Sales Management in This Recession - Improve Your Sales Team's Performance

We limit ourselves when it comes to selling andlose a sale that's forecast.
business development. Here is another story fromThese people have no reason (in their mind) to
my networking association meeting the otherchange. This is where management has to step in
night. This article can help you or your people(a) to tell their people what they have to do -
overcome self limiting sales beliefs and developcoaching, and (b) then hold them accountable for
more business faster.producing results - task master.
Back to the two ladies I talked about in my2. People hold themselves back. From childhood
previous story, after I asked my favoritewe are conditioned to attain a level (get a job.)
question. "So ladies, what are your major issuesPeople get so far i.e. employed with a steady
as it relates to business development during thispaycheck, and they have subconsciously reached
economic down time," here is what happened.their level. Yes, everybody says they want more,
I started giving my suggestions about what theybut they are held back by their own negative self
could do about the low price issue (see previoustalk, and this, believe it or not, keeps them in their
story.) As I'm talking, one lady is sort of listeningcomfort zone. Subconsciously they are saying,
as the other is checking out all the other people"The devil I know is better than the one I don't."
to see if there is someone better that she canor "Why invest in self improvement, I'm good at
network to. As people walk by she actually startswhat I do." or "This is as good as it get's. Why
talking to them as I'm talking and then comesrisk, why make the effort?" or "It's everyone
back to my golden nuggets of selling wisdoms.else's fault," or some other limiting negative self
Obviously she wasn't interested in hearing whattalk.
she could to do about her issue. The other paid aThis again is where managers have to step in.
little closer attention, but then wanted to tell meThey have to realize these self limits about their
why the customer was wrong. Basically, withoutpeople and (c) train them on how to sell,- trainer
words, she told me she was going to continue(d) show them on how to do it, - mentor and (e)
doing it her way.again, hold them accountable for the
Now here is the irony. These people need to winimplementation - task master. The lack of
more deals. Their business floats with theaccountability for implementation is why training
economy, meaning good economy, more businessand self-help fails. Without reinforcing the changes,
and bad economy, less business - always thethe negative self talk that is solidly programmed in
same share or the pie. Yet, their employers wantthe minds of everyone, takes over and
business - no matter good or bad economy. Thissabotages any progress towards change. See
means in a bad economy their share has to getJohn Assaraf's book The Answer for more on
bigger or they have to beat the competitionthis topic -
more often. So why don't these people want toSo the moral of this story is that employed
get some tips and try to use them? Here are 2people do not have the incentive to change. They
reasons why.are content in their status and unless someone -
1. People that are employed are content and feellike a manager - is not content with their
they don't need to do anything different. Ifoutcome, nothing will happen to raise the level. It's
anything they want to change their employer - i.e.as good as it gets with more of the same
complaints, suggestions, and excuses. Even if theyhappening, but everyone hoping for better results
are on an incentive or commission they blame the- the classic definition of insanity.
company for their failures. That's why I advocateAnd now I invite you to learn more.
a negative commission, i.e. you lose money if you