Your sales organization is only as good as its people. Your team is only as good as it's weakest link. So what do you have to do in order to transform those C players to A players? Well I will say there is a secret to it. How do you tun C players to A players? The answer my friend is quite simple. You don't. You can't. Never going to happen. Nice try. Sales talent is hit or miss, either your have it or you don't. According to multiple studies, 55% of all sales people are in the wrong career field. Roughly 25% of sales people have the ability to sell, but are selling the wrong product. They are not passionate about the product they are selling. Only about 20% of a given sales team is actually excited about the product or service they are selling. ( How can you sell a product you are not enthusiastic about? Although you cannot actually turn C players into "A Player" talent you can ensure you are providing your reps with the best tools to succeed. Here are 4 ways you can help your sales reps succeed. 1. MentorshipWhenever you hire a new sales rep you should always pair them up with a senior rep. Within the first 90 days on the job is a sales rep's highest- risk period. In these first 3 months, new reps will have many questions of their own and from customers. It is your job to provide them with guidance and answer all their questions. You want your reps to be as comfortable as possible in their new work environment. Mentors should be meeting and speaking with their mentees on a weekly basis, or as frequently as possible. This program will allow new reps to see that you are just as concerned about their success as they are. 2. Short and SweetKeep training materials short, sweet, and to the point. Training materials should be informative, yet intriguing. Don't shy away from using e- learning to train. E- learning can be done at the employees leisure so it is not time consuming. Applications allows sales teams to brush up on their knowledge. The learning should consist of online videos and modules, allowing them to track process and ensure they completely understand the materials. Excessive sales training can often leave sales reps uninterested and be a waste of money. 3. RewardsSales personalities are usually competitive by nature. Offering some type of extra incentive to sell is never a bad idea. An Incentive Research Foundation study showed that when incentive programs are offered for reaching goals, a 15% increase in performance occurs, and programs that last for a year or more result in an average performance increase of 44%. Also a fortune 500 computer manufacturing company increased total sales by 25%, which increase their customer base by 35% after initiating an incentive program. Reward programs will benefit your reps, but implementing them will benefit your company even more. 4. CompetitionIt is important your employees know why your product is better than the competitors. Especially if your product or service is similar to the competition. Inform reps on competing products, major strengths and weaknesses. Your employees should be able to answer the question "why should I use your services vs company B's when they are cheaper." Role play with your reps using real world scenarios to ensure they can identify key differences.
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