Can we talk about a HUGE problem with Sales Organizations?
The problem is just like the marketing of Christmas, it starts earlier every year. The problem is Excuses from amateur salespeople! Excuses to NOT to do their job during the Holidays!!!!
It works like this:
Salespeople make Excuses. Sales Managers accept Excuses. CEOs tolerate Excuses.
Of course, this happens all year long. Some Salespeople think the excuse is built in right now due to the Holidays.
I am hearing excuses being made more than I have in the past…it is the Holidays. My prospects don’t want to have a conversation with me. They are busy planning next year. Yea, they are; that is why you should be out there talking to them.
Why Does This Happen?
Excuses occur because it is accepted and tolerated within the organization. The solution is actually pretty simple, but it is uncomfortable and takes some effort to execute. Stop accepting the excuses Sales Managers. Coach your salespeople. CEOs stop tolerating this behavior. When was the last time the Sales Managers on your team received some help with learning how to coach, and develop their people?
It does not matter the size of the business. This Mindset proliferates small, medium and large sales organizations. It happens because there is a pandemic of fear and laziness allowed to fester in sales teams year round!
Coasting Until The New Year?
The time between Thanksgiving and New Years is not the time to coast, it is the time to go be a sales professional because the amateur salespeople are NOT. It is the perfect time to create wins and….
- To find the prospects who have year-end budgets to spend
- To find a prospect who is looking to find a Partner, not a vendor
- To be grateful for the business you earned this year and go say thank you to your customers
- To take a customer a Egg Nog Latte or one of those Pumpkin Spiced things…be different. Seriously, the power of an Egg Nog Latte with the right person…wow.
- To find prospects that have a problem, don’t have a budget today, but will have the budget in Q1. It is called filling the pipeline!
- To have a 2020 planning meeting with a customer & determine what they are worried about in 2020 and what support they need
- To go do your job because your competitors are not doing theirs
What do we do?
Sales Managers stop accepting excuses right now in December! Why do you think KPIs go away in December? They don’t!
And Mr. or Mrs. CEO, imagine the Controller saying: Hey our customers are busy. It’s the Holidays. We will go get those receivables in January. I doubt that would be acceptable!
Why would you let the department responsible for generating revenue take a month off?
If you would like to discuss fixing this problem, I am working through the end of year, and I love Egg Nog Lattes! Schedule a 15 minute chat and let’s get down to business!
Happy Holidays!
