The Top 5 Issues Facing VPs of Sales

A recent study of 2,663 sales organizations by Think Training, Nightingale Conant and Trainique uncovered five areas that shed light on what separates the best from the rest (visit http://www.revegrowth.com/free_articles.htm for a copy)

Issue one - A poorly defined sales process. 82% of all CEO's said their sales organization had a process that was poorly defined or a process that wasn't being followed. A sales process is like a road map. If you pay attention it helps you determine if you are in heading in the right or wrong direction. A well defined sales process does the same thing. It should be consultative in nature, have defined steps that allow both parties to develop a better understanding of each other and a set of questions that help you qualify or disqualify.

Issue two - Lack of essential skills. 42% of CEO's said their salespeople lacked the essential basic skills needed to do their job properly-ouch. During the 70's and 80's it was common for large corporations to hire new sales recruits and put them through a 12- 18 month intensive sales development program. Those days are gone, leaving a huge skills gap! Odds are if you are younger then 40 you never received the type of training you really needed.

Issue three - Failing to focus on the right kinds of activity. 90% of CEO's said their salespeople focused on low payoff activities or called on the wrong people. It is a common mistake to confuse being busy with being productive. Top performers know what they are doing, why they are doing it and whom they are doing it with.

Issue four - Allowing "self talk" to sabotage your efforts. 86% of CEO's said their salespeople had negative thinking or self talk that was damaging their sales efforts. There are hundreds of examples but the most obvious has to do with discounts. Over and over again I hear salespeople say they have to be the lowest price to win the business. Every study I have ever read says that there are 4 ? 6 other issues ahead of price but we have been "programmed" to think price is the issue. It is critical to understand how you have been programmed and how some of thoughts are working against you!

Issue five - Sales management not developing their people enough. 67% of CEO's said that their sales managers were not spending enough time coaching and developing their salespeople. The job of a sales manager is to coach their people just like in professional sports! Unfortunately if we don't have a sales process, salespeople with undeveloped skills or the wrong people coaching becomes impossible.

For salespeople taking responsibility for our own professional development is the key! Have a process, hone your skills, focus on the right kinds of activity, be aware of your thoughts, get some coaching, join a sales mastermind group, or join an association dedicated to your success.

Good sales professionals realize their strengths and weaknesses and create a plan that addresses their abilities. Great sales professionals repeat this process over and over.

Brian is the Chairman and Founder of the the United Professional Sales Association (UPSA). UPSA is a non-profit organization headquartered in Washington DC that has addressed the concerns and challenges of individual sales professionals. Brian has authored the world's first universal selling standards and open-source selling framework for free distribution. This 'Compendium of Professional Selling' containing the commonly accepted and universally functional knowledge that all sales professionals possess. The open-source selling standards have been downloaded in 16 countries by over 300 people. Over 30 people have made contributions.

Because UPSA is not owned by one person or any company, it is a member organization and guardian of the global standard of entry into the sales profession.

Find out about the membership organization and understand the processes and framework of professional selling at the UPSA Website at http://www.upsa-intl.org. Find out more about Brian at: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert_bio=Brian _Lambert

---

Five Steps to Maximize Success in Targeting For Growth

Targeting is the process of selecting high potential customer accounts... Read More

Sales Plan? Whats a Sales Plan?

In the past, if you said the word "plan" to... Read More

Raise Your Fees Overnight!

Do you want to make more money?Yes, I guess that... Read More

The Get Dangerous Quickly Approach to Product/Service Training

In 2000 a computer distributor hired me to help them... Read More

10 Things to Help Your Business When Sales Are Slow During the Holidays

Twiddling your thumbs and waiting for some business to come... Read More

Whats a Professional Sales Manager?

I was in the depths of a major depression. As... Read More

Train a Winning Sales Team: Rounding Third and Heading for Home

Although I never met the man, I imagine Lou Boudreau... Read More

Increase Your Sales - Accept Credit Cards

Many people today simply prefer the convenience of paying by... Read More

T. L. S. Part I: Tier Level Selling ? A Penetration Strategy

A number of sales "Gurus" have promoted the theory that... Read More

Sales Competence Isn?t About Quota Performance!

Compounding the problem are two myths regarding measures of competency... Read More

Not Enough Fresh Sales Leads? Marketing is the New Sales

Your sales are down and leads are rare. The phone's... Read More

Stop Drowning: Nine Strategies For Managing Your Priorities

I just got off the phone with Susan. She is... Read More

How to Organize a Seminar or an Event

Seminars and events have always been implemented as a holistic... Read More

How to Sell Strategically

If you want to maximize your sales performance, take a... Read More

Do You Really Want Local County Contracts?

If you really want to secure government contacts at the... Read More

Seven Deadly Sales Mistakes That Cost Business Owners Big Money - And What To Do About Them

1. LOOKING for a "quick fix" to close more sales... Read More

The Benefits of Catalog Sales For Your Business

Things to watch out for when selling your product in... Read More

Outsourcing the Sales Function

Small to medium companies that want to increase sales or... Read More

4 Tips for the Summer Slowdown - How To Pick Up Sales

You may have heard about the "summer slowdown". You may... Read More

How To Become A Better Sales Manager

YIPPEE! Kendra won, or should I say, "She was hired,"... Read More

3 Steps To Getting A Sales Meeting

The best way to get a new customer is to... Read More

Sales & Marketing Plan Strategies

Design and Implementation of a new Sales & Marketing campaign... Read More

The Nine Warning Signs that You Need a Sales Video

Corporate videos are an important sales tool that can often... Read More

Promoting Your Private Label at Industry Trade Shows

So everyone thought you were crazy when you announced 6... Read More

5 Secrets to Managing Your Sales Manager Productively

Many people believe that the main reason for representatives leaving... Read More

Is Your Forecast Too Sunny? How to Improve the Accuracy of Sales Forecasts

As spring moves to summer, the forecast should be for... Read More

Generous Donor Refused (how qualified business slipped away)

Generous Donor RefusedPicture this. You are a fund development director... Read More

Accepting Responsibility for Your Sales Success

That we live in a time of relentless and pervasive... Read More

How to Keep Projects From Spinning Out Of Control

Are you involved in projects that seem to go nowhere... Read More

The Surest Way to Boost Sales

If you have a small business and you are looking... Read More

Energize Your Organization

No matter what you do, it seems, your employees do... Read More

The Effective Executive

What does it mean to be an "effective executive"? Well... Read More

Drop Discounts and Earn Top Dollar

Every dollar you discount is a dollar of pure profit... Read More