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Understanding the Sales Force

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Bench Strength and a Hard Driving Sales Force

  
  
  
  

Dave Kurlan is a top-rated speaker, best-selling author, sales thought leader and highly regarded sales development expert.

Bill Raymond, my guest on this week's edition of Meet the Sales Experts, talked at length about what it means to have bench strength on the sales force.  HINT - it's not having substitutes ready to jump in!

He also spoke at length about the right way for companies to use value to decommoditize their products and services.  Bill elaborated about the difference between real selling and demonstrating and presenting.

His 5 tips for owners, presidents, and CEO's? He said that things really aren't terribly different other than money being tighter.  So he said:

  1. You must have a capable sales tea - not the 20 part of the 80/20 rule.  Assess your sales force.
  2. Develop the people you have - get them performing on all cylinders, selling not demonstrating.
  3. Manage the effort with solid sales management - coaching, motivating, recruiting,  and accountability - things that produce revenue, not administrative stuff.
  4. Hire above the average of what you have - don't be so willing to settle.
  5. Have a hard charging sales team - highly motivated where team performance motivates them to perform.

Listen to the show here.  Contact Bill.

(c) Copyright 2009 Dave Kurlan



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Posted by Dave Kurlan on Wed, Oct 07, 2009 @ 07:35 PM

COMMENTS

Bill is spot on regarding things not being so different-with the exception of money. It is a fact there is less spending in the market place, so the money will go to those reps who understand how to best understand needs and solve problems. Is that any different than pre-recession?  
 
 
 
Since money is so tight, the challenge is average sales reps will soon be considered poor producers (it is already happening ), they will no longer be acceptable without enhanced skills. Sales Managers consider the identification and acquisition of talent the most critical component of driving sales productivity--make sure you have the talent that can produce results and then the responsibility falls on sales management to develop and maximize their skills. And, don't forget, the sales producers will only be as good as their manager's ability to lead and manage them.

posted on Wednesday, October 07, 2009 at 9:47 PM by Bill Eckstrom

Thanks for the contribution Bill!

posted on Friday, October 09, 2009 at 9:43 AM by Dave Kurlan

Comments have been closed for this article.