Increase Sales Blog

Posts Tagged ‘sales targets’

Did you know that research suggests anywhere between 40 and 70% of all sales targets are not achieved? With many salespersons missing their goals, some in sales management are seeking new solutions to this continued problem.

In some cases, new sales training programs and systems are brought in to turnaround lackluster efforts. At other times, countless meetings are scheduled with short motivational activities to engage the team.  Occasionally, sales management resorts to a “Do it” or be fired position.

The end result is these solutions scare the sales team resulting in even worse outcomes. So what is answer?

To find the answer, the real problem needs to be identified. Unfortunately, many symptoms are diagnosed as problems. This missed problem identification or diagnosis creates a lot of wasted energy not too mention depletes precious resources of time, emotion and dollars.

Given that most people do not change (1 out of 10 according to Alan Deutschman in his book Change or Die), then there is an already pre-existing fear belief.  Couple this belief with the majority of individuals are negatively conditioned, no wonder your solutions are scaring your sales force.

There also exists conditioning in how the solutions are developed and delivered.  A lot of emphasis is placed on providing new knowledge or working on existing sale skills, yet very little focus is on the creation of positive attitudes and habits.

For example, from my own experience in working with my clients and speaking to business owners to C-Level executives, I can say 90% of those involved in selling do not follow up on every sales lead.  The actual research suggests a far more dismal fact of almost 50% of all leads are left on the table. Now most people would agree that salespersons know they need to follow up especially during down economic times.

The question to be asked is “Not do they know it, but do they want to do it?”  The doing it just might be scaring them.

If you want to increase sales, then look to developing the necessary positive attitudes (beliefs) and habits (behaviors) necessary to achieve that goal.  Success is within the grasp of your sales management team.  The only question is: Are you scared now by embracing a different solution?

Sales research indicating:

• 50% of all sales leads are left to wither on the vine to die
• 80% of all salesperson stop after the 3rd contact
• 30%-70% of all sales targets are not achieved

What this suggests to me is there is a just a lot of plain laziness out there in the marketplace and very few people are talking about this using this word.

Laziness is so prevalent in our society (U.S.) I am surprised that anything gets down.  The majority of people are born both mentally and physically fit.  However due to a variety of reasons, laziness takes over. With the prevalent entitlement mentality, productivity suffers while other costs such as health care to the price of retail goods continue to spiral upward.  The U.S. and even Britain’s obesity rates confirm this change in behavior and the additional costs.

Just look at the parking lot of any grocery or retail store. How many carts are left stranded in parking places because someone was just to darn lazy to return the cart to one of those cart holding stands?

This laziness also has a much deeper meaning and that is total, 100% disrespect for all those other shoppers who have to weave around those unintended shopping carts.  (Think ethics and beliefs) Heavens forbid if it is a windy day and a sudden gust takes the cart and slams it into your vehicle or worse yet child! My sense is many of those lazy people would be the first to complain if their car damaged or their child harm by a stray shopping cart.

When people are lazy in sales, in  business and in life, their behaviors affect everyone else because of their poor business ethics. This is why it is important to focus on what you can control and have an action plan to support that focus.

As one final note for this Friday’s editorial, if you choose to be lazy, then do not expect others to pick up your slack.  For you have 100% of what actions you take from picking up that phone to call a potential customer to what food you place into your mouth.  Personal responsibility and accountability are key attributes or talents not only for professional sales people but everyone else as well.

The quest to increase sales is a monthly effort. Now with the second month of 2010 are quickly coming to an end this begs to ask the question:  Are your hitting your sales targets or not?

Possibly now is the time to start thinking differently.  When you are asked “What do you do?” How do you respond?  Do you begin your “elevator pitch” with either one of these words?  “I” of  “We”  Sales Training Coaching Tip:  Remember to respond with what you do, not how you do what you do.

What would happen if you were able to describe what you do by using an adjective ending with “ing” such as:

• Accelerating?
• Building?
• Growing?
• Helping?
• Partnering?
• Streamlining?
• Working?

Then finish your marketing message in another 6 words.  Would such a marketing statement get the attention of your potential customer better than what you are currently saying? Sales Training Coaching Tip: Having an executive  marketing summary helps you in this endeavor.

One of my coaches, David Herdlinger,  once said “If you are telling you ain’t selling!” When we provide long, detail rich answers to that first simple question we are not building a relationship.  The human brain can only remember about 7 to 10 bits of information at a time.  Just think about attempting to remember someone’s name.  Sales Training Coaching Tip:  Ask yourself this question:  Is my response memorable?

Your marketing challenge to increase sales begins at the very first moment to grab someone’s attention and start to build a relationship.  Excess verbiage only confuses the person standing opposite you.

As you construct your 7 word response consider these three communication tips.

Accuracy - Your response needs to be accurate. This means you need to answer the question. Now some may answer the question with a question.  Depending upon your communication style, this may work for you.

Brevity – Being brief in 7 words or less helps the other person to remember what you said. Again your goal is for the other person to speak so you learn more about her or him.

Creativity - Saying what others have said such as “we grow health and wealth” (a common financial advisor response) or “I turn potential into performance” (an often heard statement by business coaches, executive coaches or business consultants) only reaffirms that you are just another gray suit in the Sea of Sameness. You stand out, to be that Red Jacket, demands an investment of your time to construct a truly creative and compelling message.

By applying these communication tips  to your marketing message, you can become the Red Jacket where people remember you and truly want to become better acquainted with you.  Sales Training Coaching Tip:  The words you speak along with the behaviors you take are critical to your ability to increase sales.