Feedback Form
Home Features Mastermind Videos About Advertise Blog Network Contact
   

Have A Suggestion?
Toronto Salsa Classes / Toronto Salsa Lessons Email us your ideas on how to make our website more valuable! Thank you Sharon from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for your suggestions to make the newsletter look like the website and profile younger entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez and Sean Combs!
Have A Suggestion?

Featured Ebook


ebook Famous Entrepreneurs - Modern Empire Builders


Featured Ebook

More Evan Carmichael
Have A Suggestion?


Sales Lessons From Starbucks And Dell

Bad Apples on the Sales Force - Sales or Sanity?



Bad Apples on the Sales Force - Sales or Sanity?
   

Some of our many readers at Understanding the Sales Force leave their comments when they feel so moved to do so. One reader, who chips in with a comment from time to time, identifies himself as Chubby Davis. Look at the tremendous value that Chubby adds to our discussions:

Out of the dozens of valuable comments from the Best Sales Advice in a Single Sentence, Chubby wrote, "Your client is lying to you!"

From the article, How Long Does it Take for a Salesperson to Get It?, Chubby wrote, "...Bean Town Bullshit !!"

From the article, Verizon Wireless - Tech, Lies and Audio, Chubby wrote, "Welcome to Amerika".

Among the many great suggestions contributed to Managing the Sales Force - The Calendar, Chubby contributed, "Can hit the local 'Titty Bar' !!!"

From the article, 5 Sales Management Tips From My 5 Year-Old, Chubby wrote, "That's it, me have no kid = not enough sales !!!"

And in last week's, How to Find the Compelling Reasons for Seth Godin's Intangibles, he commented, "Of course it's a 'fairy tale' ..who wants to hear the f%cking truth"

Chubby's antics remind me of the bad-apple, renegade, maverick salespeople that many companies are stuck with. I say stuck because most executives can't choose between having a functional sales force versus a top producer that is also the local cancer distributor.

I've met hundreds of these individuals during the past 25 years and they're all pretty much the same. They're loud, arrogant, know-it-alls that crave attention and will say pretty much anything to get it. Their act includes insults, teasing, and jokes at somebody else's expense; Publicly complaining about company policies, managers and products; Failure to show up when expected and showing up when asked not to; Hitting on individuals of the opposite gender at their own company and at their customers, and late night partying; And running up the company expense account after spending way too much money bringing their customers to night clubs. These people make Manny Ramirez look like a good citizen!

As bad as these people are, they aren't the real problem. The real problem is the manager they report to, who enables them, protects them, gives them permission to do what they want, defends them in times of trouble, and even shares a few drinks with them to celebrate; all in the name of revenue.

You can do more with less. Addition by subtraction. That's how the Red Sox looked at it with Manny and that's how companies should look at it when they have people like this.

Chubby, we hardly know you, and until we do, we'll use your invaluable comments and insights to crusade for functionality and sanity on sales forces around the world.

Bad Apples on the Sales Force - Sales or Sanity? - To learn more about this author, visit Dave Kurlan's Website.

Like this article? Share it with your friends
[Get Copyright Permissions] E-Mail | Print | More  


Related Articles Related Articles
Knowledge is Power or is it
  Any child of 2 or 3 years of age can tell you that 2 + 2 = 4. They have heard it repeated, over & over, until they can repeat it themselves. But, when confronted with 4 apples, they are at a loss to apply that inf...
Questions Every CEO Should Be Asking His Sales Managers
  High impact sales questions for CEOs
"Everyone knows Sales Force Incentives Dramatically Increase Sales"
  Sales force incentives are a vital part of business and one of the best reasons is that they work. This is one of the few motivators that can rev up a sales force for pennies on the dollar. However it has to be well...
Objections are Requests for more Information
  Think of objections as simply requests for more information. In other words, when the customer objects, he or she is simply asking: "Tell me how to justify this amount of money?" "How is this a better buy than ...
Maximize Your Sales Force
  10 Ways to Get More From Your Sales Force:

Related Forum Posts Related Forum Posts
Online Sales and Marketing vs Traditional Online Sales and Marketing vs Traditional
Re: Online Sales and Marketing vs Traditional Re: Online Sales and Marketing vs Traditional
Practical Sales Advice Practical Sales Advice
Sales & Marketing Resources Sales & Marketing Resources
Take Some ACTION already! Take Some ACTION already!
Sales advice from Jeffrey Gitomer Sales advice from Jeffrey Gitomer
Re: Kevin's Case Study #9 - How do you increase forum traffic? Re: Kevin's Case Study #9 - How do you increase forum traffic?
Marketing led Sales? Marketing led Sales?

Related Forum Posts Related Businesses - Evan Elite Authors
Dave Kurlan
Dave Kurlan is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website

George Ludwig
George Ludwig is a recognized authority on sales strategy and peak performance psychology. An international speaker, trainer, and corporate consultant, he helps clients like Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, Northwestern Mutual, CIGNA, and numerous others improve sales force effectiveness and performance. Though it's George's strategies and processes that help corporations increase productivity and performance, it's his tremendous energy and dynamism that spark the transformation. Again and again, clients remark on his amazing ability to unleash human capacity and inspire men and women to break out of their comfort zones. The result is a whole new type of salesperson. His customized presentations teach achievers to make stunning advances in their lives. From helping salespeople realize cherished dreams to helping corporations exponentially accelerate revenue streams, George Ludwig leaves audiences and individuals empowered, emboldened, and clamoring for more. George is the best-selling author of Power Selling: Seven Strategies for Cracking the Sales Code and Wise Moves: 60 Quick Tips to Improve Your Position in Life & Business. - Visit George Ludwig's Website

Leanne Hoagland-Smith
Are your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales success or one of the many who have failed to change? So what are you doing to change those results? Let’s be honest, with companies moving globally and at lightening speeds, the traditional business solutions are outdated and dead. My approach moves your business out of its comfort zone and secures your competitive advantage now. If you are seeking to increase sales, build customer loyalty, create a culture of great attitudes or just achieve some sleep filled nights, then we should talk because my clients have experienced exactly those types of results. Learn more about customer loyalty at http://www.processspecialist.com/customer-loyalty.htm Give me a call at 219.759.5601 for a free strategy session. P.S. If you are seeking a motivational speaker, sales trainer or small business expert that will leave your audience smiling and remembering, please feel free to contact me at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website

Dr. John Oda
John Oda Ph.D NLP is a business peak performance expert, an author, and speaker frequently called upon to provide corporate training, workshops and seminars for many companies in the United States. He is an expert in coaching sales and business professionals in overcoming the behaviors and obstacles that may impede their sales results and affect their bottom line. Since 1995, John has created a speaking bureau such topics, which include: time management, sales training, human diversity, leadership programs and etc. He provides companies with a strategic plan to increase their bottom line by over 25 percent yearly. - Visit Dr. John Oda's Website

Anne Barr
Anne Barr has over 26 years experience in sales and marketing, six years as a franchisee. She has assisted over 367 business owners and purchasers to achieve their goals in career change, transition and exit strategy. She holds the designation of Certified Franchise Executive from the International Franchise Association, Certified Business Intermediary from the International Business Brokers Association and Board Certified Broker from the Texas Association of Business Brokers. Anne is active in professional organizations, networking groups and volunteers for non-profit entities. As owner/operator of four successful businesses, Anne has proven people skills and enjoys helping clients find the right "fit" in business ownership. Visit www.FranchiseOpportunitySpecialist.com for more information about me and my company. - Visit Anne Barr's Website


The Evan Elite Authors program is currently in beta phase. For details please contact us.


 
About the Author


Dave Kurlan
(Visit Dave's Website)
Dave Kurlan is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2.
Have A Suggestion?

View Author's Blog
Understanding the Sales Force
Understanding the Sales Force - Objective Management Group, Inc. is the pioneer and industry leader in sales force evaluations and sales candidate screening. Spearheaded by leading sales industry expert, Dave Kurlan, Objective Management Group, Inc. can help you measure sales effectiveness, execution and potential.
Become An Author

View Author's Video
Dave Kurlan Video - Dave Kurlan discusses margins with a group of business owners.
Become An Author

Free Downloads


Dave Kurlan's

Complete
List Of
Sales
Articles

First Name
Last Name
Email
 
Author's Free Downloads
Visual Pipeline Icon Visual Pipeline
Salesperson Selection Icon Salesperson Selection

More Dave Kurlan
Handling Economic Objections
Having Good Sales Calls
How Long Does it Take for Salespeople to Get it
Improve Sales Performance with More Effective Pipeline Management
Managements Guide to the Top 10 Differences Between Sales Winners and Losers
Most Frequently Requested Help
Selling to Larger Accounts Find the Chauffeur
What Have Your Salespeople Been Listening To
What Really Creates Sales Excellence
Sales Best Practices Not
Become An Author