How to improve underperforming sales reps. ?

Answer 1

Revise your sales budgets and goals to be more realistic.

Redesign your sales process to improve contact frequency and quality by using technology and skills development.

Recapture lost customers by identifying them and asking
" What will it take ".

Refocus on closing the sales with improved strategies.

Reward your sales team with positive " psychological strokes ".

Re-motivate your team by challenging them to target better prospects and get more appointments.

Refresh selling skills via getting back to basic better leads, getting more referrals and introductions, planning better selling strategies, asking better questionsand improving problem solving skills.

Review prospect objections and develop three new ways.

Respond plus practice, practice, practice.

Reenergize the sales leadership team because action creates motivation.

Review sales person's strengths and weaknesses and recommit to helping team become the best they can be.

Answer 2

I wouldn't listen to an IBM Sales trainer if my life depended on it. I've found most of them to be over-the-top, uncaring and unprofessional.

What I can offer, as a past business owner, and salesman, are a few suggestions.

First and foremost, every salesman needs good training. A sales man has got to know their product.

Second, overview. This means that the sales manager takes the time to view the salesman in action (more than once). This helps find the weak points in a salesman's sales presentation or in a sales person.

Lastly, incentive. NOTHING can motivate a person more than knowing that their efforts are worth something. Extra efforts mean extra worth which hopefully = extra $$$. (The key to using motivation correctly is to make sure that Every salesman can a) achieve their sales goals, and B) also achieve some sort of Motivational Incentive above and beyond their goal. This may mean finding that something that the Low Sales achiever is actualy GOOD at, and rewarding this good activity. Rewards make people want to do better. Whether it is a huge increase or bonus, or a monthly award of $20 for lunch, these can mean happier sales people and translate to a harder working team.)

If after all the above you can't seem to get them going, letting them go may be the best for the both of you. But do it in the spring, not right before Christmas.

Answer 3

Underperforming sales reps are usually a result of the pressure they feel. The biggest performance killer is a lack of confidence resulting in a slump and psychological mindset. I would suggest an obstacle breaker such as the link I have referred you to. The only true way to improve their performance is through decreasing the pressure, improving training, and changing their current mindset. They must break through the obstacles. EntreQuest has one of the best programs I have ever seen or been a part of.

Answer 4

Ask them to explain what difficulty they are facing in the field, from each one of them because each one will have a different problem. Also ask them which is the best possible way they can over come that problem.Judge the answers and the question intelligently and if you find them practical ask them to implement them .This way they will not have any reason later to give for non performance and hopefully you will be laughing your way to the bank.

Answer 5

You have to encourage, praise and recognize your sales reps with little things like t-shirts, certificates, movie tickets,dinners for two etc... and let them compete for them. Respect and tell them when they do a good job and they'll do anything for you. They'll love their job and have a great deal of respect for you and Sales will go off the roof. That's what I do with my assosiates at work and because of it they can't wait to come to work

Answer 6

You know, I'm wondering the same thing. We have a sales person that we've threatened to fire, motivated, gave amazing bonuses to, and had contests yet she still isn't bringing much business in and it's hurting our bottom line.

Answer 7

Motivation....positive outlook. My best sales reps. are energic, right on top of things and knowledge if they don't know, they find out! Fix what's wrong promptly. They are real go-getters and enjoy what they are doing, if not everything goes to crap quickly, and they lose sales.

Answer 8

Educate them
Give them the tools to succeed
Discuss goals with them. Help make your goals in common.
Show them the way to do it!

And if all else fails, because you can only lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink it, discipline.

Answer 9

i really feel that the era of salesman is over - most people arent gonna buy if they dont want to no matter what they say - so not sure there is anything u can do

Answer 10

firing them gets their attention real quick these days especially if they are married with small kids , big mortgage and credit card debt . Those are the best sales people cause they are hungry !!!!!