|
|
Like this article? PLEASE +1 it! |  |
|
The You Can Tell If A New Hire Will Succeed In The First Two Months Myth
| Guest post by: Virden Thornton |
Article Overview: Most companies set arbitrary sales success time periods at about two and no more than three months. Big mistake!
 |
Free Download - The "Cold Call Presentations" Myth By Virden Thornton |
The You Can Tell If A New Hire Will Succeed In The First Two Months Myth
There is almost a universal belief by business owners, marketing and sales executives, and sales managers, that there is a specific time frame in which a new sales representative must see sales success or they should be fired to cut their losses. Most companies set arbitrary sales success time periods at about two and no more than three months. Big mistake! This is definitely a myth you can't afford to buy into.
Admittedly, you can assess the "work ethic" of a new hire in a short period of time. If a new hire won't do the work, of course you should let the employee go as soon as you discover the problem. However, if you've done a proper screening, can set up and measure a series of sales activity benchmarks (cold calls, sales presentations, telephone contacts, client meetings, etc.) that will tell you early on about the work ethic of a new hire. But, measuring a new sales staff member's true worth to your organization, simply based on his or her sales success in the early stages of employment, is nothing more than faulty thinking.
Some of the most successful sales representatives I've coached over the last few years, have been what can only be described as spacially ignorant. Learning the road systems in their new territory has taken many months to master, due to a difficulty in reading maps and remembering routes. This, in turn, in the early stages of employment, dampened their ability to produce regular sales success. Representatives having to master a new product line or new service offerings, depending on the complexity of what you sell, may also take more than several months to master for consistent sales success. Building rapport with customers usually takes more than one meeting and may take more than two or three visits to build the trust that is needed to secure additional business. These issues or a combination of them make having an arbitrary cut off point for new sales professionals an expensive proposition.
Hiring costs can be reduced significantly, if employers just give new sale staff members the amount of time it really takes to acclimate to their new surroundings and situation. From my experience working with literally hundreds of sales organizations, I'm convinced that it takes between six to eight months and in some cases even longer, before management can accurately assess a sales representative's true worth to the organization. Six to eight months for management to accurately assess a new sales staff member is an expensive investment. However, I'm convinced that the time/costs are why the early cut off mind sets in sales management exists. Therefore, it is vital that sales managers learn how to screen and hire people that are worth the investment. Even with the high cost of giving new people more time, from my observations, it is usually less expensive than rehiring two or three people over the same period, just to find the right person for your sales position.
MYTHS ABOUT MARKETING TO OLDER PEOPLE
Seven Marketing Myths that Devastate Business
7 Myths of Sales Success
The Genius At Work
10 Greatest Pharmaceutical Sales Myths: Exposed
|
About the Author: Virden Thornton RSS for Virden's articles - Visit Virden's website Click here to visit Virden's website   HiringA Vital Key In Sales Management Success The Finding Common Ground Sales Technique Is A Myth The Added Value Is YOU Three Keys To Attracting And Retaining Customers Or Clients Cold Calling Is Dead Is A Lie |
Related Forum Posts
Is The E-Myth The Ultimate Franchise Guide?
- Ever since the E-Myth made its way through to becoming one of the most popular books for entrepreneurs, the number of small business owners who have come to me discussing franchising has exploded.
Is the E-Myth the reason why so many companies are now looking at franchising their business model?
Are there any other resources you can suggest for new franchise owners or people considering it as an option?
E-Myth? What's That?
- I second FranchiseBrief...
What's the E-Myth? I've never heard of it, although I feel stupid saying so.
Any insight available?
Re: Moderators on vacation
- Well what happens if you own a store or bar/restaurant? You're up at the crack of dawn to do prep work, and the last one there late at night closing... open 7 days a week... what can such an entrepreneur do for time off? Hire a trusted manager?
Franchise Models
- There's a really interesting book about franchise models.
Written by Michael Gerber, 'The E-Myth' is all about setting up an individual business and creating it in a franchise mold which will enable it's success.
Definitely worth a read.
A Simple Test
- I have no franchise, I've got to say this upfront, but, using the 'The E-Myth Revisited' principle as well as a self-taught measure I used for myself and have taught others since.
Is it capable of working just as well, if not better if you are not there? If this isn't possible, what tweaks need to happen to make this so?
That, I believe, is what might make it franchisable (as well as all the technical stuff that's been said before).
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.
by: 
4 Building Blocks of an Effective Talent Management System
Simon Fuller Quotes
Lesson #3: “Tell ‘em quick and tell ‘em often”
Searching for the Stars: How Yang and Filo Took Their Business to New Heights
Salesperson Wimp-Out: I Need Help 
Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!
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.