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Wouldn’t you like to have a crystal ball that predicts which of your sales people will succeed and which ones will languish? We help clients restart their stalled growth initiatives, which include assessing their sales people and processes, and we’ve observed the best and the worst.
No single factor guarantees success or failure, but the sales people who are struggling often share some of the same characteristics, regardless of industry. Assuming they have the necessary knowledge and experience, fear of failure is often what lies beneath their losing strategies. Fear and stress are helpful when it challenges people to be their best, but in excess, it turns them into Willy Lomans.
Surprisingly, these failure predictors appear positive at first blush, but they are great sales killers.
After so much has been invested, it’s scary to let go of a deal that’s dead. Hanging on looks like tenacity, but no is still no. Confident sales people get to “no” as soon as possible so they can more quickly move to a live deal.
It’s comforting to be surrounded by a long list of prospective clients, similar to how kids like to snuggle into a pile of stuffed animals to soothe themselves. But when sales people aren’t willing to prioritize, they under-invest in the true leads, sales slow down.
Someone may brag about how many days he’s been on the road, how many sales calls she’s made, or how many prospects have him on speed dial. While these activities may influence sales and make someone feel like she’s doing her job, they’re the means not the end. Don’t confuse activities with results. Just because someone is busy doesn’t mean they’re good. Are they delivering results that matter?
Productive sales people ask problem-based questions and do more listening than talking to find ways to add value. Waxing eloquently about a product rarely advances a sale, but mesmerizing an audience can give the insecure an ego buzz.
Great sales people are peers and trusted advisors of the decision maker, not subservient suppliers. Showing respect is important. Being subservient squelches the capacity to influence.
If you see these behaviors in a sales person, you may have a great training opportunity. If behaviors like this exist broadly across your sales team, it’s possible that your issue is not about the people but about the sales management system. Sales people quickly figure out how to play the game based on what is rewarded. If fear-sparked behaviors like the ones above are rewarded, these behaviors will persist, even if they hurt sales results.
An expert in business growth execution, David Martin helps executives from across the country and around the world, actually deliver on their best ideas by identifying and overcoming the hidden, invisible barriers that derail success. Having a great idea is the easy part, but it's only the beginning. With David's guidance, clients find their way to realizing massive, lasting change. www.growthvault.com
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