| p>How do you train your sales personnel? Perhaps a | | | | all of the right language to use on a sales call and he |
| better question would be...Do you train your sales | | | | will be everyone's best friend. A lot of coffee may be |
| personnel? As silly as this may sound a lot of | | | | consumed and a lot of the world's problems may be |
| organizations hire a salesperson and tell them to go | | | | solved but your products will not be sold and the new |
| get it. I have personally dealt with such an organization | | | | employee will learn quickly how to perform bad habits. |
| and this was considered the norm. Why? Because | | | | Should the new employee be astute enough to ask he |
| they have always done it this way! I suspect a lot of | | | | or she may inquire as to sales manuals, product |
| individuals have heard this comment from other | | | | sheets, account information sheets etc. A typical |
| organizations. | | | | organization will have some of these items but not all. |
| Past experience has shown me that the normal way | | | | New employees may receive all manner of |
| a lot of small companies hire salespeople is by word | | | | explanations as to why the territory has not much |
| of mouth or recommendation from a friend or | | | | available information. The employee may even be told |
| customer. More times than not this method is flawed | | | | that the lack of information and performance is the |
| from the beginning. Depending upon your industry or | | | | reason he was hired. He has to turn this train wreck |
| product offering you may have experienced | | | | around. Not wanting to appear timid the new |
| something like the following dialogue. | | | | salesperson will gather up as much bravado as |
| Question: "Do you know anyone you would | | | | possible and shout to the rooftops how he will be the |
| recommend for a job"? | | | | savior for whom the company has been looking. All |
| Answer: "Yeah, Joe has been with me forever and he | | | | the while he may be thinking, what kind of mess have I |
| needs to make more money and I cannot afford to | | | | gotten myself into? |
| pay him. He would be great for your job. OR | | | | The owner or sales manager most likely will sit back |
| Question: I need to hire a new salesperson to call on | | | | and wait for the rain to fall from the sky because this |
| your account and several others in this area. Do you | | | | new salesperson told everyone he is the best thing |
| know anyone who would be a good fit? | | | | since sliced bread and he will show the existing sales |
| Answer: Why yes, my son (Daughter) is looking for a | | | | force how to make hay when the sun shines. ( Pardon |
| job and they know this business well. They will make a | | | | the use of metaphors.) Reality will set in around the |
| great salesperson.(Watch out for this landmine) | | | | 60th day of employment when the new salesperson |
| There are many more examples but hopefully, you get | | | | has done very little to earn his keep (with good |
| the picture. Why do we as business owners or | | | | reason) and the owner or manager will begin to get a |
| managers spend so little time hiring the individuals who | | | | little nervous. At this point the owner of my old |
| will represent us in the marketplace? Keep in mind I am | | | | company used to tell me to "put them on the get well |
| not speaking of Fortune 500 organizations because | | | | program." Translated this meant to reduce their draw |
| companies in this arena spend a lot of money and | | | | from a living wage to starvation wages. This move |
| hours interviewing and investigating. Small or medium | | | | usually achieved the desired result. The new |
| sized businesses sometimes do not believe they have | | | | salesperson quit and the process began anew. By the |
| the time or money to recruit and hire properly. This is a | | | | way, at this juncture the adage defining madness as |
| tragic mistake. | | | | doing the same thing over and over and expecting |
| The mistake is compounded when after hiring a warm | | | | different results, needs to be stamped on a decision |
| body for the position the owner, sales manager or | | | | maker's forehead. |
| whoever is available may train the new employee for | | | | During the recruitment and hiring phase I strongly |
| at least 2 days. Sometimes this training takes place in | | | | recommend the owner and sales manager be left out |
| a distribution center where the new employee may be | | | | of the initial interviews. This is important because the |
| subjected to negative comments from various | | | | easiest person to sell is another salesperson and in the |
| individuals. Perhaps if the new employee is lucky he will | | | | case of a lot of small companies, the owner and sales |
| be placed with a marginal salesperson and told to ride | | | | manager have usually carried most of the water with |
| around with him or her for a few days. The marginal | | | | which to prime the pump of prosperity. Con artists and |
| salesperson is chosen because the top performers do | | | | hucksters know exactly what buttons to push when |
| not want to be bothered nor do they want to give | | | | dealing with this type of personality. More on recruiting |
| away any "secrets." The marginal salesperson knows | | | | and interviewing in the next installment. |