the client, and then later on they wonder why the rest of the team can ’t do their part and close the deal.  If you ’re the point person in a team sell, make sure you known why everyone of your team mates is talented and important to the deal, and the client.  Most importantly find tasteful and timely ways to demonstrate their purpose and importance to the client and the success of the solution when presenting your product as a team. 

Every sales person and executive has experienced meetings where one person dominates the sale in a team sell format.  They sometimes neglect to tell the client, why they even brought their team mates, and what they can do for them.  Then they expect the team to have the credibility needed to close the deal and service the client.

By knowing the value of each team member and discussing as a team how we can maximize everyone ’s profile we allow the whole team to contribute to closing the deal.  This strategy also takes the weight off of the CEO, Sales Manager, or Senior Sales Rep.  It all comes back to the question “imagine what we could achieve if we didn't care who got the credit.”

-by Shane Gibson