With Generation Y continuing to expand its numbers in the sales force, employers and hiring managers alike are finding that these young professionals present some unique challenges. The camps are decidedly split on how business will be affected by this generation, which has earned a reputation for being difficult.

I believe that the challenges presented by Generation Y are offset by the fact that those of us in the “older” generations have much to learn from these tech-savvy twenty-somethings.

On the minus side, many Gen Y professionals tend to demand of employers, “What can you do for me?” rather than asking what they can do to prove themselves. One prospect even went so far as to tell me that they were seeking a new position because their responsibilities had increased but their pay had not. This was not a case of being assigned a sizable new sales district or being promoted to team leader. Rather, the Gen Y worker was given minor responsibilities on top of the existing workload.

It is also not uncommon for Gen Y recruits to become frustrated in the workforce because their expectations for immediate gratification are not being met. While this desire to see success is a positive attribute in any sales professional, when too much is expected too soon, the young salesperson’s tendency is to perform less diligently than more seasoned Gen X and Baby Boom counterparts.

On the plus side, there is a lot to learn from this generation regarding the efficient use of technology for effective communication. Because of their natural gravitation toward the latest and greatest technology, members of Generation Y have embedded in them a desire to be fast and efficient. This is evident in their usage of and comfort with the instant nature of text, email and social networking – proficiencies from which all sales professionals can benefit.

My advice to anyone working with Generation Y sales professionals is to help them temper their expectations. Coach them to stay on course long enough to achieve the success they expect rather than job-hopping from impatience and frustration.  Lead by example. Show them that by giving their all, they will eventually succeed.

True sales leaders will find that by mentoring this young generation and showing them that success requires dedication, everyone will benefit from the track record these young professionals are capable of building.

This week’s blog is by Jeb Blount, CEO of SalesGravy.com, the world’s largest sales career website. A respected thought leader on sales and sales leadership, he is author of three books, People Buy You: The Real Secret to what Matters Most in Business, Sales Guy’s 7 Rules for Outselling the Recession, and Power Principles. He is the author of more than 100 articles on sales and sales leadership and the host of the top rated Sales Guy Podcast. Jeb’s new book, People Buy You, is available at the SalesJournal.com store.
The first impressions you make with potential customers are critical to success in sales and business.

How important are the first impressions you make with potential customers to success in sales? 

Recently a good friend told me a story about an experience she had while shopping for a mattress. Now this wasn’t just any mattress, this was a high end mattress that cost a couple of thousand dollars. Prior to hitting the stores she had done extensive research on the internet and had narrowed her focus to a few brands and styles. She found exactly what she was looking for at the first furniture store she visited and the price was right. But she didn’t make the purchase.

Instead she drove all the way across town to visit another furniture store where she met sales representative, Gwen. There she purchased the same mattress she had seen at the other store. When I pressed her she admitted (while trying not to look at her husband) that she paid more at the second store than the first. 

“Why would you do that?” I asked.

She responded, “The guy at the first store, I think his name was Ray, just didn’t impress me. I mean from the first moment there was just something about him I didn’t like. So even though he had the mattress I wanted I decided to shop around some more. But Gwen was different. Even though we had just met I could tell she cared about me. She made me feel good.”

The first rep, Ray, is the poster child for the saying, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” We all make instant judgments when we first meet people. Those judgments, which are both imperfect and emotional, have a lasting impact on how we view and interact with others. And in Michelle’s case first impressions caused her to make the illogical decision to pay more for the same product because she liked Gwen more than she liked Ray.

In business customers and prospects make these same imperfect judgments each time they engage with new salespeople, customer service reps, and frankly anyone else they encounter. 

If you want to know how important first impressions are, just ask Ray. Sales Managers in high end retail like furniture and auto sales will even tell you that the initial greeting is the most important part of the sale. 

Making a great first impression is all about being likeable. If your prospect likes you they will be open to answering your questions and engaging in a conversation about their needs and situation. How long does it take to make a first impression? An instant! Unlike trust, which is earned over time through multiple interactions, being likeable or unlikeable occurs in mere moments. So when first meeting new people it is absolutely critical that you control those things that you can control.

The word Likable is defined by the Marriam-Webster Dictionary as, having qualities that bring about a favorable regard. We all, to some extent, have qualities and characteristics that make us naturally likeable to certain types of people and personalities. While at the same time we possess qualities make us naturally unlikeable to others.

The problem we face in sales and business though is we don’t always get to choose the people we interact with. Many of the people we encounter will not be naturally attracted to us. Complicating things more are the preconceived perceptions that all people bring into relationships. These perceptions which include but are not limited to cultural, racial, and socio-economic biases are also beyond our control.

There are however important and critical actions we can take that will positively impact first impressions and likability. These actions are completely within our control and executed properly help us both neutralize biases outside of our control and attract people who might not otherwise find us naturally likable.
Five People Buy You Tips for Make Great First Impressions

Smile. A pleasant, sincere smile is the best way to make a great first impression. Humans are naturally attracted to other humans who are smiling. So be aware of your facial expression and put a smile on your face.

Be Polite. I saw a bumper sticker once that said, “Mean People Suck.” People who are rude, impolite and discourteous are unlikable. Unless you were raised in a barn by animals someone taught you basic manners. In all interactions with prospects and customers put those manners to work. People will notice.

Stay Focused. It today’s demanding work environment it is easy to become distracted. The late Jim Rohn always said, “Where ever you are, be there.” This is essential advice when it comes to first impressions. You must develop the self-discipline to shut everything else out and remain completely focused on the other person.

Be Enthusiastic. Enthusiasm for your product, service and company sells. Enthusiasm is transferable and infectious. Your enthusiasm is driven by your attitude and beliefs so it is critical to work consistently to build and retain a winning attitude. One note though, there are few things more off-putting than insincere enthusiasm so be careful not to get carried away.

Be Confident. Weak people repel. Arrogant people are turnoffs. Confident people attract. Confidence is driven by your self-image, product knowledge, attitude, the way you dress, your health, and even your spirituality. Your level of confidence is a direct reflection of your willingness and self-discipline to invest in yourself.�
The good news is making a first impression in business actually very easy if you focus completely on what is within your control. And though you never get a second chance to make a first impression, you only have to make a good first impression once to lay a solid foundation on which to build a profitable relationship with your customer.

This week’s blog is by Birgit Hanson, Principal at Head-Up Performance, Inc., a company committed to helping organizations develop and retain key leadership talent and enhance productivity, morale and profitability. Birgit is also the co-author of this month’s SalesJournal.com featured book http://astore.amazon.com/salesjoucom-20.

I love Fridays.  I get to enjoy the anticipation of a full weekend with my family, doing what I love to do.

I know life is really good when I have the Friday feeling on a Wednesday or Thursday.  This week I had to pinch myself because life was so good. 

It’s taken me years to get to this point in my career and self-development. 

I used to struggle with fear and guilt.  Both emotions came from a belief system I had adopted without thorough investigation.   Some of those beliefs might have been true, but many weren’t.

For example, I used to think that as a small business owner I had to be working all the time, just the way I did when I was a corporate employee.

I got over that.  

I now know that creativity, authenticity and a fulfilled life are a much stronger business driver in my line of work than the good German work ethic that used to make me sick and tired.  Literally.

Don’t get me wrong, integrity and doing what I promised is still on the top of my list, and so is the courage to get out of my comfort zone.

But rather than pushing to get everything done I am allowing myself to enjoy what I am doing.  I am giving myself permission to live life according to my standards.  And the best thing, it’s almost guilt free.

Every once in a while I have a fleeting thought that I “should” be working harder, followed by guilt.  And I say to myself:

”Is it really true that I should work harder?”  “And how do I feel when I have this thought?” “How would I feel without it?”

I then decide that I don’t like feeling guilty and that I would feel much more inspired without that thought.  So I turn it around and make it a belief that makes me feel good.

“No I shouldn’t work harder.  Yes, I deserve to enjoy my workflow.”  Now that’s something worth believing in.

Try it.  You too have a right to enjoy every day of the workweek, not just Fridays.
�

As the recipient of his fair share of “just friends” speeches, David Tyner can tell you for a fact that they stink.  Similar to the hope of finding love in a relationship, is the expectation that a hiring manager has for a new sales representative.  With hopeful expectation, a manager asks you to begin a relationship with their product by applying the same passion you showed for getting the job in the first place to your daily selling activities.

Here are some ideas on how to stop being “just friends” with your product.

The reality TV series Undercover Boss may be an unexpected smash hit, but the reason it is enjoyed by millions of viewers each week should come as no surprise.

The premise of each episode is simple: The CEO of a large corporation leaves their ivory tower to go “undercover” to find out what everyday life is like for entry-level workers and front-line managers inside their organization. This means rolling up their sleeves and pitching in to do the dirty jobs as well as facing no-holds-barred feedback on what the company’s doing right and what it needs to do much better.

By the end of the show, the leader is humbled, often contrite, and certainly better educated and more appreciative. Little wonder the series is popular — who hasn’t fantasized about their boss walking a mile in their shoes or steel-toed boots? Although it is only a television series, each episode of Undercover Boss offers several takeaway lessons for all leaders to consider.

The first is the danger of becoming isolated from the reality your people face each day. This is a common pitfall for leaders and tends to be more of an issue the higher they are on the corporate ladder. You can be the kindest, most competent boss in the world, but unless you are regularly in touch with your employees, they will likely see you as clueless and uncaring.

Secondly, the series demonstrates how important it is to make an effort to engage your workforce instead of simply issuing top-down directives. Yes, it may be easier to distribute a company-wide memo, but it never replaces the value of talking to people face to face about what’s happening in the company, answering questions, gathering feedback and getting them involved in the decision-making process.

The third lesson is the need to personally stay in touch with employees. This can be a challenge in very large organizations, but for most managers, it is a doable task. Once the leaders profiled on Undercover Boss stepped away from the corner office to meet workers and hear their individual stories, it gave the boss a new sense of purpose and direction. It’s never too late to get to know the people who work for you and show interest in their lives.

Lastly, the show conveys the need for empathy, or the ability to appreciate another person’s situation and communicating your understanding to them. Empathy is the key to tolerance and relating to people of all different perspectives, yet it is often missing in the workplace.

When managers show empathy to employees, they demonstrate that they are willing to make an effort to understand what drives their people and that they care about what they are thinking and feeling. In return, employees feel valued, feel safe and feel that they matter — leading to a happier, more productive workforce.

Leaders do not need to disguise themselves or work undercover in their operations to become more empathetic to the plight of their people. They only need to remember that:

Empathy requires paying attention. Too often we are focused on our agenda and what’s happening in our own little worlds instead of paying attention to what others think and feel. It is essential to be more aware of others’ needs and be willing to listen and care about what they have to say.

Empathy takes time. It’s not an effortless prospect by any means; empathy requires that you stop and pay full attention to caring for others. However, this can be accomplished in many ways, such as stepping away from your desk to walk around to touch base with employees about their lives and work.

Empathy means dropping the extra baggage. The longer you know someone, the more history you have and the more you may think you know them. This can be a barrier to making a genuine connection. To create empathy, leave the baggage behind and try looking at the person through new eyes and be willing to uncover new stories about them.

Empathy is a daily choice. We each have to make the decision to want to care and to put in the time and the effort to bridge communication gaps. It shouldn’t take TV cameras trailing their every move for bosses to get out and show their employees that they are human, nor give employees a chance to be seen the very same way.

 http://findarticles.com/p/news-articles/winnipeg-free-press/mi_8029/is_20100306/undercover-boss-proves-vital-point/ai_n52369748/?tag=content;col1

This month’s Featured Company Q&A is with Barry Brown, CEO, for PANNAR SEED INC, who shares with us his focus for the coming year and strategies for sales success.

What do you enjoy most about working for Pannar Seed USA?

I enjoy the challenge of helping build a company based on solid fundamentals and focused on adding value to our customers.

What unique quality separates Pannar from your competitors?

We are a 50 year old company that is still operated on the principle of being a world-class supplier of quality seed.  Being independently owned allows us to manage for the long term and what is in the best interests of our owners and customers.

We are all coming off of a challenging year, how has Pannar handled it?

We are having our best year in the past 3 years.  While you always want to accomplish more, we are growing our business significantly this year.  We have invested in our people and focused on a few things that have the biggest return.

What would you like salesjournal.com readers to know about Pannar?

While we are a small company in the U.S., we invest in our people and are committed to being the supplier of choice to the growers in our market footprint.

What specific goals, including those related to your specific position within the company, have you established for 2010?

• Achieve sales targets
• Attract and retain quality employees
• Re-evaluate our key marketplace messages, tactics, and channel strategy

What creative strategies have you used to encourage/influence your sales team?

A lot of what we do is basic “blocking & tackling,” i.e. training our sales people, setting aggressive sales targets, encourage customer/prospect. 

What is your favorite methodology in sales training and/or business enhancement?

I am a firm believer that if you have the right people, quality products, and they are well trained, then it is a matter of getting enough time with customers and prospects.

Are there any books, sales related or leadership related, that you use as a guide and/or would recommend?

I like the author Stephen Covey; “The Five Temptations of a CEO” by Patrick Lencioni and “Profitable Growth” by Ram Charan.

Do you have a mentor that you contribute your leadership success to? Do you feel it is important to have a mentor?

I was fortunate to have two very good supervisors early in my career. Mentors are very important. I learned a lot by watching how they organized meetings, motivated people, and had “the meeting before the meeting.”

What sales advice do you have to offer our readers?

Focus, Connect, Ask for the business.  I have found that in sales it is easy to get caught up in things that don’t drive sales.  It is important to connect or as a successful senior sales guy told me when I started, “You gotta be where the people be”.  I also believe many orders are not closed simply because sales people don’t ask for the business.

When you hire, how do candidates stand out in order to be selected to help with the growth of the company? What characteristics do you look for in a sales professional?

We have an industry with a lot of specific knowledge that is needed.  Being a smaller company, we focus on those sales candidates that have a proven sales record.  Additionally, we look at character, work ethic, interpersonal communications and cultural fit with Pannar.

Do you feel a sales professional must have experience in the industry they are selling in order to be successful?

Our industry requires a lot of specific knowledge to be successful.  Larger companies can hire someone with the right characteristics and teach them the industry specific knowledge over 1-3 years.  As a small company, we do not have that luxury, so we hire only those who have a proven sales track record of success combined with the other attributes we are looking for. 

If an individual or the team as a whole is not meeting goals, what is your approach to nurture this?

We evaluate and ask questions: Are we trained for the job at hand? Are we getting in front of the right people? Do we have products that are performing well? Is market awareness an issue? Are we competitively priced in the market? Then we talk as a group or individual on what we need to do to get things ramped up or going in the right direction.

How much time do you need to know if a new sales hire will “make it”? What are some indicators/behaviors?

Usually less than 6 months. Indicators I look for: Are they in their office when I call or out seeing customers? When I ask how things are going; do they have a lot to talk about that is meaningful? Can they tell me what our competitors are doing?

At the end of last year, Naviga Business Services conducted its annual Economic Survey and found that more than half of participating executives were optimistic about sales growth in the New Year.  I was curious to see if the first six weeks of 2010 were living up to expectations, so I posed the question to my LinkedIn colleagues.

For the most part, the respondents were in agreement that, though their company may be ready to get out there and sell, customers are just not ready to buy. As the principal of a specialized Enterprise Social Strategy practice put it:  “The world seems to be ‘cautiously optimistic’ with budgets opening a little, people making plans to go back on offense, and companies figuring out that they can’t cost cut their way out of a recession. I think we will see budgets increasing slightly with the top priority, ‘must do’ to create opportunity type projects getting funded and the rest going slow.”

There is no doubt that companies are still hesitant to buy coming out of a year like 2009, though I am optimistic that as budgets begin to open up, so too will buying for top priorities. That cautious optimism can also be seen in responses like this one from an Internet entrepreneur who said he was getting “lots of good feedback on new concepts, but customers are very cautious given the risky financial markets.”

The national sales manager of a company that sells talking envelopes concurred, noting that though clients and prospects “aren’t quite ready in some cases to pull the trigger just yet, they appreciate the follow-up.”

During these times, timely follow-up may be all some can do to ensure possible sales are not lost.  Such is the case for several companies that saw their strong start vanish, including one respondent who said that “it looked like the year was off to an optimistic start in the first two weeks and then it kind of deflated as people realized they weren’t quite ready to rock n’ roll again, In the fourth week, we are still in recession mode and hoping that things will pick up in the beginning of March. As for February, it doesn’t sound too optimistic. There are too many uncertainties in the air.”

I believe the key to overcoming these challenges early in the year is learning from them and tailoring growth strategies. One company has done just that, using the start of the New Year to initiate a major shift in the way they approach sales.

“Our sales efforts are now focused on identifying strategic partnerships, where we can market our programs to their existing and past and future clients. Then, we share the revenues generated. So instead of ‘selling’ something, and looking for a financial commitment, we are now offering a recurring revenue stream, at no cost or risk,” said the national sales director for the internet company.

Patience is key to surviving recession. Only time will tell what sales and revenues will look like in 2010. Until then, honestly evaluate your sales practices, prepare your team for what’s to come and keep the lines of communications open.

This month’s Featured Company Q&A is with Jason Hoback, Director of Sales – East, for ThomasNet, who shares with us his focus for the coming year and strategies for sales success.

What do you enjoy most about working for ThomasNet?

There are many things I enjoy about working for ThomasNet.  But what I enjoy most is knowing that the solution we sell will change the business of our customers.  I love knowing that if our clients commit to a partnership with us, that our solution will drive a significant ROI that will pay for their investment in just a matter of months.  There’s nothing better than knowing that what you sell is a “game changer” for your customers and will drive a measurable ROI in a small amount of time.  Year in and year out, our high renewal rates are a nice reminder of how well our solution works, and having such an amazing solution, leads to a very passionate sales team. 

What unique quality separates ThomasNet from your competitors?

Our technology is unmatched, and because of this, we remain light years ahead of our competition.  We are always anticipating what users are going to want and building our technology to accommodate them.  Knowing our technology is superior to anything out there leads our team to sell with complete confidence and passion!

We are all coming off of a challenging year, how has ThomasNet handled it?

The first thing I would say is that we’ve remained calm and poised as a company.  This is not a time to panic.  We are focusing on the things we can control vs. the things we cannot.  We cannot control what the media says about the economy or what’s going on with Wall Street.  What we can control is the program we put in place for our customers and the value we are driving for them.  We realize this is one of the most difficult selling environments ever, but we can’t sit back and wait for the economy to turn. 

So our focus as a company has been to continue to invest in our technology and ensure that our solution set is unmatched. We’ve also been focused on increasing our lead on the competition.  We continue to invest in sales development, so our team is prepared as they enter the field.  From a sales perspective, we continue to hire talented sales people across the country and our focus remains on selling consultatively.

We realize that some of our customers are seeing double-digit losses on the revenue side of their business and that the last thing they are thinking about is spending money on marketing or marketing technology.  It is our job to understand what their issues are and, based upon the vast solution set we offer, to provide them with a solution that can help them turn their sales efforts around.  We know our solution can help them get their sales back on track.

What would you like SalesJournal.com readers to know about ThomasNet?

ThomasNet offers a solution that is changing the way industrial companies do business.  For 110 years, ThomasNet has been focused on the industrial marketplace and has always been recognized as the leader.  Our customers have relied on us to not only connect them with potential buyers but to help them convert them into sales.  They have grown to expect that we know what online buyers expect and that when a solution is sold to them by Thomas that it will be unmatched by our competition.  While ThomasNet is still considered by many to be a publisher, I view it as a cutting edge technology company.  Our technology allows our customers not only to reach an untapped audience, it also allows them to convert those users into customers at a high rate. 

What specific goals, including those related to your specific position within the company, have you established for 2010?

We want and expect significant growth in 2010. That is my #1 goal.  I believe the sales environment in 2010 is still going to be very tough, however I think our focus on high activity in 2009 and our consultative approach to selling will pay off in a big way.  There are plenty of other goals our team has, but I’d say growth is the main focus in 2010.

 What creative strategies have you used to encourage/influence your sales team?

I am not sure how “creative” my strategy is in influencing my team.  I believe in a simple approach to leadership.  First of all, I don’t have all the answers and I have a lot of respect for the job my managers do.  I rely heavily on my team and their experience and I don’t mind if they have a better solution to a problem than I do.  At the end of the day, it’s a team effort and we’re marching toward the same goal.  I like an open environment where members of my team can speak their minds freely.  While I may not always agree with their opinions, at least they understand that I respect them. 

Second, I like to spend as much of my time as possible in the trenches.  To me, that is being in front of customers hearing firsthand what is going on.  In a weird way, I enjoy being in the toughest of conditions, because I think I gain credibility with my team.  It’s been a very tough year, so almost every call I’ve been on has been difficult in one way or another.  But the benefit of this approach is that my team knows when I make suggestions, I’m not making them from an ivory tower, but rather from the experience of being in the field.  My other focus is keeping the lines of communication open with my team.  It’s important that communication is constant, and that includes the good and the bad news.  

What is your favorite methodology in sales training and/or business enhancement?

I like to simplify everything about sales, so the first thing I will say to a new hire at ThomasNet is to remember this simple equation: Activity x Skill Set = Productivity. 

Any new person to our team must understand that it’s not just their skill set that will give them success, but the activity levels they have as well. We know the minimum number of appointments you should have every week and we know how many proposals those appointments should result in.

For example, we know that a sales rep should be running between 8-10 new face-to-face calls a week.  We also know that the difficulty in getting to that number of outside appointments lies with the rep’s ability to maximize phone time while trying to set appointments.  We see that the average rep makes contact with about 10% of all the people he/she calls over the phone.  Contact would simply mean that the other person picks up the phone and talks to you, nothing more than that.  And we see about a 30% success rate once you get someone on the phone to actually securing the appointment.

So to put all of this down in “real” numbers, it would look something like this:  You make 100 calls a day to reach 10 people.  You are able to get 30% of those people to agree to meet you face-to-face, which equates to 3 meetings secured from 100 calls.

We try and give a rep these types of metrics as a “road map” to their success.   And we know if the activity part of the equation is being met, that the skill set is really about your ability to sell in a consultative manner.  The word “consultative” is thrown around quite a bit these days and means something different to many sales people.  To me, consultative selling means seeking first to understand what the issues are and then, and only then, offering a solution to your prospect or client.  Before you can ever talk about your solution, you MUST understand what business issues your client is facing.  Asking the “right” questions is critical to consultative selling, and you have to be an excellent listener.  So when we bring on a new person, our training is centered on a consultative sales process.

Are there any books, sales related or leadership related, that you use as a guide and/or would recommend?

There are way too many books for me to list here, but I’ll list some of my favorites.  Sales-related books that I enjoy are Spin Selling by Neil Rackham and Soft Sell by Tim O’Connor.  Both are excellent books on the sales methodology that I believe in.  Also, all of the Miller Heiman books are great for sales methodology.  Leadership books that I enjoy are Straight from the Gut by Jack Welch, The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John Maxwell, The Servant Leader by Ken Blanchard and The Art of War by Sun Tzu.

Do you have a mentor that you attribute your leadership success to? Do you feel it is important to have a mentor?

I am very fortunate to have worked for many excellent leaders over my career.   I try and emulate each of their best characteristics.  I do feel it’s important to have a mentor, not just in business, but in life.  No matter where you are in your career, you always need someone that you can go to for advice and guidance.  And quite honestly you need someone that’s not scared to tell you that you’re not as good as you might think you are.  I can pinpoint areas in my career where I’ve grown the most and usually that growth was led by a mentor pointing out an area where I needed to improve, and me listening to that advice.  I believe leaders are developed over time, through the wins and the losses, but the critical part is that there is a mentor there along the way.

What sales advice do you have to offer our readers?

Believe with all your heart in what you are selling or go sell something else would be my first set of advice.  Life is too short to sell something you don’t whole-heartedly believe in.  Second, you were born with two ears and one mouth!  So many of us (me included) forget that and like to throw everything we know about our product at the customer.  But if I could offer one piece of advice, it would be to realize that every customer or prospect you call is unique.  They are starving for someone to help them with the issues they face. At the same time, they want you to fully understand their challenges before you try to offer a solution.  Seek first to understand what their challenges are then be prepared to help.  

When you hire, how do candidates stand out in order to be selected to help with the growth of the company?

When I interview, the first thing I am looking for is “fire in the belly.”  You can teach someone how to sell consultatively and you can teach them all the tricks of the trade, but you can’t teach someone to be driven or hungry.  They either have it or they don’t.  I don’t care what you’ve done in the past as much as I care about the passion you have for the job.  So when I ask a candidate to tell me about a past sales position, I am looking to see how passionate they are.

What characteristics do you look for in a sales professional?

I look for passion, integrity and drive.  I look for high energy, passionate reps who are out to set the world on fire.  I look for reps who have proven to be very driven in their career.  The characteristics are far more important to me than what the resume says.

Do you feel a sales professional must have experience in the industry they are selling in order to be successful?

Some experience is necessary, but it’s not the main thing I look for.  I would take a risk on someone that didn’t have industry experience if I felt they had the qualities I was looking for.

If an individual or the team as a whole is not meeting goals, what is your approach to nurture this?

If an individual is not meeting his/her goal I first seek to understand the entire situation.  Sales performance can be a very emotional topic, so I try and remove the emotion and focus on the measurable things that might be contributing to the lack of performance.  If a sales person is struggling to hit their sales goals, I will diagnose the situation by first looking at the activity levels.  We have a road map to success, so we know at a minimum how many appointments per month you should be running and how many proposals you should be generating.  The first question I would ask is “how are you doing from an activity standpoint?”  If the activity levels are high enough I would then focus on what’s happening on the sales calls. 

To diagnose how they are doing on a call without me actually being on the call, the first thing I would do is pull out their forecast and have them tell me the forecasted prospect’s two or three critical business challenges.  If they can’t tell me what those are, then I know they’re not asking the right questions.  If they are able to answer those questions, I’ll dig into things like the timing of the decision, involvement of decision makers and major obstacles.  Usually, by digging into these, you’re able to identify consistent areas that need to be improved.

 If the team is not achieving their goals, I’d first want to understand what type of environment the manager has created.  You know the mood of a team within two minutes of walking into an office.  Are there any major issues impacting the team’s morale that we need to address?  I’d also want to know what the manager thinks the obstacles are and, more importantly, what’s being done to remedy the situation.  I’d probably also want to hold a team meeting to air out any concerns they might have and understand the particular issues they may be facing that we could help with.

Winning or losing can be contagious, so if the team is losing as a whole you want to look for someone on the team to help get that changed.  In changing this environment, I’d look to set small goals that were attainable to get some wins under our belt and get the team back on track to finding success.

How much time do you need to know if a new sales hire will “make it”? What are some indicators/behaviors?

In our world, we would have a strong indication of whether a new sales hire will make it within the first 6 months.  We would probably have an indication even sooner than that, but by 6 months we generally know if the new sales person is going to make it.  We look at their ability to hit certain activity goals, generate a certain amount of proposals and close a certain number of contracts.  Also, because our team is so active in the field, we are able to know how well the person is learning everything he/she needs to know just by being in the field and seeing firsthand his/her strengths and weaknesses.

S. Anthony Iannarino reminds us that optimism is a philosophical belief that things will work out for the best, regardless of how the situation or events look today. Optimism is a personal choice to view things positively.Optimism is a foundational success skill for sales people.

Poor sales performance is often mistaken for a motivational issue.  A fine line exists between the two and unless you are an astute manager, you are going to miss the mark. Ed Warner discusses the need to understand 5 myths of motivation, and three perspectives (theories) on motivation directly related to employee performance.