Eight Reasons Why Salespeople Fail
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The responsibility for ensuring that every member of the sales team is successful and performing at optimum levels lies entirely with management and below are the eight reasons why sales people fail. In fact, I usually ask just three very straightforward questions, in order to identify why a salesperson is underachieving i.e.,
• Are they visiting/talking to enough clients/prospects? In other words are they pro-active and are their activity levels high?
• Are they talking to the right people within those client/prospect organizations? Are they able to penetrate the formal DMU (Decision Making Unit) and get to the MAN?
• Are they saying/doing the right things? This really means – how strong are their selling skills?
However this list, whilst not exhaustive, remains extremely accurate and as I said earlier, management has total control over each of these, including the last one!
1. Wrong or no selection process - The wrong person for the position
2. Wrong or no training - Insufficiently developed
3. Wrong or no planning - Expected to do all of their own planning
4. Wrong or no supervision – Left without competent supervision
5. Wrong or no motivation - Not properly motivated to meet objectives
6. Wrong or no stimulation – Not stimulated by appropriate incentives
7. Wrong or no evaluation – Not regularly appraised against a set of agreed objectives
8. Wrong or no executive action – Not adequately supported by a competent manager
If you are a sales manager, consider your part in this equation. According to these criteria, do you feel your current team poised for success? Hopefully you can say yes! If not, this list will hopefully draw attention to how you can help your team exercise their potential. Your wallet will also thank you!
Read More Tips for Leading Sales Teams
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Comments
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- rich34232
- 18 days ago
- 0 comments
I agree with 4 out of 8. Training. Why do we think the company should train us. Why not put the time and effort to gain what you need yourself . This goes hand in hand with motivation.You should have the motivation to learn as much of what you are supposed to do and ho to do it, Stimulation ,you set your own pay scale with the incentives and how hard you wish to work. Planning? You need to prepare and plan. Set your goals to be reached and how you wish to reach them. Everybody I speak to and with all expect their companies to give them all the trianing needed.They can give you a boost.The training is up to you. These are what you control.
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- jkcabral
- 27 days ago
- 0 comments
Thanks for stating these reasons so clearly. Anyone that has ever had a bad manager would totally agree.
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- Hurricanemurph
- about 1 month ago
- 1 comment
Thank you Jonathan for delivering a one- two punch to sales managers and sales trainers. Today, many sales reps are thrown to the wolves, without any idea of where ther are,what they do, and why. Managers should ensure their companies success by providing each person the tools you described above in the article. Time should be spent discovering each persons special strengths. Then spending time developing these strengths. Most sales people do not want to fail, but it can become an emotional roller coaster, with the end result failure. So spend time with your BEST PEOPLE, and SPEND TIME to develop the rest of your sales team too. Watch what happens... Look for smiles and happiness...Then look for the money. Best Wishes.................HURRICANEMURPH.........06/20/2008.
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- flowergirlmt
- about 1 month ago
- 1 comment
Good info. Wish it was expanded on a little.
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- rich34232
- about 1 month ago
- 0 comments
agree with the above.Hows this for an interesting change We have three sales people who do each and every step on their own.We meet weekly to discuss what we have run into,how to overcome.What we should try .How we should try it.We have set up our own goals. At this point we have decided to learn as much as we can.Try new ways to reinvent the wheel.
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- DwayneMcCormick
- about 1 month ago
- 0 comments
Good information, very useful in identifying gaps in consulting/selling process.
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- peterwebb51
- about 1 month ago
- 0 comments
This article seems a little too simplistic
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- kdrew
- 2 months ago
- 0 comments
In addition to the above, most sales managers make the mistake of thinking they are a sales team manager. They spend so much time creating a kumbaya experience for their team nothing gets sold...and sales covers a multitude of sins. So...yes you need to do all of the above, but not lose focus that the end result is supposed to be sales.
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- Alyce
- 2 months ago
- 0 comments
As a sales professional wouldn't you ask yourself the question...What am I doing wrong? How should I change? Instead of just blaming management. Tell your manager what you need and how it will benefit the bottom line and I think life will be much better for you. I take a proactive approach and let my boss know my concerns it has helped me through my career and made life much more successful.
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- monikapp
- 2 months ago
- 0 comments
Hi, I am export manager and I am responsible for huge Asia market sales. I am not as succesfull as I have planned and all process is going much longer than I have planned. Now I see the reason - all above points are not achieved in my company. Believe me or not, but as Export Manager I have no assistant or person responsible for office work for my clients, so I have to meet with my clients, answer all mails, translate ingredients stickers, organize transportations and orders! (I am working in big company with 5000employes!). My director is not taking 1 minute to discuss with me any strategy, any products investments - he would like me to do what I feel would be O.K. for Asian market. Since 4 years work in this company I did not have any trainee, althou I started here as asistant and get promoted for Manager position. My director is just expecting sales results without any tips or suggestions how to solve problems on my market. Now I know why it can not work properly - I have to do all by myown. Concerning motivation - I have got agreed salary and mobile phone. No car, no sales bonus, no %from turnovers.
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- Malan
- 2 months ago
- 0 comments
Excellent points and good for review, I think the article is right on point. I also have been in a position where the manager was a micro-manager and lacked true managerial skills. It makes it difficault for the team to be successful in an environment of watch dogging especially amongst professionals.
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- vikingpalmbeach
- 4 months ago
- 0 comments
Excellent review article. I just came out of a job where nearly every point in this article was 100% true...mostly because the owner was on premises (a micro-manager not qulaified to manage at all). The firm needs a revolving door for all the sale associates that came and went...I witnessed nine in my first three-months.
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- Featured Writer:
- Jonathan Farrington
Jonathan Farrington is a globally recognized business coach, mentor, author and consultant, who has guided hundreds of companies and thousands of individuals around the world towards optimum performance levels.
Formerly, Jonathan was the Managing Partner of The jfa Group which he established in 1994 and then early in 2007, Jonathan formed Top Sales Associates (TSA) to promote the very best sales related solutions and products. TSA is now a subsidiary of The Sales Corporation based in London and Paris, where Jonathan is the Chairman.
The JF Consultancy, launched early in 2008 and Jonathan’s highly popular daily blog for dedicated business professionals can be found at www.thejfblogit.co.uk
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