What's the use of spending money training your staff to use sophisticated selling techniques if they won't go out and use them?

Every large sales group has the salesperson who is lacking in good technique, but who is, never-the-less, a high producer. I heard of one company who has such a man. We'll call him Amos. His colleagues often cringe when they overhear some of his sales pitches. Yet he is a high producer who outsells most of his colleagues.. Why? Because he is free of the fear of prospecting.

This means two critical things.
1. He prospects more and
2. He exudes a natural self-confidence and attractiveness.

The result is that Amos outsells his well-trained colleagues who have better selling skills. Amos is not reluctant to sell!

Common Blocks to Sales Success George W. Dudley and Shannon L. Goodson have identified 16 forms of Call Reluctance(r). Some of them are:
• Doomsayer: is certain prospect won't be in, won't listen, won't buy
• Over-Preparer: fears not having the best answer and wastes too much time getting ready to sell
• Stage fright: fears selling to groups
• Yielder: fears alienating prospect and readily gives in to objections
• Referral Aversion: fears that asking for referrals will damage selling relationship
• Telephobia: fears using the phone for selling
• Social Self: conscious-fears selling to high status buyers

Randy Oliver used this information to great advantage. He writes:

"My sales have increased a whopping 97.8% for the year. You helped me get rid of my deadwood salespeople and replace them with real go-getters who have made my life a whole lot easier."

Your Challenge

To have a high producing sales staff your challenge as the owner, CEO, or sales manager is clear. You need to have sales people on your team who do not have these problems -- at least not in any significant amount.

Use this list to help you identify the weaknesses of each of your salespeople. You will then be able to precisely focus your efforts to improve each salesperson's performance. However it can be a daunting task. Some of these weaknesses are hard to change.

It is easier to hire people who do not have these problems. The problem is prospective hires naturally put their best foot forward and look as good as they possibly can.

Imagine if you could peek into the heart of your prospective hires and tell, no matter how good they looked, whether they were free of the issues we have been discussing in the first place. Wouldn't that save you a ton of money and two tons of grief?

By using this method to improve your sales team you can skyrocket your sales and enjoy your life.