One of the biggest and most costly mistakes sales managers make is hiring everyone in sight and then holding on to them forever. While it might be easier than doing the hard work of finding top talent and weeding out the rest, it also leaves them with a team that will never grow and develop into top performers.
There are lots of people who aren't cut out for sales!
And yet they enter the field, year after year, in every industry. Many of them are fresh graduates or career-changers that have never worked in sales before. They underestimate the amount of hard work it takes, or don't have the kind of self-motivating personalities that are needed to succeed. Others are simply looking for a job and know that sales positions are easy to come by. Whatever their reasons, it's critical that you weed out as many of them as possible. You simply cannot succeed as a manager if you don't hire effective salespeople.
On the other hand, when it becomes apparent that one of your new producers isn't going to work out, don't be slow to cut them loose. Many managers fail in this area and hold on to ineffective producers because they want to be kind, or don't want to admit a mistake. So they keep stragglers on the payroll, hoping they'll be able to mold them into better salespeople. But you're not doing anyone any favors by holding on to someone ill-suited for this particular career, and additional time and training are probably going to be wasted.
What do you do with the sales staff you don't fire?
To grow a superstar sales team, build a concept of continuing education. You probably wouldn't be in management if you weren't already a strong producer. And chances are, you didn't get to that level by taking in one sales seminar or listening to a couple of tapes. Most top-shelf salespeople I know got to where they were by constantly absorbing new information and honing their craft. Why not try to instill that same attitude into your staff?
On top of the many hats a sales manager has to wear every day - coach, motivator, negotiator, etc. - I'd like to add one more: educator. Whether you think of yourself as a tutor, professor, dean or teacher isn't important. What is important is that you impress upon your sales staff that you got to where you are by continually learning and refining your skills.
Lead your sales staff by example.
If your team knows you set aside fifteen minutes a day to read a book on management, they might take up a similar habit. Make a point of attending a seminar once in a while, and they may take the hint that successful salespeople can't get stale.
Times change, but the need to keep getting better doesn't. For newer salespeople, learning and mastering the basics of sales can mean the difference between a great career and a short one. And for the rest of us, continuing education is a way to maintain our edge. Be sure your staff understands this, and that you don't forget it either.
Key Sales Management Point - Hire Slowly And Fire Quickly
Take your time hiring the right people, and then quickly cut ties with those that don't work out. It might be difficult at first, but over time both you and your new hires will be rewarded with higher sales and lower turnover.
Carl Henry is a sales and customer service coach, keynote speaker, and webinar presenter. He is the author of several books on sales, customer service, sales management, presentation skills and hiring top talent.
When it Comes to Your Sales Staff, Fire Quickly and Hire Slowly
When it Comes to Your Sales Staff, Fire Quickly and Hire Slowly
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