IF ONLY WE HAD A PILL!
If only we had a pill to give to salespeople that would make them highly skilled, effective professionals; maybe then we would have more salespeople prepared to compete in today’s marketplace. We don’t have one, so what do we do?
Or rather, what are we doing?
During the last year and a half, I have observed builder management struggle with the very competitive sales environment. We’ve had massive price decreases and incentive programs as the buying frenzy has receded. These strategies have had some effect on sales, but management quickly began to zero in on the sales consultant as a critical part of the solution to the sales puzzle. The conclusion…sales consultants were not doing all they should and they were lacking in the skills and execution necessary to compete in the current environment.
This awareness of sales consultant performance comes as a result of companies holding them accountable for knowledge, skills, execution, and attitude. Something that, in my opinion, was not the case during recent years when the buyers drove the market and sales consultants showed up and hung on!! They really were not very good then.
Sales performance research has maintained for years the principle “that the greater the cost of the product, and the longer the life expectancy of the product, the more significant the salesman is to the transaction.” (i.e. Zig Ziglar)
The simple fact is that people buy from people!!
So, if salespeople are not performing, let’s find out why. We certainly have market issues. We have to “compete.” Something we haven’t done in some time. So, it’s safe to say we may not be prepared to play at the level required today. My observations during the last year or so, clearly indicates that we are not prepared! But it isn’t all the salesperson’s fault.
As one who has been involved in performance improvement and people development, I’m often reminded of a question that one of my mentors always asked when evaluating performance. “How are they gonna know if we don’t show them?”
I ask, “What did we show salespeople we expected during the last 3 or 4 years?”
Did we expect them to follow a specific process for purchase? Use specific techniques, strategies, and behaviors to create a customer advocate for them and for the company? Or, did we measure successful sales performance by signed agreements only? Was the benchmark simply taking orders? If the benchmark was taking order, then it’s easy to see why our salespeople are struggling.
You see it doesn’t take a system, process or much skill to take orders. Salespeople need a process or system to sell in a competitive environment, and they need to practice that system so that they always perform, even when the competition is tough. After twenty-five years in this business, I can say that as an industry, we have been short on the teaching process, short on holding our team accountable and short on practice.
Let me share some examples of having a clear process, constant practice, and successful results. Zerox Corporation and IBM stand out as two of the most successful sales organizations in history. Zerox’s sales process and professional selling skills created a sales force so powerful that the company later sold their process and training to other companies throughout the world! IBM was also known for a process and follow-through system that required total acceptance, right down to the color of the suit, tie and shoes to be worn by their salespeople. In short, you play for them, you follow the system.
This same system requirement is present on any successful sports team. Players must learn the system…practice the system…and perform under pressure of competition.
There is one more essential ingredient that all three of these examples possess, a coach or sales manager. And these coaches were with the players when they performed.
Different from our industry, where the coach is in the office when the players (salespeople) are at the game. Can you imagine any professional team sending the team to a contest and keeping the coach at home, and then expecting to win?!!
It is clear to me that there are more people in building companies responsible for lack of sales than just salespeople.
I close with the following simple development plan that works:
There is no pill, but there is a system. Have a plan…a process…and practice…practice…practice! Then the sales team will become a “sales force” which can stand and deliver in any market environment.
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