10-14-2013
Most customers are inclined to do business with winners so it?s important for account executives to exude confidence. BUT?
? Feeling good about yourself should have some rational basis in performance results.
Given that, on average, it takes 5.3 meaningful contacts to turn a prospect into a sale, persistence is an important characteristic for salespeople to possess. BUT?
? If, after 12 meetings, decision-makers still aren?t buying, it?s probably time to face facts.
If you follow my blogs, you know that I believe in the power of numbers (see "Moneyball ? It?s Not Just for Baseball") and I respect sellers who try to get better results by making more calls. BUT?
? If, regardless of how many prospects you see, your closing ratio hovers around 5 percent, your performance is not good.
It was Einstein who famously defined insanity as, ?doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.? I would humbly suggest that the same can be said for incompetence.
Cynics among us will suggest that the account executives I?ve described should change professions and, for some, that might be the right answer. I can?t imagine an unhappier existence than being a salesperson and not writing any business. But, I?m a glass-half-full kind of guy. And, because I believe good selling is more of an acquired skill set than a natural talent, I believe many sellers can be saved.
I will say, however, that mediocre AE?s need to ?man up? and take candid stock of their own performance. They must be proactive in order to break out of their ?Groundhog Day? cycle. So, if your sales are sagging, what can you do?
1. Make a personal commitment to change ? anything or everything. Swallow the bitter ?what I?m doing isn?t working? pill and get excited about a new regimen;
2. Execute an honest self-assessment. If you?re going into work late and leaving early, taking risky shortcuts in the selling process, or being distracted by personal issues, you already have a roadmap for positive change; and,
3. Ask for help ? now, before it?s too late. As a sales manager, I found nothing more seductive than a seller seeking my guidance. In a nanosecond, I would transform from mortified manager into motivated mentor. The same thing will happen to your boss, given the chance.
Here?s something about which all managers will agree: They are desperate for good salespeople and they despise needless turnover. So, take heart struggling sellers! Your management team would much rather turn you around than turn you loose.
Jon E. Horton is the author of "The 22 Unbreakable Laws of Selling" available in both paperback and Kindle versions from Amazon.com. For more of his blogs, please visit www.JonEHorton.com. Comments to Jon@JonEHorton.com.
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