7 Reasons Your Sales Suck

Managers who refuse to admit that the poor results some of their sales people are getting is extremely frustrating. When any frontline service or sales professional in your company does not produce the results needed to pay for all the overhead, benefits, pay, education, and everything else needed to cover their fair share of these expenses, then they are "sucking" these valuable resources at the expense of other employees who are pulling their own weight.

There is an imbalance at many companies that is created by some of the sales team performing at a high level, while others are not. Many perceive this as just a fact of life and refuse to believe that everyone could achieve profitable numbers and reach their goals.

The Price of Failure is High

A company in today's world cannot sustain this type of imbalance for very long before a financial toll is paid. This will result in fewer profits for the owner and ultimately, less benefits and pay for all the employees. Many companies have high performers who cannot receive raises because others are not performing at the same level. This can result in high turnover rates, or employee burn-out.

Getting people to realize that this thinking is flawed logic and that there are companies out there where everyone makes money, is so important.

These are the 7 reasons your sales people might be underperforming:

1. Low Expectations - Poor performers usually have a bad outlook regarding the company or the services they provide, and that shows in their performances. Keeping employee moral high is a huge point in ensuring expectations are met.
2. They Don't Fully Understand the Service - Making sure that your employees fully understand the services they're trying to sell is pertinent to their ability to perform well. It's extremely difficult to sell a service that you don't understand or fully believe in.
3. They're Selling What's Already Sold - Selling a solution to a problem that the customer has called you for should be the easiest thing to do. After all, the customer wouldn't have called you if they didn't want it done. If clients are calling for a service and leaving before signing up for it, the problem is likely on the pitch. Either the client is being bombarded with too much information, or the client isn't seeing the value in the service from your company specifically.
4. They're are Creating Solutionless Problems - There have been many studies on creating dissonance with buyers to get them to act or purchase. This does work. However, when creating or explaining problems, the solution must immediately follow the explanation of the trouble.
   These employees are likely explaining the problem to the customer way too early, well before they have found a solution. They go into a diatribe about the lack of maintenance and all the problems with the system and then finally tell the customer they need to figure out a price. Don't describe the problem until you have priced it first. Dissonance should be followed by solution – immediately.
5. They Aren't Connecting - If a sales person can't connect with a customer and seem relatable, the buyer is going to simply find someone who they can connect with.
6. They Don't Handle "No" Well - Sometimes customers can be hesitant or outright reject a solution to a problem. A good sales person will understand that there is sometimes room to better explain to try to convince a customer to do the thing that is best for them, and other times it's better to walk away.
   Your team should question the situation when it looks like are losing the job. Ask the customer what they're thinking, and try to get an idea for what they want. One thing is for sure: standing there dumbfounded and then leaving when faced with a "no" or an "I'll think it over," will never get a sale. Say something!
7. They Only Provide One Options - To give a customer only one choice can feel restrictive and make the customer feel uneasy. Unless a problem truly has only one solution, try to offer multiple solutions at different pricing scales. Customers love the ability to choose the solution that works best for them.

About Joe Crisara

Joe Crisara is a world-wide sales educator and entrepreneur. Joe has a style that has you feeling like he is a member of your family or someone you met before. His down-to-earth, direct and impassioned approach combines 40 years of contracting experience.