Sales Careers >> Ask a Sales Pro >> Why are there so few Great Sales People?
Why are there so few Great Sales People?
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Posted 2 months ago I will post my reply to this later. I am interested in your responses The time is now to grow and learn as much as possible. Take action and responsibility for your actions
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| Posted 2 months ago Because the new generation has come from the "Now Johnny don't do that" . Meaning that they may expect respect without earning it as they are used to getting everything. hmm I'll have to think about it again. This was my first instinctive response and I want to word it differently. lol
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| Posted 2 months ago Many, many people went the route of computers. They work on the computer and talk over the phone. There is less face to face interactions. When they do have face to face, they are not skilled and are easily turned away without trying to overcome the objection. |
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| Posted 2 months ago Lori that implies that there were and are a lot of great older sales people.However that is not true. The time is now to grow and learn as much as possible. Take action and responsibility for your actions
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| Posted 2 months ago I agree with you Rich, it is true that there are few that are "Great" One reason for this is due to the title "Salesperson". Look at nearly every successful business of any size, and behind it there is a great salesperson. However, their titles are owner, president, founder etc.,. As their business grows, they bring in others for sales only. Their stake in the business is minimal, make some money if you sell, see you later if you don't. The qualities that great salespeople posess are the same qualities that make great leaders. Great salespeople move through corporations via promotions to other positions. Many ceo's and business leaders started in sales. There were more great salesreps years ago. This is not due to simply being older, but due to the business climate changes. (business global warming?) While it's difficult to be to totally objective in any view, I would state that in general, respect and loyalty to and from companies started diminishing in the '80's. Today, I suspect there are very few that anticipate being with the same company or even industry for more than a few years. There is little time for development in today's instant gratification business mode, I've seen new reps with great potential driven out by impatient managers and shareholders.
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| Posted 2 months ago OB- In some ways I agree with you but I have to tell you that when I got into the eyewear business in the 80s there were very few women selling in Alabama of all places. Most of the business was conducted via the old boy network. Where I worked with usage reports and awareness of retailing and style many of the guys worked by taking the guys out for red meat and brown whisky and then just writing orders. Maybe neither way made a great salesperson. I do know that for many years the good ole boys sold alot more than me and some of the other women. In some ways the business climate has changed Rosemary friend me on Facebook or LinkedIn and follow me on Twitter |
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| Posted 2 months ago In an age of networking and relationship building, it is often viewed that the salesperson is there to make the quick sale, not build a relationship. Movies like Glengarry Glen Ross and Boiler Room create a stigma for salespeople, and unfortunately there are a lot of salespeople who embrace that stigma. I've had managers think they were Alec Baldwin as they cursed, swore, and hammered me with the ABCs of selling. I've had sales trainers think they were Ben Affleck as they are yelling at my team that, "Somebody is sold on every call and it better not be you!" Sales isn't JUST about the paycheck, the watch you wear, or the car you drive. The end doesn't justify the means. Great sales people are those who achieve their goals while maintaining integrity and class. I believe there are a lot of those people out there - many on this very forum! I'm in no way pointing the finger. If anything, it is my own guilt that has lead to this conclusion. There was a time when I was very far from being a "Great" salesperson. Chris Heggem
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| Posted 2 months ago It depends what you mean the meaning of great is. I think the world is full of good, very good and even some great sales people. Is a great one, one that listens, ask questions, and helps a customer solve a problem? Is a great sales man one that ensures total customer satisfaction? Is a great salesman one that will never accept no?
How about one that lies, cheats and steals to seal the deal? When I use to managed a group of 100 sales people, I put a defination on what it meant to be great. I got tired of sales people considering meeting their goal that of a great year. I started a promotion called "The Great One!" It took 1 million in new sales to be great. Using this benchmark, I would have between 2 and 28% of my sales force at a great status. So in closing, what do you mean by great? |
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| Posted 2 months ago These forums are interesting because we all have our own personal perspectives, experiences and industries. As Chris just said, the salesrep is often viewed to make the quick sale. Fact is, in some industries the quick sale is appropriate. The required relationship can be developed and the best product can be recommended and sold in a few minutes. I don't need to know the reps family history to purchase a window air conditioner. If it's delivered and it works, I'll go back to that rep/store. With Ro selling eyeglass frames, I would assume that it's not a one time sale but you are seeking to become a continuous supplier with lot's of repeat biz. Maybe the good ole boys had the better approach at that moment in time......................................... until contact lenses and lasik surgery took over. What a bite that technology must have taken out of that biz. I could see the sales managers blaming reps for the reduction in biz. Alec Baldwin screaming. The point I was trying to convey was that sales is a skill, and that in the 80's companies were not as willing to give the time needed to develop that skill. Hence, less great salespeople. Companies were also not as willing to retain salespeople during economic downturns. Often the first to go, shortsighted companies let go their better reps who typically had higher base salaries. With few exceptions, base pays have steadily dropped, the comp side has not increased and you need to sell much more to maintain previous incomes. |
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| Posted 2 months ago
9.30.09
Why are there so few Great Sales People?
This is a good question and one that will probably receive many complaints about the organizations ability to provide enough money, benefits, and opportunities. However these are reasons that organizations cannot hold onto their superstar sales professionals.
Why are there so few great sales professionals?
There are a limited number of sales professionals willing to give of their own time to invest in themselves to being the top performer that delivers day in and day out. Even a bad day the top performer delivers something.
Zig Ziglar and Brian Tracy call this the cost to them. What are they willing to do in order to reach the goals that they have set professionally and personally? The time invested to get what they want while helping another get what they need and want. Extra time learning new techniques, extra time preparing for a new client. Becoming an expert with their product and not afraid to inform the client they are the expert and there to help them.
Greg Demming touches on this quite often; they have a stronger sales will. They spend time with communication and find ways to communicate on a level that is far above the average or standard sales professional.
Please do not think it is limited to the above however I am not here to write a book. In conclusion to my forum post the attitude is stronger and that drives the confidence, ability, and know how.
Let us not argue the semantics of great we know lying cheating,stealing defrauding can never be related to great. We know what great is. Good does not equal great ,missing a process is not great. I think sometimes we try to change the definition of a word to fit an agenda. There is no agenda, there is no grey area. Great is great. If you do not treat each aspect or portion of the sales process as being equally important than you are not great.Meeting goals is not great that is expected. The time is now to grow and learn as much as possible. Take action and responsibility for your actions
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| Posted 2 months ago Hey Rich What is your opinion or thoughts? do you agree with brian greg & zig? It's easy to ignore external influences in a sales training seminar or book and their cheerleader approach and agenda. If I focus on just that one aspect (ME) I can reach similar conclusions . If I step back and take a broader view however there are many dynamics influencing us all, internal & external and some luck. I suspect that there are not too many of us that wanted to be a great salesperson growing up or got a degree in "advanced sales" in college. |
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| Posted 2 months ago oq Chris stated this Sales isn't JUST about the paycheck, the watch you wear, or the car you drive. The end doesn't justify the means. Great sales people are those who achieve their goals while maintaining integrity and class. I believe there are a lot of those people out there - many on this very forum! Chris's quotes most resembles my thoughts. I am not going to place blame on any organization for not training me. It is my responsibility to train me. It helps me more than it helps an organization to train me. Too many sales people assume it is the companies responsibility to train them. Their responsibility is too give me an area that I can cover and an opportunity. It is my responsibility to seek product knowlege,sales knowledge ,set goals, set my attitude. When questions arise it is my duty to ask them and find the information I seek. The difference today people do not take responsibility for thier actions or non actions. Great sales professionals as leaders,managers, or owners. I am not sure about this Using a sports ananlogy the superstar atheletes normally strike out as coaches. Their expectations are high and they do not understand why others do not strive as hard to become the bsst. Thye have a difficult time understanding less motivation, less drive,content.The same with sales professionals who are great at sales they are more difficult to work with when they reach a higher level. I disagree 100% with the example that you gave for a window ac unit. With a one call close it is required to build both personal and professional relationship that guarantees a long term business relationship.It is required to build trust. it is essential to be able to overcome every imaginable objection on the planet from a homeowner.It is essential to learn how to ask the questions that challenge the client to decide to own today. Discover their motives and their motivation to own from me. There is more competition with the one call closing situations. Using plumbers take a peek into the phone book and you will find a min. of 400 plumbers in any location. I could go on and on with the differences and the neccessity that it requires a professional to accomplish what is accomplished with the one call close.Of course there will be excpetions. The same excpetions that will be with b2b. I would love to have people ride with me and me ask questions before ,during ,and after of what did you hear or see from the client and me. I would be willing to place a large wage that the majority of top b2b sales profesisonals would miss the boat on the answers to those questions. My reasoning they have in the past and will continue to do so in the future.They want to concentrate strickly with the business aspect of the one call lose. It is more than business as usual. They miss what actually is important to the client.Those that I communicate with on the professional level seem to miss this aspect of the sales opportunity. The last b2b profesional that did a ride a long with me asked me were we at the same house? He did not hear the same thing I heard from the client and came I out with 2800 dollars. A simple question to answer; how do you use the referral person to help you sell a sales call? The time is now to grow and learn as much as possible. Take action and responsibility for your actions
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4511 posts back to top |
| Posted 2 months ago Help me understand. Why wouldn't I agree with what I have written? I used them to back up my statements. The time is now to grow and learn as much as possible. Take action and responsibility for your actions
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132 posts back to top |
| Posted 2 months ago
I said Fact is, in some industries the quick sale is appropriate. The required relationship can be developed and the best product can be recommended and sold in a few minutes. I don't need to know the reps family history to purchase a window air conditioner. If it's delivered and it works, I'll go back to that rep/store rich , you said I disagree 100% with the example that you gave for a window ac unit. With a one call close it is required to build both personal and professional relationship that guarantees a long term business relationship.It is required to build trust. it is essential to be able to overcome every imaginable objection on the planet from a homeowner.It is essential to learn how to ask the questions that challenge the client to decide to own today. Discover their motives and their motivation to own from me where do we disagree? Maybe I'm a bit ornery today and I missed your statement that you backed up with zig et al., thought you were just repeating their opinion. |
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| Posted 2 months ago Why are there so few great salespeople? For the same reason there are so few great swimmers, actors, conductors, scultors, golfers, CEOs, or game show hosts: because most lack the combination of committment and skill required to achieve greatness.
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| Posted 2 months ago Hey Jim
Managing 100 reps.............. A great rep is one that you don't have to chase for forecasts and reports. |
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| Posted 2 months ago OB- Can you really say that. I know salespeople are notorious for not wanting to do paperwork but do you really think a great sales person is one who gets all reports and forecasts done but doesn't get out in front of the customer?? Rosemary friend me on Facebook or LinkedIn and follow me on Twitter |
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| Posted 2 months ago ro joke for jim he said he had 100 reps |
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| Posted 2 months ago In the past I was actively involved in the automobile industry as a sales professional. I loved the business. I had many opportunities to advance and even was offered the opportunity to go into the F&I function after six months of selling. I found that I preferred being out on the pavement with the customers. I feel a good salesperson has a great smile, a personality, and is very candid with responses. Most importantly LISTEN MORE THAN YOU TALK. |
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| Posted 2 months ago There are a limited number of sales professionals willing to give of their own time to invest in themselves to being the top performer that delivers day in and day out. Even a bad day the top performer delivers something. Read and comprehend. equals the cost to them. Why would I write something and not believe in it? You did miss it part of hearing what is actually meant was missed. The time is now to grow and learn as much as possible. Take action and responsibility for your actions
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| Posted 28 days ago SkipAnderson says ...
I agree with Skip. In addition, I would suggest that much of the information (articles, books, etc.) that falls under the category of "Sales Training" fails to provide a true and accurate foundation to learn and grow from. |
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| Posted 28 days ago I agree with Skip as well. I would like to add that our society has become lazy and tends to look for the lay down sales. Everyone is after a quick dollar. Pride and dedication is lacking. |
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| Posted 27 days ago I agree with the poster earlier said, it's because they move on to other things. I myself have been in sales for a while now and now starting to climb the corp ladder. In a year or so I will no longer be known as a sales person, I'll have a different title doing a different task. Sales is how you get into business, it's not where you end up at. |
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| Posted 23 days ago I agree with Skip as well. and with the comment from Rich "There are a limited number of sales professionals willing to give of their own time to invest in themselves to being the top performer that delivers day in and day out. Even a bad day the top performer delivers something." I don't think that economics plays much of a role, really. In the late 70's and mid 80's things were tough and people still had to sell their goods. Great Sales People or Great Sales Professionals are Great LISTENERS as someone else has mentioned. I guess we all have a little different perception of the perception of a Great Sales Person? |
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| Posted 23 days ago
The late 70's and the early 80's things were tough to sell and it was similar to what is taking place today. However after that companies allowed the poor sales people to stay on board without investing in sales training or the poor sales people taking it on their own and learning new techniques or becoming sales intelligent.Turning to todays market these company's during the slow down period are hurting due to their sales staff not being able to sell properly. In some cases it hurt the companies so bad that they found the need to let people go and quite often even th qualified sales professionals had to be let go with those who did not have the ability to be nothing more than an order taker.They did not take the time to invest in themselves to learn what it really takes to sell. Economics played a huge role during the late 80's until 2001. The companies did not think they needed to let the poor performers go and kept them on due to some sales they brought into the company.It became acceptable to have low performers without conditioning them to become better at thier trade. The time is now to grow and learn as much as possible. Take action and responsibility for your actions
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| Posted 23 days ago I remember that in the late 70's and very early 80's, but I don't remember it taking so long to get back to what I'd guess we'd call normal. If I had my OWN company I would work differently, as I would be giving myself my own paycheck. Why can't I get the nerve to go solo as a proprietor again, hmmm. |
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| Posted 22 days ago Master the fear. The time is now to grow and learn as much as possible. Take action and responsibility for your actions
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| Posted 14 days ago Nik, Nik, Nik! I totally disagree. If sales isn't where you end up, it's only where you start. you aren't a true salesperson. Take a look at the top left hand portion of your screen. What does it say? Go ahead and keep climbing the corporate ladder. Me? I'm going to continue to do what I do. That's sales. Oh yeah, Rich. This is why there are so few GREAT sales people. |
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| Posted 10 days ago I think we live in a day and age where self gratification is instant, similar to how our "credit market" plummeted. This being my opinion, when you have become accumstomed to getting what you want now, is harder to work for the long run and achieve a future. People want success quickly, and easily, and this goes for sales people too. I think that great sales people understand it takes effort, investement, and time to achieve greatness. My favorite saying is a monkey can sell some of that product with a sign, but it takes a great sales person to sell all the time. |
