| -link"> | | | | aggressive. You say to yourself, If I could only |
| Some people are wildly successful at selling, | | | | wake them up, they’d be right up there |
| meeting and exceeding every goal placed in front | | | | with the best. |
| of them, while others lack either the self | | | | I was giving a speech on Four People, Four |
| motivation or certain key skill sets to get them to | | | | Paths to a leading company in the California |
| their next level of growth and performance. To | | | | real estate industry where I was emphasizing the |
| improve sales in highly competitive sales | | | | importance of knowing exactly who you are. |
| environments, leaders must create a | | | | While I was quoting my book The Four Kinds of |
| growth-oriented atmosphere that thrives on | | | | Sales People and explaining in detail the struggles |
| constant improvement, regardless of market | | | | and breakthrough opportunities for each of the |
| conditions. | | | | four kinds of sales people, a woman in the |
| Have you ever closely examined why some | | | | audience yelled out, Oh my God, I’m a |
| people are wildly successful at selling, meeting and | | | | Caretaker! The crowd laughed and I |
| exceeding every goal placed in front of them, | | | | congratulated her on her honesty and pointed out |
| while others lack either the self motivation or | | | | to her (and others who were not so forthright) |
| certain key skill sets to get them to their next | | | | the tremendous opportunity that existed if she |
| level of growth and performance? After all, they | | | | made the conscious decision to change and begin |
| all have the same product, the same tools, and | | | | doing the difficult things that it takes to produce |
| the same compensation structure. They’ve | | | | top results on a consistent basis. |
| all been through the same sales | | | | 4. The Searcher — The One That Belongs |
| management-training program. In my experience | | | | In Any Career But Sales |
| of 25 years selling, building sales organizations and | | | | All sales leaders have made some bad hiring |
| leading and managing thousands of salespeople, | | | | decisions that result in sales reps that just |
| the answer has to do with the fact that virtually | | | | don’t belong in sales. They perceived a |
| all sales’ organizations are comprised of | | | | sales career to be easy and they were wrong. |
| four different kinds of salespeople: | | | | Producing top sales is hard work. These misfits |
| 1. The Performers — The Top Producers | | | | are consumed with fear, and if truth be told, they |
| These high achieving sales executives are the | | | | honestly hate sales. They have no real intention |
| best at bringing in the numbers, but chances are | | | | of making the necessary changes to be |
| that you spend a fair share of your time cleaning | | | | successful. You’re better off helping them |
| up her messes. Seems like they’re either | | | | find more fulfilling careers. |
| sky-high or down in the dumps. When the | | | | My point is that while the individual make-up of |
| performer is down, they are out of their selling | | | | sales forces may vary, there are always only |
| zone, and productivity comes to a standstill. But | | | | four kinds. Management’s goal is to get the |
| when the performer is up, look out world! | | | | best to keep getting better while building a team |
| 2. The Professional — Another Top | | | | with as many top producers as possible. That |
| Producer | | | | means management must influence those that |
| This top producer is very consistent, a total team | | | | are stuck in their comfort zone to break |
| player, even tempered, patient, and consistently | | | | through to the next level. That means |
| bringing in the numbers. Professionals are also part | | | | management must perform the unenviable task |
| of the elite members on the sales team, but they | | | | of helping those that don’t belong to find |
| seem to be missing some opportunities that | | | | other career paths. In my experience, |
| would catapult them to super stardom if they | | | | management gets too preoccupied with these |
| made some slight changes to their selling game. | | | | two challenges and neglects the opportunity to |
| Instead, they stick to self-proven conservative | | | | get their top producers to reach for their next |
| approaches. | | | | level of achievement. They have more potential. |
| 3. The Caretaker — Stuck In A Major | | | | That’s why they’re the best. And |
| Comfort | | | | can be even better. |
| These are the sales executives that are simply | | | | If you want sales to improve, particularly in highly |
| stuck in their lackluster comfort zones -- giving | | | | competitive sales environments, then leaders |
| you a solid month about every third month, or | | | | must create a growth-oriented atmosphere that |
| giving you about seventy percent of what they | | | | thrives on constant improvement, regardless of |
| have all the time. They have the potential, but | | | | market conditions. By the way, that means |
| they’re consistently mediocre. You just | | | | leaders and managers must also be striving to |
| can’t get them to perform the difficult | | | | break through to their next level as well. Sales is |
| tasks that it takes to produce at top levels with | | | | about creating and sustaining momentum, and |
| any regularity. Worse yet, they’re passive | | | | then creating even more of it. Consistently. |