"Stuck in the Sales Rep Rut: How Do I Get to be a Sales Manager?" - 02/19/20 Edition
Stephen Says Column
Dear Stephen:
I own a successful rep firm in Chicago with an outside sales team of five people and a great contract furniture showroom in The Mart. Having a showroom here is perfect for the display and presentation of A&D oriented products. We call mostly on A&D in the Chicagoland area but, of course, sell through dealers and educate end-users on our products. We use a standard CRM program, but the job is fundamental for our industry - outside sales 101 - build relationships face to face to influence specifications. You know the drill - schedule “lunch and learns”, visit A&D libraries to update samples and catalogs, introduce new products, and, again, plenty of face to face time with designers.
Our most successful reps making the most amount of money ($150K +) are the ones who have the type of relationship where they are inviting architects and designers and dealers and end-users to our showroom for product presentations. We typically do these over breakfast or lunch or cocktails. Lots of entertaining and education right here in the showroom, which is a costly resource but necessary to show off our high-end wood case goods, glass walls, and seating.
About nine months ago, I had a long time outside salesperson retire. I was sad to see her go. She had plum accounts, so I was happy to have a sales opening where I could bring someone on board and hand them an existing “book of business” and let them make it grow by starting to own these relationships. So often in the past when we had a opening I needed to focus on finding a salesperson who could bring relationships with them but now my business was mature enough that I just needed someone to keep pace with the previous rep’s passion for visiting clients face to face and getting them in the showroom. In other words build on those existing relationships. In headhunting, I imagine you would call this a “good job” and an easy position to fill. So I decided I was able to hire someone without a lot of existing relationships and newer to outside sales. You know, think outside the box and do what everyone says one should do, bring some fresh blood into my company. I found a person smart enough to catch on to our formula (or so I thought) even though they had not had a lot of outside sales experience.
Almost a year has gone by, and I feel like I hired the most expensive sample messenger money could buy. I cannot get this salesperson to make regular sales calls or to schedule presentations either outside or inside our offices. They have an existing client base I have handed them, but they seem unaware of how to develop it. As I think about it, they spend most of their time dropping off wood samples or answering inquiries but very few client presentations in the showroom, hardly any lunch and learns, and almost no dinner expense on their T&E account. They have been milking the existing base of business but not growing the business or cultivating new customers. I like this person, but they now seem out of place in outside sales.
Look, we are a small company, and I admit that one of our weaknesses is that we do not have a formal training program, and we don’t do a lot of hand-holding when a person starts. And I’m so busy that
I have not spent enough time reviewing what is expected of them: number of calls each day, number of showroom presentations, sales goal expectations, things like that. Now I am at the end of my rope and feel like I need to move on. In other words, fire them while the existing base of business is still loyal to my firm and my products. What would you do?
Signed, End of My Rope
Dear Rope:
When I thought about your question, and the nice path that you paved for this person that you hired, what popped into mind was the old expression “80% of success is just showing up.” All this person had to do was get out there and see the people, and he would have made a nice living, and you would have been happy with him.
I realize it is difficult for smaller companies to have a formal training program or a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to onboard, train, and then track the progress of new people. I hear it all the time. There are outside resources
you can hire to do this, and I wish more companies would. I do admire you for taking the risk of going outside the industry standard, but at this point, ask yourself something you should have done before the hire. Does this person understand and like the fundamentals of outside sales? Someone who can pound the pavement, get in front of customers, and get them inside your beautiful showroom? Do they enjoy building and creating relationships? Now is the time to discuss this with them and then get them on a 45-day program. Yes, only 45 days. They have been there almost a year, so 45 days is enough. Meet them once a week, and if there’s no movement, fire them! I am a fast hire, fast fire advocate.
I think you have someone who may be a nice person, well-intended, but clearly does not get the fundamentals of outside sales and building relationships. Should you have spent more time with them, implemented a training program, and given them periodic written reviews? Maybe, but that is water under the bridge. Cut your loss and be a boss!
Stephen
You can send your workplace questions to Stephen at: StephenSays@bellow.press
Questions selected to be answered, will appear in this column. Please use the Subject: Stephen Says for all emails. Stephen Viscusi is a bestselling author, television personality, and CEO of The Viscusi Group, global executive recruiters located in New York. Follow Stephen on Twitter @stephenviscusi, Like Stephen on Facebook, and follow him on LinkedIn.
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