How Are Salespeople Different?

They're not.  Let’s review 3 core elements of communicating clearly with your sales team.

Be clear on what you can offer them.  Not just in terms of pay, but also the work environment, the opportunity to develop professionally, personally or both.

Be clear on what you want from them.  What is the return on your investment that you need to make this economically viable for you? Within what time frame must this occur? By determining what is realistic, you will have a better chance at success.

Understand their needs and wants, and interact where there is common ground.  What do your salespeople want from you? If they want things you cannot deliver, then the best thing to do is to be clear about what you can and cannot offer. Not everyone should work for you, nor do you want just anyone. The best long-term relationships with sales staff occur when there is a match between the needs of the salesperson and what is available from the company. Focus on those areas of common ground. The more this is done at the point of hiring, the less an issue it is later.

5 Points to Consider When Retaining Strong Salespeople

Overall, focus on the day to day things, not just the big stuff. A recent article I read described a group of cyclists who rode through Africa. After returning to North America, they were asked about their impressions of Aids and drought in Africa. They responded that they hadn't really noticed those things at all. They were pre-occupied with the high concentration of bugs, and the traffic patterns in the cities. 

It's the little things that people notice. Here’s some important "little things" that your salespeople notice…

• Talk “with” your salespeople, not “at” them.  No more, “I want…” or, “You should…” Instead, ask what if questions like, “What might we do about this?”
• Focus on behaviors, not attitudes.  People have direct access to their behaviors. Attitudes are a little less flexible, as they are also generated from feelings.  But if the behaviors shift, often the attitudes will follow.
• Don’t exaggerate when speaking.  “You always . . . . .” Instead, get situation specific.
• Follow up on your own promises to your salespeople.  Avoid the “Manager’s Double Standard” (which is, “You keep your promises, but don’t expect me to keep mine”).
• Reward improved behaviors, as well as strong results.  People want to feel a sense of achievement and recognition. Leave the stick at home and take out the carrot more often.

About Compensation

When we refer to interacting where there is common ground, compensation arises. Align compensation with what you want / need from your salespeople. The more specific you are about the conditions of satisfaction for a job well done, the easier it is to customize the compensation to reflect the ideal behaviors from your sales staff.  

But beware!  Compensation, while the source of many complaints from salespeople, is rarely the main issue. If you treat your top people like your best customers, you may find that concerns about compensation diminish substantially.

By retaining and growing your salespeople, you will increase your effectiveness in gaining and keeping more customers at a profit, to build your business as a tool to support your goals and commitments in life.