Don’t Do This When Interviewing Salespeople

When you were interviewing for your current job, you probably prepped yourself for days, making sure you did all your research on the position, spoke to the few people who know the job well, maybe got a little background information on your boss-to-be.

On the day of the interview you woke up that morning, you might have rehearsed your answers to some of the potential interview questions while you were in the shower.

Maybe you made extra sure that you got a nice haircut was just so and wore your best suit and even shined those beat up Bostonians.

The point is this, when you interviewed, you made every possible attempt to represent yourself in the best possible way.

In short, that day, unless you were sick, you presented yourself in the best possible way you knew how. It was the best that you had.

By the same token, when a sales manager is interviewing sales candidates, Continue reading

How To Use “Confrontation” To Turn Around Sales Underperformers

face-to-face salespeopleAvoiding conflict is the key to good sales management. Or is it?

Like I said in an earlier sales training post, the top-performing sales manager spends the majority of his time encouraging his reps…unlike most sales managers who constantly break their reps down through criticism, criticism and more criticism.

This paints a nice, rosy picture…doesn’t it?

When it comes to an underperforming sales rep though – forget encouragement. The time for that has passed.

The sales manager now must become the confrontationalist. Sales performance stinks – and the sales manager needs to take action now!

Rule #2: Confrontation is Good. Continue reading

Sales Training 101 for Sales Managers: Set The Tone

sales manager talking to salespersonA sales manager REALLY must understand one thing about underperformers: there are many different reasons why people perform below standards.

It seems kinda obvious, but here’s why.

The salesperson has little or no talent.

They stink…they’re never gonna make it no matter how hard you push.

Let’s face it: your sales force has more than just a few of these…and its not gonna get any better the longer you wait.

More on that subject in subsequent posts…

For today however, if your instincts tells you this person has something inside him or her that could make him or her an outstanding sales person, at least if it were under the right circumstances, then a sales manager needs to apply the first of three rules of underperformance.

The first rule: Set the Tone. Continue reading