Product details

This chapter is excerpted from 'Innovative Selling: A Guide to Successful Corporate Professional Selling'. My Australian research appears to be similar to that from overseas. Many international salespeople confirm that they experience the same: lack of care and management responsibility. I have been asked many times if my own personal accounts are retaliation against companies I worked for; to this I say absolutely not. The events experienced during my career run true to the research and in no way reflect any animosity toward past employers. I myself was an employer for 13 years and was fortunate to gain insight from both being an employer and being an employee. At the end of this book, the selling fundamentals are summarized in seven simple steps that are designed to demystify the professional sale process. When you ask professional salespeople to recite the seven steps of the sale, only one in ten can do so. This is concerning. I describe salespeople as running on automatic and not supported within an effective coaching system that works. I am a strong proponent of a 'sales field trainer/coach' accompanying you in the field after completing a basic sales training model. The lack of this core training process is a big problem, and one only hopes companies pick up on this very important training need. Sales managers/leaders need to recognize that part of their position is not only monitoring their team but providing coaching, encouragement, leadership, and direction. The Australian research clearly pointed to this omission and found room for fundamental improvement along with similar reports in the US and UK. Finally, your health, happiness, and family are paramount, and the company should take second place when it comes to this important matter. Companies are slowly getting the hint that a healthier sales force is a performing sales force. Promoting your mental health and avoiding stress-related illness are equally important in the overall performance equation. It is critical to recognize that the welfare of your family is of equal importance to you and that a successful work-life balance is a goal worth striving for. If a sales person has failed, most companies look at the individual; alternatively, I look to their coach or manager to find out why!