Are You a Time Thief?

Everyone is a thief with time. You probably waste more time than you spend working. One definition of time management is “To identify critical areas of lost and wasted time.” Definitions are great but do you know how much time you waste in a day, a month and a year? If you read any time management books they always mention studies done show that we waste up to 60% of our day. Did you ever sit down and monitor an average day, week and month and log everything that you did? Take a look at a sample form that could keep you on track. Keep this with you at all times and fill out every minute. One of the good things about this day timer is that it reminds you that you’re wasting time and you may find yourself getting more work done. If you’re honest and fill it out after every hour you may find out that you waste a great deal of time.

We had a salesman once that never left the office. We had to put a mirror under his nose to see if he was still breathing. I know it’s a bad joke but makes a point.

When I lived inCaliforniaI spent a lot of time in traffic. I noticed the best use of time, although dangerous, from men shaving and the women putting on their makeup while driving at 70MPH. These time saving features stopped as soon as many of them reached the office.

While doing some consulting for a major computer company, I observed salespeople and other employees for about a week. Many would arrive in the office and complain about the traffic while getting their first cup of coffee. Some even washed out their personalized coffee cup and some even had to chisel it out if it was left over the weekend. Then many discussed the last evening’s news, TV shows and sports recap. After about 15 to 20 minutes they settled down to their desk to make room for their briefcase and laptop and then shuffle some papers and their phone messages and decide what they wanted to do today. Now it was time for a second cup of coffee and more conversation. Now when they get back to their desk they have to reshuffle their papers and phone messages. They can’t really decide on what to do first. Maybe they should do some personal items before everyone gets busy. How about some personal calls to plan the evening or lunch, maybe a few personal checks that are past due, and a form that needed to be filled in from your insurance company. This might be a good time to check out the prices on the web for a new camera or ipad. Some were even checking out tires and wheels for their car while having their second and third cup of coffee. Some were checking out some clothing sales on the web and maybe seeing if the local stores might have it in stock. Might have to sneak out some time today to check it out. Maybe before or after lunch. After some time deciding if they had enough information to call someone it’s lunch time. If I call my customer now maybe I might get his voice mail and I’ve dodged a bullet. Finally some might even get down to business and find some easy tasks to accomplish so they feel that they accomplished something for the day. This goes on all day and continues for the whole week. The productivity for the week was dismal. I’m not saying that all people have days like this but in recent studies the norm is poor productivity.

If you earn $50,000 a year, each hour is worth $30. To your company it’s worth about $120 per hour. A cup of coffee is now worth about $20 per cup. Think about these numbers the next time you waste time.

Of course as the day wears on you start thinking about the heavy traffic. Maybe I should get an early start and do a few errands on the way home. Wow what a day. I didn’t get much done. Maybe tomorrow, but the same scenario is going to happen again. Here’s a simple solution that you may want to follow, if not make one that works for you and follow it.

8AM to 9AM              Paperwork

9Am to 12Noon          Prospecting either on the phone or door to door

1PM to 5PM               Scheduled appointments

5PM to 6PM               Review the day, get organized and plan for tomorrow

Don’t let anything change your plan. Identify your critical areas of lost and wasted time and get motivated.

Can You Handle The Stress In Your Life?

Do you like changes?

Are you challenged by new situations?

Can you sense when the stress level gets too high?

Stress costs American Industry over $100 billion each year, but no one can calculate what the costs are to out personal lives. Whether it stems from family problems, career frustrations, emotional strain or a major life change, unrelieved stress can incapacitate and kill. Today many people are unemployed or underemployed. Along with our 401K’s being down and our house prices undervalued it’s no wonder that many of us are under a lot of stress. The stress gets even worse when we try to shield it from our family and friends. Sometimes we are just trying to show that we are not affected by all that’s going on in the world today and putting on a brave face. Never let them see you crying seem to be a good way to put the way of life today.

I have read some studies done by theUniversityofCalifornia   San Francisco’s School of medicine on executives in the Telecommunications & Banking Industries. The study found out that 20% of these executives fell ill during the years of turmoil of deregulation and divestiture. Did you know that the first symptom of a heart attack in 22% of the cases was death? An amazing 5-7% of these executives died of sudden heart attack due to the results of stress induced disease. In a surprise revelation in this study showed that another 5-7% of the executives actually became healthier than ever.

The healthy executives shared 5 distinct beliefs and attitudes.

1. They      thrived on challenge and they were open to new situations.
2. They      were committed and willing to get involved.
3. They      felt in control and had the sense that you can make a difference.
4. They      had social support. They belonged to the team and pulled together.
5. They      believed in stress management. They learned to listen to their own stress      signals and had a regimen of exercise, listening to music and laughing.

You’ve got to be healthy physically, mentally and spiritually. When you work it has to be for more than just the money. You will get burned out if you’re working for just things. Most successful people love their job and believe they would work for free. They usually say, I love what I do and it has led me to success. When you love something enough it gives up all its secrets.

One suggestion to relieve stress especially in busy city traffic is to relax while you drive. If someone cuts you off, don’t let it bother you. Consider letting them in because in a few minutes they will change lanes again and still be in the same spot as before. If at all possible leave early to avoid the traffic congestion. Get into the office early, have some breakfast, read the paper, and prepare for the day. While in traffic or a long ride home or to the office, listen to some CD’s of music, motivational tapes or learn a new language. You will be surprised at how much calmer you will become.

When I first moved to Southern California fromBoston,Massachusetts, no one would drive with me after a few trips in my car. I would cut people off, make left hand turns after the light turned green in front of oncoming traffic even if I did not have the green arrow. I would roll through stop signs, ride very close to the car in front of me and would be in a constant state of stress. It took me a few years to calm down and feel the stress roll off my back. I took the time to let what was going on around me roll off my back. It wasn’t personal. I listened to tapes on how to speak Italian and Spanish. I listened to motivational tapes on how to sell and be motivated. I took the long way home many nights and learned to enjoy the beautiful beaches and homes along the way home. There were many beautiful sunsets that I had missed before. Sometimes I would just pull over and watch some young kids surfing and once in a while saw dolphins swimming along the coast. Sunsets overCatalina Islandare breathtaking if you take the time to smell the roses.

I also learned not let people bother me as much and took the attitude of the local surfers when they would say, “Lighten up dude”. There’s a lot of patience involved with surfing. Waiting for the right wave and getting yourself in position for the next big break. In the meantime they talk to each other and admire the view. When I did stop I met other business men that stopped every night after work and surf for an hour or more before going home. Some went home first and went surfing with their children before it got too dark. Find some relaxation that works for you and enjoy life.

In summary, be open to new situations; get involved in work and life. You can make a difference and influence events and learn to handle stress on your terms. Good luck out there.

Are You on a Train to Nowhere?

Have you ever said stop the world I want to get off?

Do you ever feel that you’re on a train going nowhere?

Are you really where you want to be in life today?

You can’t stop the world but you can stop the train or at least get on another train in the right direction. Sometimes life can lead you on the wrong train and you feel that you can’t get off. You can get off and you can change your life and career. First take a step back and get some quiet time for yourself. Take a serious assessment of your life and career. What happened in your life that determined where you are today? Maybe it wasn’t your fault.

If you did not have the luxury of having a good education, that could hold you back. Although throughout history many people have become millionaires without an education but it’s the exception. As their businesses grew they had to learn all about finances, motivation, selling, marketing, manufacturing, promotion, distribution and a host of other areas of proficiency. Yes, with money you can hire experts in those fields but you better know what they are doing before they steer you in the wrong direction. If you don’t have a good education, decide on what you want to do. Maybe a good trade job pays well at first but to grow up the ladder as you grow older takes some education. Don’t fear, many schools offer training in many trades and you can do it at night.

Be the best you can be at what you are doing now. Many people stop learning as soon as they leave school. That’s a mistake. When you were in college you paid them to learn. Now that you are working they are paying you to learn. Do you really know the products or services that your company offers? I once did some consulting for a company in sales and while sitting in the lobby waiting for the President I noticed that the receptionist did not know how to find or send customers either on the phone or in person to the department that could handle the requests. To make matters worse when the President arrived in the lobby she asked him if she could help him. Of course he was furious and embarrassed. We had to work on the rest of the company before we even tackled the sales force. Actually the sales force was the best part of the company.

If you would like to grow in your company, ask the CFO to teach you how to read an annual report. Although he is very busy, I think he would be delighted to help you.  Learn about your stock, read the annual report, find out more about the company that you work for. If it’s a public company buy a share of stock. Prepare a notebook with all the products and services, the pricing, their uses and who is using them. Could you take your family on a tour of your company and explain what everyone does?

Be the best that you can be and success will find you. When you take an active role in your company you will stand out. You become a valuable asset. You are the go to person for answers and become dependable. Have you noticed that when you are the one with the answers, the day goes by faster and you feel rewarded and satisfied in your job? The worst feeling in the world is not knowing how to answer someone’s question. You waste time and get frustrated.

Believe in yourself, your products or services and your company 100%. You will be a happier person and a more successful person. You are now on the right train and the right track going in the right direction.

How to Handle the Three biggest Fears

Three fears that have been plaguing salespeople since the beginning of time are:

• Fear      of Rejection
• Fear      of Embarrassment
• Fear      of Acceptance

Fear of rejection causes many salespeople to fail to ask for the order. Not asking for the order or a trail close as it is called is worse than a turndown. At least when you get turned down you can ask why and handle the objections and try again.

San Boyd, a systems analyst for a large computer company, one of those people that every company has who knows your product and the competitions like the back of his hand decided that he wanted to join the sales force. He always felt that salespeople had more fun every day because all he saw was the sales people having lunch, entertaining customers, and giving presentations. Sam is the guy that all the sales people used to give technical presentations after all the work was done getting to the decision maker and setting up the presentation meeting. Sam gave great presentations. He spoke well, dressed well and knew the product in and out.

After several months in his new sales job Sam didn’t have any appointments with any new clients. He lacked the skills of cold calling, finding the needs of the customer, and not being able to find the decision maker. His sales manager decided to help him set up a few appointments with potential customers. After a few meetings Sam would give his product pitch and thanks everyone for the opportunity to present his products and pack up his briefcase and leave the customer site. Sam thought after a great presentation the customer would call him and give him the order. Of course, after several presentations from several vendors, the customer thought they all looked alike. The order went to the salesperson that asked for the order and handled the objections. The order went to the salesperson that kept calling and did not have a fear of rejection.

Picture yourself on the tennis court with your opponent in the middle of a great volley that has been going on for minutes when your opponent hits the ball right to your forehand. You have plenty of time to place your feet correctly, bring your racket back and lean into the shot. You know it’s a great shot. It felt great. It sounded great. You hit the sweet spot of the racket and followed through perfectly. But all of a sudden as you were admiring your form and fantastic shot, your opponent hit the ball right past you down the sideline. How could she do that to you? It was the best shot you ever hit. It’s the same thing with selling, you must follow up.

A high level of rejection is part of the game of selling. It’s like dating, lots of rejection until you meet the right person or can handle rejection and objections. Learn to face it, learn to accept it, and learn to go on. Don’t ever stop trying.

A vice president of our major computer company found out, as only good managers have a way of finding out, that the largest newspaper in the state was going to buy a competitors system for over 3 million dollars. He asked his district manager who the salesman was on this account. It was none other then our very own Sam Boyd, our great presenter. When questioned about the status of the account, Sam said everything was fine and they loved him. The vice president suggested that Sam make an appointment immediately with the newspaper for the three of them. On the way over to the newspaper Sam was so nervous with the VP and district manager in his car that he made a wrong turn and went an hour out of his way. When they got there the VP asked Sam to let them out in front of the newspaper so they could start the meeting and apologize for being late while Sam parked the car. About 10 minutes later when Sam arrived in the lobby, he found out that no one was aware that they were coming. Sam only left a message with someone that they were coming in. He never got to the decision maker or explained who was coming and their purpose. He never received a confirmation. After waiting another hour to meet the right people they were told that it was true that the newspaper has chosen their competitor. They didn’t feel that Sam was really interested in their business and it was too late since they already made a deposit and signed a contract. On the way out, the VP and district manager reamed Sam out about how he mismanaged this account. Sam was so embarrassed that he forgot where he parked the car. They had to get security to take them around the garage floor by floor until they located the car. The ride home was very quiet and embarrassing for all. The next day Sam quit the company because he could not accept the rejection and the embarrassment. Instead of learning from this experience Sam took the easy way out and quit the company and returned to a system position with another company.

Do you keep on talking once the customer accepts what you are proposing? Many salespeople talk themselves out of the order. The customer said “I’ll buy your product” but the salesperson keeps on talking explaining more features until the customer gets confused and decides to hold off. This is the time to shut up and take the order. Thank the customer for a great decision and take out the order book. Are you listening for those trial close moments? During your presentation the customer tells you that he likes that feature and it’s very important to his company. This is the time to acknowledge his decision and ask if he would like to purchase the product right now. This is called a trail close. If he says yes, you are done. If he says not yet, find out why and handle the objection right now. Don’t keep talking.

Learn to accept rejections as part of the selling cycle and handle the objection immediately. You should have a notebook by now with almost all of the frequently asked objections and how to answer them.

Everyone has embarrassing moments but this is the time to learn from them and keep moving on.

Learn to keep quiet when a customer gives you an acceptance or an opportunity to make a trail close. Close that sale and good luck out there.

Selling Is the Best Profession in the World

Selling is the highest paid profession in the world. Salespeople make more money than doctors, lawyers, actors, car salesmen, tradesmen, entertainers and even the President of the United States. Yes, there are exceptions but over the entire workforce, salespeople make on average more money and have more fun and freedom than other professions. If you’re good at what you’re doing you have the freedom to plan your day and get many personal tasks accomplished while you’re traveling around. Many of us get to see the world for free, stay at great hotels, eat at expensive restaurants and meet many interesting people along the way.

One of the exceptions are professional athletes in major sports like football, basketball, hockey, baseball, tennis, soccer and a few others. If you look at the number of professional athletes, the percentage is only a fraction compared to the number of professional salespeople. Let’s take a look at why these professional athletes are the best. First they are dedicated to their sport, probably have exception strength and ability for their sport, and have a desire to be the best. Do you want to be the best at what you do? Not all of us can be top paid professional athletes but we can be top paid professional salespeople. Without any exceptions every professional athlete has at least one coach. In a team there are several coaches, some for running, overall training, health issues, doctors, passing, strength training and many more. Most professional athletes today even have their own managers and PR people. Can you have this kind of coaching? Yes you can.

You can sign up for seminars offering sales training, coaching, motivating, leadership, presentation skills, personal success, communication skills, acting skills, phone and email skills and the list goes on. Don’t wait for your company to send you to a seminar find some for yourself in your town. Check out the Chamber of Commerce, Toastmasters, local community colleges and public seminars. If you don’t have a mentor or coach at work that you can trust, find one in your town or who offers coaching over the phone. If you hire a coach make sure that coach understands the business that you’re in and has some experience in selling. You are really looking for accountability for yourself. The expense is a small fraction of the gains you will attain for yourself.

Don’t follow the crowd, be different, and be proactive. Be a leader and not a follower. Find out who is the best in your company or profession and take them out to lunch and pick their brain. They may like the adulation and the respect that you have for them. Learn all you can about your profession and yes it is a profession. Selling can be the most rewarding profession that you can have. Remember to keep learning about your profession.

There are three things that the best salespeople all have in common. They have 100% belief in their company. They have 100% belief in their products and services. They have 100% belief in themselves. Don’t stray from your goals and you too can be one of the highest paid profession salespeople in the world.

Spheres of Influence

How many of you feel frustrated with your job or life every once in a while? Do you feel that you can’t do everything? Have you ever been in a situation where the outcome is not in your control or influence?

You’re not alone, there is only so much that you have control over. Let’s take a look at your sphere of influence. Look at these three concentric circles as pictured below.

The only thing that fits in the inner sphere is your behavior. That’s about all that you can truly

control. As you grow into the second sphere are areas that you can sometimes influence, like your children, spouse, fellow employees, peers, management, neighbors, etc. Outside the next sphere exists things that are out of your control of influence. These are items like the weather, the stock market, other people’s actions, etc.

One of the major causes of stress in a person’s life is trying to control what is out of your sphere of influence. The belief that you can control the behavior of others, including those you supervise, leads to stress and self-doubt when you fail to do so. You can try to influence people by communicating your expectations concerning positive or negative behavior, but only they can change their own behavior.

You must take control of your own sphere of influence. Don’t wait for someone else like upper management to do something. You only have a limited amount of time and energy every day to accomplish your goals. Where do you want to focus that time and energy? Do you have any goals today? Are they written down with a time limit when they should be done? It’s very important that you take control of the actions that are under your sphere of influence before someone else does it for you or tries to take control of your sphere of influence.

Your sphere of influence can overlap with others, that’s why cooperation and teamwork on the job is so important, so that everyone influences and leads in the same direction. The group needs to understand organizational mission statements, goals and objections. If the group is not on the same page, has bought into the project or believes in the final outcome and goal, then the sphere of influence is broken and has gaps. The same principals are in play with your personal life at home. If the family does not believe or understand in the goals then the sphere is clouded with dotted lines. Everyone has to understand the direction that the family must take to survive and grow especially today in the financial crises that we are experiencing.

Today more than ever we must live within our means and take a serious look at our financial picture. Many people are in serious credit card debt, have homes that are under their original purchase price and some worth less than the mortgage. Many people are without jobs, have 401K statements that are worth far less than they were 10 years ago. The American dream has been shattered and new college graduates are without jobs and have huge debts that cannot be removed by bankruptcy.

There’s a famous prayer by Reinhold Niebuhr that goes.

“Grant me the courage to change the things I can change; the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; and the wisdom to know the difference”

Live your life with less stress when you understand the sphere of influence and where you fit in the circle. Good luck out there.

Are you Successful?

Are there any successful people out there today?

How do you know you’re successful?

Is there a set of rules or guidelines?

There seems to be different standards from coast to coast and everywhere in between. In the Boston area it seemed that you were judged by how many bedrooms your house had and the square footage of your lot. Cars were not as important as they are in the west coast but that is changing. It seemed that people in the suburbs were more interested in SUV’s and how big was your tractor. I had a house in the suburbs that was in an apple orchard at one time and many of us built customs homes on large lots surrounded by hundreds of apple trees. Many of us had no idea what to do with these trees. The local farmer who owned the land used to chuckle when we had rotting apples surrounded by bees. We didn’t know that these trees had to be pruned and sprayed multiple times each year in order to have healthy apples. Of course after we spent hours pruning one tree he offered his services with his heavy tractors and machinery designed to do the job in minutes. Now what do you do with acres of apples ready to be picked? Of course call the local Boy Scout troop who sells the apples by the bag to raise money for the troop. Have you ever seen hundreds of boy scouts running around your yard climbing trees to pick these apples? Seemed like a law suit waiting to happen. Luckily no one was hurt.

After a move to Southern California there was a different climate. Houses were judged by square footage and views of the hills or ocean. Cars now were very important and you had to have a Mercedes or a BMW. Since the weather was better cars were an important status symbol. There seemed to be valet service at every restaurant and you wanted your car parked up front looking like it was just detailed. Trips to Hawaii were the family vacation norm and horseback riding lessons for your daughters were expected. I envied the surfers who seemed to live on the beach and somehow ate at fast food restaurants or someone else’s BBQ. They lived several to an apartment with no regard for the next day except if the surf is up. They were tanned and buff with a very carefree attitude. Some of course came from affluent families and some just decided that this was a way of life. On the water everyone was equal.

Back to reality. I heard someone say on the news that if we don’t get more successful by the year 2014 the US will fall from world dominance. I’m not sure if this is already happening. Everyone has a different view of success. In a survey done several years ago many rated success in this order; money, power, health, happiness, emotional and spiritual success in different levels in their life. Where do you fit in this scheme of feeling successful? I think it changes as you grow older and take on more responsibilities in life. There has to be a happy mix to make everyone feel successful without the pressures of keeping up with the Joneses. Find your happy mix and don’t be influenced by others. Not everyone can be judged the same. I believe that if you do what you love the money, power, influence, spiritual and emotional success will follow.

Have fun out there and be successful.

Are You a Commodity?

Are you prime rib or hamburger?  When it comes to getting a good job you need to know your market value. If you’re made of ground beef then you’re just a commodity. That is, you’re just like all the rest of the hamburger in the freezer. You look the same and your price is market value. To be considered prime rib you must stand out from the crowd. You must be different and have some value that can not be judged like the other commodities. Being perceived as a commodity means only earning the minimum wage for your services.

A college education is one way of differentiating yourself from a large percentage of society who has not had the same opportunity or perseverance. Now how do you stand out from the rest of the college students?   Getting good grades, going to the best college that you can get accepted into, and registering in courses that have high potential for success, are only a few pieces of the success puzzle. However, success doesn’t always mean making the most money. In recent studies conducted at my seminars, I found that 67% to 72% of today’s workforce are not happy with their present job and feel they are not being paid what they’re worth. Enjoying your career is far more rewarding then working at a job that pays a high salary but is a drudgery to go into every day.   If you’re not passionate about a specific area or subject then pursue a career that offers the best odds for success.  As a famous actress once said when asked how important money is to her “Darling money is next to oxygen”

Looking for a job is a full time job. In addition to education and experience, corporations are looking for enthusiasm and creativity. Attack your search with gusto. Always keep looking and make sure you’re not a commodity. Once you have secured a job and it looks like a promising career, you’re not done yet. You now have to keep learning not to become a commodity again. If all you do is what is required or what is asked of you in your job then you’re just any other merchandise. You will be purchased so much a pound, like hamburger. If you do more then what is required you add value to yourself and since value always gets the best price, you place yourself in the prime rib category. Our free trade system is very simple. If you do not have any goods or services that someone else wants then you do not have any rights to any goods or services that anyone else has. Your goods and services are you – your brain, body, desire, and enthusiasm. Mercedes and BMW automobile companies are prime examples of this concept. People will pay more for these two cars because they perceive these cars as having more value then other cars.

What is your value?  What are you worth per year-$ 35,000, $50,000, $75,000, $100,000, $200,000, or more?  If you don’t know you should look at your competition and see what they are earning. Find out how much someone is earning at a job you would like and set your sights high. Self-growth and improvement is a key part of survival in the professional world.  Many times you may wonder why someone else got the job you wanted. You thought you were more qualified, better educated, but maybe you were looked at as a commodity, so much a pound just like hamburger. Did the other person have a better vocabulary?  Were his or her words more powerful?  Did the competitor have more computer skills or management skills?  You may think you’re OK but you’re not.

It’s easy to correct any deficiencies that you may have if you’re willing to find them and be honest with yourself. If you don’t look you won’t find the areas that need improving.  Start making adjustments today in small steps. Most community colleges have courses in communications, letter writing, computer technology, finance, English, and even the Internet.  Keep up on the latest literature concerning the industry you are pursuing, not to mention world affairs and politics. Don’t be a commodity like hamburger; show the world you are made of prime rib.

Advancing From Sales to Sales Manager

In the minds of many sales people the promotion from sales person to sales manager is perceived as a progression up the ladder in their company. In fact, this is true in many companies, which is not always the best management decision. Many salespeople are either not ready for the promotion or not inclined to management. This does not mean that they are failures because they probably are great salespeople. There should be a category for professional senior salesperson that pays the same and maybe more than a sales manager’s position. I’ve seen many sales people get promoted to a manager’s position only to find that they are miserable. They find that they are not happy in this new position due to many factors.
One is of course motivating sales people under them that may have been their peers. There is resentment on both sides. The sales people that are now being managed feel resentment that they were overlooked for the position or they don’t feel that the new manager is capable or can be a confidant. The sales people want someone who is perceived as a trusted manager that they can bring their problems, concerns, desires, risks, and sometimes personal issues. The manager on the other hand may have resentment that the individual sales person is not giving their best effort and piling their problems on his shoulders.
There is an old story that when several salespeople bring their problems into the sales manager’s office they leave their monkey from their back onto the managers back. Of course the monkey is the problem. By the end of the day or week the manager is left with a several monkeys or a gorilla on his back and the sales people are out playing golf.
Many new sales managers are not prepared to fire one of the salespeople for poor performance especially when that salesperson was a friend when they both were salespeople. It’s also hard to fire someone who was a senior salesperson in the company for longer than the manager has been with the company. As salespeople are growing in the company many tend to live in the same cities and some are neighbors. Some belong to the same golf and tennis clubs. Maybe they play golf or tennis together or go to the gym together. I’ve seen many salespeople involve their families with other salespeople and go skiing together or maybe vacation together. This situation can cause a very uncomfortable situation when one gets promoted to management over the others. Salaries change, friendships change, social status changes, and many times neighborhoods change. If the salary is significant the new sales manager can now upgrade his house, car, clothes and vacations. This causes jealousy and envy from others who did not get promoted.
Companies that do not offer training designed for promotions from sales to sales manager are many times setting up the new sales manager for failure or at the very least a difficult road to success. This training should be at least two days long and if possible have other salespeople that are in the same position. This meeting at least brings together new sales managers with the same set of skills and challenges. New alliances develop that can help each other for support. With preparation for the challenges ahead for each of these sales managers their job will be easier and they will be prepared for obstacles that they were not aware of as sales persons. Sales managers now have access to salaries, personal information, stock options, base increases and performance issues. This can cause stress in the sales people that have been left behind and were old colleagues.
It’s also very important to stress on the remaining sales people that senior sales positions are just as important. Actually every salesperson is important and has a role to play in any successful company.

How To Keep New Salespeople From Leaving Your Company

While consulting with a new company last month, I was asked how they could assimilate new salespeople into the company quickly. It seems that in the past they had done a poor job and lost many new salespeople and many that did not leave felt like they were on the verge of leaving.

My recommendation was to assign each salesperson a few of the existing accounts that were still buying some products or services on a monthly basis. This is also effective if these existing accounts have not purchased any products or services in a long time. The purpose of this exercise is to help the new salespeople feel like they are contributing to the company’s bottom line. In the process each salesperson is experiencing how the company processes purchase orders and gets to meet the people in their company that can help them with the process of ordering and shipping. They also get to learn about the product or service provided and why the customer purchased and how they are using this product or service. This is helpful in obtaining new sales by referencing the older customer and how they are using the product or service. An example of this strategy is to ask the present company who are their competitors or ask if they know of other companies that are similar or could use the same product or service. Also ask them for a contact name and an introduction. Many companies belong to organizations that in the same business. Now you can mention how your product or service provides the ROI to your existing customer and why they purchased from your company.

Also by assigning older accounts that have not purchased products or services in a few years, you are giving the new salesperson an opportunity to up sell new products, replace older products with newer faster models. Keeping existing customers is important to every company. The amount of time expended is much shorter then getting a newer sale. This new salesperson is going to be hungry to learn about the customers assigned to them and also share information with other newer salespeople. The customer is going to appreciate the call and the attention. They may have been ignored for a very long time.

Now you have accomplished several important strategies. The first is keeping all new salespeople and making them feel like part of the company. Secondly you have given each new salesperson on the job training that is meaningful. Third you have given attention to your existing customer base. The new salesperson now gets to know the players in your company that are supportive of the sales function. If they have questions they now know who to call. The customer is also training your sales person on why they bought the product or service in the first place. You have also put new sales dollars into the bottom line with very little effort.

This is a very simple process to implement and gets your new salespeople after some internal training involved immediately into your company’s culture, processes, products, services, people, jargon, customer applications and pricing. Sometimes some of the older salespeople do not like to relinquish control over their older customers but this is an important issue to keeping and maintaining new salespeople into the company. If there are pending sales from an old account the sales manager can make a determination if this account should stay with the existing salesperson. If this is a new territory split because of hiring someone who lives closer to these accounts you can always give the existing salesperson 60 to 90 days to close this pending business. I have also seen split commissions paid to both salespeople until the handoff is completed.

There is no formula that pertains to all companies but this is a great way to assimilate new salespeople and I believe that the sales manager has to find a way to make this work.