Do you feel that? It’s the feeling of time flying by. We’re already in mid-July. We’re past the halfway point and the fourth quarter is in sight. If your sales team is behind on their goals or your expectations, you running very short on time to correct by the end of the year.

Whether you’re a sales manager, a VP-level executive, or even in the C-suite, you probably feel the pressure if sales aren’t where they need to be. You understand the urgency better than anyone.

The challenge is understanding why your team isn’t performing. You honestly believe you have the right people in place and that they’re giving it their best effort. Your product or service is attractive, well-priced, and meets a need in the market place. So what’s the problem?

I’ve served as a sales leader, coach, and consultant for more than 30 years. What I’ve seen time and again is that when an organization has a widespread sales problem, the issue usually runs much deeper than just the sales department. If a team – rather than a handful of individuals – is struggling, the problem usually lies in the culture, structure or processes of the organization. Things the sales team can’t control but impacts their ability to be successful. You may even have a ‘sales prevention’ department or process!

Unfortunately, it can be hard to diagnose these problems from the inside. You’re in too deep. You don’t have the objectivity or outside perspective to clearly diagnose the organizational issues and if you think you know what they are, you may not know what to do to fix them. [Read more…]

You’re not sure when exactly it happened, but at some point, your team of enthusiastic, self-motivated salespeople turned into a group of dead-eyed, lumbering sales zombies. The signs are obvious. They move slower, almost as if they’re just going through the motions. They look at potential deals through pessimistic lens. They spend more time scanning Facebook and Twitter than they do sending emails or making calls.

Perhaps no job demands enthusiasm more than a sales position. There are plenty of jobs in any business where you can fake it. Sales isn’t one of them. A salesperson who isn’t driven to succeed will fail to generate a high level of activity, which will lead to a dearth of qualified prospects. When they do get in front of prospects, their lack of energy could sour the entire interaction.

If the problem isn’t addressed quickly, a lack of enthusiasm could turn into active disengagement. Then you have a real problem on your hands, because disengagement is usually a precursor to turnover.

What do you do? If it’s just one or two team members, you can focus on them on an individual basis. When it’s the entire team, though, that’s a sign that you have an organizational problem. There is some common issue that is making their job more difficult or is limiting their ability to meet their goals. [Read more…]

Nearly every company faces this challenge at some point. They’ve designed a competitive product. The price is right. The marketing message is on-point. The sales team is loaded with rock stars. All of the pieces are in place.

And yet….nothing is happening. Sales are well below expectations. There isn’t enough growth in the sales numbers. Prospects are reluctant to close the deal, but it’s unclear why. The company isn’t getting traction, and it’s a complete mystery why.

A national medical device processor recently went through a similar situation. They run a service where they collect and sanitize “one-use only” medical devices so those devices can be reused multiple times. It saves hospitals and patients millions of dollars every year.

In 2003, the FDA expanded the number of devices available for reprocessing, theoretically opening up new markets for the company. The company’s marketing and sales messaging focused on the cost-effectiveness of reprocessing, along with market education on why reprocessing is safe and sanitary. [Read more…]

Let’s say you take up a new hobby. Maybe it’s golf. Perhaps it’s learning to play guitar or learning how to paint. What is one of the first things you would do? Buy equipment? Maybe. Start practicing? Possibly.

At some point, probably early in your new endeavor, you would find someone to teach you how to be successful with your new skill. That person would likely have experience helping others be successful. They would know how to identify your unique challenges and help you overcome those obstacles so you can hit your goals.

You’ve likely had coaches, teachers, and mentors throughout your life, from academic settings to athletic and beyond. You probably know the value of regularly working with someone who is committed to your improvement and growth. And holds you accountable to ensure your success.

So why don’t you have a coach to help you be more successful as a salesperson? After all, your sales abilities have a significant impact on your life. They impact your income and possibly your overall happiness. If you’re like most professionals, you spend more time on the job than you do with anything else. [Read more…]