Even the best natural sellers need a strategy, a defined role and processes to enable their success.
In sales, where charisma and extroversion can be advantages, some people attribute success more to inborn personality traits than to skills that can be coached or taught. Yet the fact that companies in the US alone spend more than $20 billion annually (by conservative estimates) to train sales people on products, selling skills, and territory management, demonstrates the widespread belief that you can help ‘make’ sales people great.
Most sales leaders would agree that sales people who possess certain innate personality characteristics, such as curiosity, empathy, and drive, are more likely to be successful. (Consider the saying: “Although you can teach a turkey to climb a tree, it’s much easier to hire a squirrel.”) But there’s a big difference between individual success in sales and success across an entire sales force. Whatever the born/made balance for a single sales person, great sales forces are made.
Even if you believe that most great sales people are born, a first step in ‘making’ a great sales force is finding, hiring, and retaining the natural sellers. But talent on its own is not enough. Even the best natural sellers need a strategy around target products and markets and a defined role, along with systems and processes to enable their success and align their efforts around common goals of customer and companysuccess. Great sales forces are made by bringing excellence to all of the following:
1 Strategy
This story is from the August - October 2016 edition of thinksales.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the August - October 2016 edition of thinksales.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Getting Over Your Fear Of Cold Calling Customers
A recent research study found that 48% of business-to-business salespeople are afraid of making cold calls.
10 Tips To Get Honest, Productive Feedback
Great leaders are great learners. Their never-ending pursuit of information pushes them to constantly improve and sets them apart from the rest. Getting and learning from feedback isn’t always easy, but it is necessary, if we want to become better.
The 5 Things All Great Salespeople Do
The best salespeople know they’re the best. They take pride in their art form. They separate themselves from the rest of the pack regardless of circumstance. So how do they do it? What’s their secret? Are you one of them?
Why Trade Shows Are Worthy Of Your Marketing Budget
Given unrealistic expectations against a modest budget, marketing leaders are routinely tasked with making trade-offs on what stays and goes in their annual budget. In a highly digitised world, trade shows might seem like the ancient way to do things, but they remain one of the best forums for exposure to customers. Increase your success rate with trade shows through more thoughtful planning that aligns sales and marketing to common goals and objectives.
Why CRM Projects Fail And How To Make Them More Successful
CRM is an important tool, but it is just a tool. When the laptops are shut down for the day, it’s your sales team that is responsible for bringing value to clients and driving revenue. Implement your CRM with that in mind and you’ll be pleased with your ROI.
Avoid Making Enemies: But Do Make Decisions!
Strong leaders listen to all the arguments, probe for understanding, avoid telling people they are wrong, and then step back and decide.
4 Ways To Improve Your Content Marketing
While most buyers today will evaluate your products and services on their merits – delivering memorable and emotional experiences at business events can distinguish you from your competitors.
Pathway To Profitability
Years of working with leading companies and hundreds of hours spent researching and developing the 5-Pillar Strategic Sales Organisation Framework and AssessmentTM has led me to understand, at a deep level of certainty, that many companies are not realising the revenue, margins and profits their organisations are capable of achieving. There is a strategic option to address this challenge; a silver bullet for all companies.
Do I Really Need Another Sales Rep?
So you need quick growth. You knew this day was coming, but you kept putting it off in the hope that it would solve itself. Is your quickest route to revenue really bringing on another rep? Not necessarily. Examine your current reps and inefficiencies first.
What Subscription Business Models Mean For Sales Teams
Manage the challenges of a subscription sales business by splitting sales roles.
