I’ve heard it said…
“Yeah, that’s just the sales guy. They’re always asking for stuff.”
Or…
“They’re always complaining.”
“They’re moody.”
Or are they?
These are all phrases I’ve heard about salespeople. Sometimes, entire company cultures have been built around these ideas.
Trouble is, outside of a sales-founded company, sales folks are sometimes taken for granted and misunderstood.
Let’s break down why.. For starters, what are the traits of an exceptional salesperson?
– highly aware
– emotionally attuned
– conscientious about backing promises
– looking to serve the customer
– (what would you add?)
In a supportive environment, these traits translate to a drive to close deals, hit goals, and help the company grow. However, I’ve also watched top sales performers flounder because they weren’t supported. These same traits can take on a negative form…
– critical
– moody
– hesitant to sell because of operational challenges
– over sensitive to rejection
This is a dual responsibility. The salesperson needs to own their own energy, state, skills, and time. And the business needs to support them.
I got to chat with a salesperson recently about how to retain top sales talent. Here are some tactical highlights:
– Give them an honest ear. They’re in direct contact with the people who are considering buying from your business. Don’t write them off.
– Train them, then give them a clear place to get their questions answered. Make a habit of documenting new questions as they come up.
– Make sure your operations are in order, and that you can deliver on the promises you’ve told them to make. Do not saddle them down with soothing disgruntled problems because you can’t manage operations.
– Give them a process they can execute on and implement.
– Build tools to save them time. Close rates are directly proportional to the time spent with qualified prospects.
– Build a bridge between them and marketing. ( Marketing says, “We’ve just found a new source of leads that are 1/4th the cost. We’re hitting our quotas.” But can your sales team book appointments? Do they stick? Are they actually qualified lead?)
– Similarly, hold marketing responsible for their job.
– Review their activity and performance, and provide specific guidance and insight into areas for them to focus on.
– It goes without saying, make sure it’s possible for them to pay their bills based on reasonable performance.
In the black and white, analytical, numbers focus of business…
Sales and customer success are areas that stand in stark contrast.
It’s not either/or.
It’s both/and.
Reason + Emotion
It’s a culture that must exist for sales to thrive, and it starts at the top.
What lessons would you add?
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