Hopefully you’ve taken the time to explain the jobs of your sales team and sales management. It’s a valuable exercise. Now you get to evaluate sales team strategy and culture. In spite of your methodology half your sales representatives currently perform below average. Fifty percent are performing below average! Think of that. It’s an incontrovertible fact. So why even assess the team? Simply put, to sell more.

Successful selling organizations encompass three components; investment, activity and results. The primary component is the investment within the sales team. The investment is measured in compensation, benefits, computers, software, training, hiring, meetings, sales material, phones and other related expenses.

The second element is the activity of the investment. Face-to-face meetings, travel, preparation, telephone calls and administration comprise the second one element. The third, and vital, component stands alone; results. What number sales were generated? Profits? Current market share?

The glue that binds the 3 distinct parts includes your people, culture and customers. Is there a career path for salespeople? What’s your turnover rate? Who’re the sales heroes? What’s driving the team to reach?

The best sales managers and sales teams recognize four productivity drivers.

1. Sales research-information with regards to market trends, target markets, customers, trends, etc.

2. Investment and organization-size, structure and deployment of sales team lets you get definitely the right people on the right place on the right time.

3. People-selection, training, managing, motivating, evaluation and termination.

4. Sales systems and processes-compensation, incentives, benefits, internal support, etc.

Tests and surveys remain the simplest solution to assess salespeople. Companies rarely assess sales management instead counting on results to establish effectiveness.

A successful selling organization operates in a progressive culture. What’s a culture? That’s best answered by the subsequent story.

Six apes were placed in a room with a ladder. a group of bananas hung from the guts of the room. One ape began to climb the ladder for the fruit and the full room was showered with cold water. This happened once or twice until any ape that wandered near the ladder was beat up by other apes. a brand new guy replaced probably the most original apes. The recent guy, desirous to be a hero, headed for the ladder and received an intensive beating. He learned to not go near the ladder. Eventually every body of the unique apes was replaced. The beatings continued. The replacement apes were unaware why they were prohibiting others from going near the ladder. They only knew the ladder was off limits.  

That’s a culture. Are there any new apes to your team following old practices without knowing why? Cultures evolve through the years and their origins are rarely known. Does your sales team have a culture? I bet it does. Is it a tight one? Sales cultures include three elements:

¨ Norms-how individuals actually behave.

¨ Values-how individuals should behave.

¨ Work styles-diligent, tardy, professional, thorough, detailed, casual?

Changing negative cultures represents a major challenge but is mandatory…with the intention to stay in business. Everyone is the agents of change and needs to be supported by management. Who’re the heroes of your sales team? How long have they been the dep. hero and for what reason? Knowing these answers may also help you assess your culture.

You must first formulate your vision of the sales team and evaluate all key contributing factors. Great companies communicate their vision clearly and usually with all sales related personnel. Don’t leave anyone out that is available in contact together with your sales team.

Next, you have to put your vision in action by rewarding individuals for acting in concordance together with your vision. It is a process not a destination but because it evolves your sales increases and profits will soar.

This takes courage. You would like to ask and answer tough questions. Dedication to a much better selling team is needed. Don’t quit until your vision is clarified, communicated and results in rewarding the winners.

“Only the wisest and stupidest of fellows never change.”
Confucius