Peady’s Selling Engagement sponsored by IRD Prospector

“Always hit your numbers and you’ll always be loved!” – Mike McCallister US businessman.

I’ve been around media sales for a while and one of the main lessons I’ve learnt is when you are regularly hitting or exceeding your quota, budget or target you “earn” freedom. What Mr McCallister says is 100% true.

Unfortunately, too many salespeople don’t hit or exceed their targets. And many of them will always struggle to get anywhere near their potential.

Here’s the 5 reasons why

1. They think their job is to sell all the time because they are “in sales”. All of their meetings and discussions are about them, their product or service. Instead of finding out why customers and potential customers want to buy.
2. They stick to 9 to 5. No early morning meetings or evening networking for them! You’ll often hear them talk about work-life balance and how hobbies, friends, family are more important than the job they do
3. They don’t open their mind to alternatives. No matter how much training or coaching they are given they religiously stick to “my way” even though this rarely works and the numbers stink.
4. They are one of the pack, one of the many “reps” who fail to create interest and excitement with the customer because talking about stuff adds no perceived value. Not surprisingly their close rates are average, or worse.
5. They find blame. Their manager, the economy, the territory, the customer, the product/service, the pricing. In fact, everyone and everything except the person responsible. THEM.

Have I been inflammatory and hard-core on purpose? Sure. But what I’ve written is true. We all know sales people just like this.
Do you agree?
 

About the author 

Stephen Pead is a media industry veteran of 30 years with significant experience in direct sales, sales management and general management. He is based in Sydney and specialises in helping SME’s market their businesses more effectively and providing training for salespeople and sales managers.

He can be contacted at [email protected]