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Fix the sales force you have

Fix the sales force you have
Free Download - Desperate Times Don’t Call for Desperate or Deceptive Measures By Sue Barrett
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Would we expect Melbourne Victory or any other elite sporting team to enter a competition without a clear game plan, talent plan, fitness plan, business plan and action plan? No, of course not. We expect them to be aware, organised, focused and determined to play their best and aim to win.

Well, more than 90% of sales people do not follow any logical process when selling. They are often left to their own devices and simply fly by the seat of their pants, relying on intuition and hoping for the best.

They often cannot articulate their value proposition or know how they compare to the competition. Nor are they clear about what activities they need to do on a daily basis to achieve sales success. Most make it up.

No wonder many don't meet entrepreneurs' expectations.

But sales people are not solely to blame. Too many businesses have not yet defined what they really want by way of talent when it comes to translating sales strategy into action.

Too many organisations have not done the work to build viable sales plans that allow sales people to apply tactical sales actions and achieve real results. And too many businesses do not give their sales people adequate training and in-field sales coaching support to enhance and improve performance.

Now you may be very tempted to move your low performing sales people on and find someone new. But often managers grossly underestimate what is involved in improving and/or changing a sales force. It can be faster to build efficiency, for example increase call rates or decrease expenses, than it is to consistently recruit, build and coach the levels of skills and effectiveness needed for selling today.

So how do you fix the sales force you have?

Start at the top. Start with management. Ask yourself:

  • What skills, knowledge, attitudes and behaviours do my sales people need to demonstrate to be competitive and successful in our market place today?
  • What activities do they need do, how often to they need to do them and how well do they need to do them to achieve sound sales results?
  • How do we compare to our competition and can we clearly articulate our value and competitive edge (in language the customer understands)
  • Is our formal training and infield sales coaching program set up to train and develop our sales people in the areas that can make us a success?
  • Do we measure the inputs (quantity of activity and quality of activity; that is, behaviours) as well as the outputs (results) that make up sales success?
  • Do we have an ongoing, in-field sales coaching program that helps sales people migrate to better levels of performance based on something they can see and measure?
  • Is our management team supporting the right behaviours skills and values to have a highly effective sales team?
Remember most of your sales people have at least some sales potential (maybe more than you think) and often can perform much better if given the right framework, plan, support and management.

And here is what you should have:

  • A clear up-to-date sales strategy (plan) that shows how to link real actions to real results (from the business, the team and the individual sales person).
  • A clear map of the kind of sales competencies (skills, knowledge, attitudes and behaviours) your sales people and business need apply consistently to be competitive and successful in your market place.
  • An actionable sales fitness plan that regularly trains your sales team in the skills and qualities needed to be fit and competitive today.
  • A sales coaching plan that allows your sales people to give and get feedback and communicate with management on a regular basis their findings in the field.
  • Clear, simple sales success performance indicators that allow individual sales people to measure, monitor and adjust their performance for success.
  • A business that philosophically and practicallly supports a proactive professional sales culture.
And strong, clear and focused leadership.

But that's another story.

Remember everybody lives by selling something.





Fix the sales force you have - To learn more about this author, visit Sue Barrett's Website.

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Dave Kurlan
Dave Kurlan is a best-selling author, top-rated speaker and thought leader on sales development.  He 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

David Acheson
David Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns.  David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website

Leanne Hoagland-Smith
Are your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/red-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website

Linda Richardson
Linda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching — Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nation’s Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson'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


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 About The Author


Sue Barrett
(Visit Sue's Website)
Sue Barrett is a Thought Leader on 21st century sales training & coaching, sales capability & culture. Sue believes that everybody lives by selling something and that all of us, no matter our background, can achieve excellence through purposeful action.

Sue launched her own business, BARRETT, in 1995 after holding senior positions with a leading consultancy and recruitment company and within two years won the Telstra and Victorian Government Small Business Award. Sue is one of the few female voices commenting on sales today. She is best known for her work in illuminating and defining the elusive qualities that make for highly successful sales people and helping businesses build high performing, profitable, sales teams. Sue has developed a unique position in the Australasian market with IP specifically in the Sales Competency space.

Sue is lead sales writer for www.smartcompany.com.au and has developed a growing, loyal readership since February 2007. Her weekly articles are some of the most widely read on Smartcompany which is listed in the top 10 news publications in Australia. Sue practices as a business adviser, public speaking, consultant, interviewer, facilitator, trainer, coach and writer. Sue has a unique way of getting to the heart of the matter- she combines extensive knowledge, research, insight, and practical experience with a deep sense of compassion for all people to bring forth a more enlightened way of thinking and participating in the world. www.barrett.com.au, Barrett Sales Blog


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