Article
#1
The Top
5 Issues Facing VPs of Sales - Brian Lambert
A recent study
of 2,663 sales organizations by Think Training, Nightingale Conant
and Trainique uncovered five areas that shed light on what separates
the best from the rest (visit http://www.revegrowth.com/free_articles.htm
for a copy)
Issue one - A
poorly defined sales process. 82% of all CEO's said their sales organization
had a process that was poorly defined or a process that wasn't being
followed. A sales process is like a road map. If you pay attention
it helps you determine if you are in heading in the right or wrong
direction. A well defined sales process does the same thing. It should
be consultative in nature, have defined steps that allow both parties
to develop a better understanding of each other and a set of questions
that help you qualify or disqualify.
Issue two - Lack
of essential skills. 42% of CEO's said their salespeople lacked the
essential basic skills needed to do their job properly-ouch. During
the 70's and 80's it was common for large corporations to hire new
sales recruits and put them through a 12- 18 month intensive sales
development program. Those days are gone, leaving a huge skills gap!
Odds are if you are younger then 40 you never received the type of
training you really needed.
Issue three -
Failing to focus on the right kinds of activity. 90% of CEO's said
their salespeople focused on low payoff activities or called on the
wrong people. It is a common mistake to confuse being busy with being
productive. Top performers know what they are doing, why they are
doing it and whom they are doing it with.
Issue four - Allowing
"self talk" to sabotage your efforts. 86% of CEO's said
their salespeople had negative thinking or self talk that was damaging
their sales efforts. There are hundreds of examples but the most obvious
has to do with discounts. Over and over again I hear salespeople say
they have to be the lowest price to win the business. Every study
I have ever read says that there are 4 ? 6 other issues ahead of price
but we have been "programmed" to think price is the issue.
It is critical to understand how you have been programmed and how
some of thoughts are working against you!
Issue five - Sales
management not developing their people enough. 67% of CEO's said that
their sales managers were not spending enough time coaching and developing
their salespeople. The job of a sales manager is to coach their people
just like in professional sports! Unfortunately if we don't have a
sales process, salespeople with undeveloped skills or the wrong people
coaching becomes impossible.
For salespeople
taking responsibility for our own professional development is the
key! Have a process, hone your skills, focus on the right kinds of
activity, be aware of your thoughts, get some coaching, join a sales
mastermind group, or join an association dedicated to your success.
Good sales professionals
realize their strengths and weaknesses and create a plan that addresses
their abilities. Great sales professionals repeat this process over
and over.
Brian is the Chairman
and Founder of the the United Professional Sales Association (UPSA).
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