Tweet

Harvard Business Review Hit and Then Missed the Mark on Sales

Guest post by: Dave Kurlan

Article Overview: An analysis of Harvard Business Review's recent article regarding observations about sales skills and salespeople.

Harvard Business Review Hit and Then Missed the Mark on Sales

Subscriber Ken Leeser pointed me to this recent Harvard Business Review article. Their observations of 800 salespeople weren't significantly different from Objective Management Group's data on 500,000 salespeople. Following is where they hit the mark:

Our data has an elite 6% and they categorized 9% as experts.

Our data has an upper 26% and they categorized an upper 37%.

Our data shows that 74% of the sales population are ineffective while their observations peg it at 63%.

They attempted to illustrate seven skill sets and map them with their top 37%. They included (their categorizing, not mine):

• Skills Related to Sales Success
  • Rising to the Challenge (overcoming objections)
  • Customer Interaction (listening)
  • Meeting Prep
• Skills Not Related to Sales Success
  • Story-Telling
  • Presentation and Rapport
  • Company Presentation
  • The Sales Pitch

They said their top 9% had all 7 of these skill sets while the remaining 28% of the top group all excelled at the pitch and the presentation. The top 37% were above average at customer interaction.

Where did all this lead? Their conclusion was that everyone receives sales training on presentation and pitch but not on rising to the challenge and customer interaction. They recommended that salespeople should get more training in those areas where they haven't developed the other skills. You don't say...

OK, I can't wait to share my perspective. Here is how HBR missed the mark:

In no particular order:

• Expanding the topics for training won't solve the problem they identified. The truth is that the salespeople who are being trained on presentation and pitch are probably being trained on Rising to the Challenge and to a certain degree, Customer Interaction. The training may not be very good, but they are probably getting it. The reason the large group of salespeople on the bottom were observed to require more training is because they had weaknesses that make it uncomfortable for them to use the tactics, strategies, competencies, skills and approaches they learned from the training. Comfort Zone Rules!
• The key skill possessed by the best salespeople was completely glossed over in their findings. That key skill is the ability to ask a lot of good, tough, timely questions along with the ability to push back and challenge prospects' assumptions and decisions. To the researchers it may have simply appeared to be "interaction" but make no mistake. Exceptional salespeople know exactly what they are doing with their questions and while the result is interaction, the skill they have mastered is asking questions.
• The researchers came to a faulty conclusion with their claim that the last four skills are not related to sales success. The reality is that those skills are often used without the three skills that do relate to sales success making it very difficult to succeed with the four unrelated skills alone. But when those unrelated skills are used at the right time, and the salesperson emphasizes three related skills, the last four are absolutely related to sales success.

In the end, a successful sales force comes back to having the right people in the right roles a process that can be easily accomplished with a sales force evaluation. Then, greater emphasis on efficiency and effectiveness in the sales selection process, followed by appropriate training will make a significant difference.

Related Articles
  Lessons from the Harvard Recruitment Process
  NY Times Article Hits Then Misses the Mark on Sales
  Sales Management Requires a Different Mindset Than Sales
  Caliper and Selling Power Hit and Then Miss the Mark on Sales
  The Article that became the Book: Tips for gaining Quick and Effective Knowledge using Breadth and Depth
  Lesson #4: Learn From Your Mistakes and Make Less
  The Top Ten Signs the Valley is on Tilt Again
  Fathers Day Insight
  Use Examples to Encourage
  "What the world really needs is more love and less paperwork."
  Lawyers Top 10 Tricks for Managing IP
  Role of Leadership in Planning
  What They Now Are Teaching MBAs at BSchools According to Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach
  Creating An Environment of Trust Support and Teamwork in Your Business
  Did we forget how to sell?
  Time to buy banks with mark-to-market behind them?
  Distinctive Value Propositions DVP
  Specimens Not Just for Guys in White Coats Anymore
  How to Win More Sales
  Missed & Lost Sales Opportunities

Article Tags: Dave Kurlan, Harvard Business Review, sales, sales skills



Related Forum Posts
New Small Business Topic - Hello everyone, I'm on the lookout for new topics to add to my site. We just launched a Franchising section and are planning Human Resources section. Do you have any thoughts for a new section? Here's a list of what we currently have: Angel Investors Branding Bank Loans Business Coaching Business Plan Franchises (New) Insurance Legal Marketing Public Relations Sales Small Biz Loans Venture Capital
Online Sales and Marketing vs Traditional - Hi Evan, I am noticing that many of the posts in the Sales/Marketing section deal with online marketing, SEM and and SEO and Affiliates. I was wondering if it might be a good idea to separate that section into two; 1) Online Sales and Marketing; 2) Traditional Sales and Marketing
Re-introduction - Hello, Some of you know me and some of you don't. I've been gone for about 2 months, had some pretty serious health issues pop up.. but i'm stubborn so here i am back again. Thought i'd do a re-introduction. I'm Jen. I own/run my own graphic design firm. I also do business coaching on the side. How's everyone? Good too see that this forum has been growing while i've been away. Missed you all! Hope you'll all forgive me for being away.
Hi all from Australia!! - Hi all, My name is Mark. I've been involved in the direct selling industry for the last 10 years since I was introduced to amway way back then, in one or another venture.. I'm here to mix and mingle with other people like myself, like minded entrepreneurs if you will and contribute a little from what knowledge I do have about marketing. I look forward to chatting with everyone out there. Regards, Mark
Re: Online Sales and Marketing vs Traditional - [quote="ltrahan":31w9r2iz]Hi Evan, I am noticing that many of the posts in the Sales/Marketing section deal with online marketing, SEM and and SEO and Affiliates. I was wondering if it might be a good idea to separate that section into two; 1) Online Sales and Marketing; 2) Traditional Sales and Marketing[/quote:31w9r2iz] I second the request...


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

The True Cost of Employee Turnover

12 Principles to Spark Innovation

Living on The Edge of Chaos...

Suggestions

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.