How These Four Sales Management Tips Can Reverse the 20-80 Productivity Rule For Your Sales Team

The 20/80 rule (Pareto's Principle) abounds in life and in business. This is a pretty scary statistic as noted by Tom Stein in a posting at the AllBusiness website specific to sales. In his article, he provided five (5) steps to build a powerful and effective sales team where the goal to increase sales is realized. Now what would happen if the sales management could move some of those under performing salespersons in the 80% bucket into the 20% bucket without losing the productivity of the currently performing to over performing individuals? For this to happens requires these steps to be taken: First, referring to Tom Collins in Good to Great, it is critical to have the right sales people in the right seats in the right bus. When you understand their decision making styles to their talents (strengths) you can not only achieve great performance appraisals, but have a cohesive team where all members are rowing with the same energy toward exactly the same target. In other words, you have removed the slackers from your team and have helped the under performing to work smarter and not harder. Second, integrating a proven goal achievement process that unites the following: Personal goals Organizational goals Metrics Alignment to other departments The use of the same tool (goal worksheet) ensures sales goals are achieved as well as improves overall communication. Such improvements only strengthen another inherent weakness facing more organizations and that is consistent execution of strategic goals and initiatives. Sales Training Coaching Tip: Many individuals fail to achieve their own personal goals so how they achieve organizational ones? Third, reviewing the overall organization is necessary as well. The sales department does not work in isolation. Other functions and departments of the firm must all work together. Unfortunately, sometimes the inability to increase sales is just as much about internal obstacles such as structure, processes, rewards and other employees as it is about the individual performance of each salesperson. Sometimes it may also help to take a proven organizational assessment aligned to accepted criteria such as Baldrige. Fourth, results based, not competency based, sales training is also required. This approach to developing the skill sets of your sales team leverages everyone's talents. (See Tip #1). When a competency based approach is used, the strengths of individual team members are devalued because a now accepted competency has been created. This also creates an essentially "more hope to" false philosophy which again is not the best performance approach. When organizations invest the time to truly develop their sales teams including providing effective sales training, assessing for decision making styles and talents and incorporating a proven goal achievement process, then they can move away from the 20/80 principle. This action would increase overall productivity and realize the goal to increase sales. Now doesn't that make more sense? Free sales skills assessment by Results Sales Coach Leanne Hoagland-Smith who helps with sales coaching, leadership to sales management development. Schedule your free strategy session at 219.759.5601 Central Time. Are you Captain Wing It or Captain Focus It when it comes to your business and sales behaviors? Learn how to work smarter not harder by having a simple written sales action plan. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Leanne_Hoagland-Smith

7 Simple Tips to Create Success Within the Sales and Marketing Industries

It doesn't matter what the marketing or sales opportunity that you're in is, there are always a few things that remain constant in order to achieve success. In this article I would like to talk a about 7 tips to creating success within the marketing or sales industries; actually these tips can be used by anyone involved with business. Here are 7 simple tips to creating success within the sales and marketing industries: 1. Be Punctual There is nothing worse than someone that is always late; it's rude and unprofessional. If you're supposed to call or meet someone at a certain time then you've got to be punctual. Showing up on time shows that you're professional and you respect other peoples time. No one will ever take you serious if you're constantly showing up late. 2. Warm Up the Client The best way to warm up a client is to become their friend. In a way I would rather have people view me as their friend than just some sales person or business man. When you're able to find some common ground with a person you'll have a much easier time transitioning into you your business. 3. Knowledge You've got to know your product and business inside and out. Remember that people aren't just buying a product they're buying you; the second they see that you don't know what you're talking they'll decide right then and there that they don't want to do business with you. 4. Adapting To Your Buyer Every one of your buyers or clients will be different from the other. You can't say or do the same thing over and over; you've got to adapt to your buyer and make them feel comfortable and relaxed. 5. Trust Building a trust bridge between you and your client is one of the most important things you can do. This can be done by accomplishing the things that I've mentioned so far. Once you've established that trust you don't want to do anything that could ruin it. 6. Have a Plan Don't be one of those business men or women that think they can "wing" their presentation. Have a well thought and organized plan and you'll see that your presentation will go much smoother. 7. Closing If you do all the things that I've mentioned above then closing will be easy. The key to closing a sale is make sure your clients understand why they need whatever it is that you're selling. Once they feel the need for your product or service closing the sale will be the easiest thing you've ever done. I've been trained and mentored by some of the best online marketers on the web today. Our team is one of the best in the business. I would love to help you make a change in your life, and help you learn how to make money online. Take a look at http://www.todaysbiz.org/ and make a change in your life today! Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Michael_Sanofsky