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Five Top Tips For A Prosperous 2004
According to many market forecasts, 2004 is likely to be a buoyant year online. These are my top tips for making the most of it, and ensuring a happy, healthy and prosperous 2004. 1. Seek out new markets and niches, and make them work for...
How To Find An Investment Advisor
Do you think you need an Investment Advisor? Hold on before you answer because this is sort of a trick question. Also, I am definitely biased because I am an Investment Advisor. Nonetheless, I think I can assist you in looking at this issue in a...
How to Increase Sales with Automation Improvements
How popular is online shopping? And is there room for improvement? Let’s check out some pros and cons of automated shopping and see. Digital carts offer convenience for people around the globe 24 hours a day. Yet an estimated 4 percent of...
Phone Tips To Get Things Done: Professional Phone Skills
It happens all the time, you hear someone over the telephone and you make a generalization about the person you are speaking with. It may not be fair and it is akin to judging a book by its cover, but it's true nevertheless. Within 60 seconds,...
Work from Home: 5 required steps to generate sales.
If you're reading this you are probably between 27-44 years old (although some of you progressive types will be just under 27 and a bit older than 44). You work in a sales-type situation mainly from home. Meaning if you don't get sales you...
 
How to Beat the 80/20 Rule in Sales Performance - Part 1

Business executives and sales managers frequently bemoan "80/20" performance on their sales teams, where approximately 80 percent of sales are produced by approximately 20 percent of salespeople. Why do salespeople perform so differently? What is it about top sales performers that enables them to achieve such vastly superior results?



Certainly there are some sales skills that anyone can learn. For example, it is easy to learn how to ask reflective questions. These questions begin with the words "who", "what", "when", "where", "why" and "how", and tend to encourage more detailed answers than questions that can be answered with a �yes� or �no�.

You can learn how to ask reflective questions by participating in a simple role play. In this role play, every time you ask me a "yes/no" question, I'll answer "No". Getting stonewalled with a bunch of "no's" will break you of the yes/no questioning habit pretty quickly!

Other sales skills are tougher to learn. A good example is teaching salespeople how to ask questions and "follow the thread" in the answers. To explain this concept, let's use another role play. If you ask me a reflective question, I'll respond with answers that contain some "pain points". If you recognize the pain points and drill down into them by asking additional questions, I'll eventually agree to engage in a sales cycle.

Do you know what my experience has been with the �follow the thread� role play? Some salespeople learn this skill easily. Others struggle, but they eventually master it. However, some just never get it, no matter how hard they try!

Why can some salespeople learn this critical skill, but others can't?


Reason 1

In their book, Now, Discover Your Strengths, Marcus Buckingham and Donald Clifton report that great managers and average managers have different expectations for their employees. According to Buckingham and Clifton, average managers assume that "each person can learn to be competent in almost anything", while great managers assume that "each person's talents are ENDURING and UNIQUE".

Most sales books and training programs seem to take the "average manager" point of view. In other words, they seem to assume that ANYONE can learn how to sell. Their unspoken promise is that all you have to do is invest enough time, effort, and money to learn the skills they teach. If you make the


investments, you will learn the skills and succeed in sales.

Unfortunately, there are countless examples of sales books and training courses not producing the desired improvement in sales performance. Think about some salespeople you know personally. How many of them are struggling to make their quotas? Why are they struggling?

* Is it the state of the economy? (If other salespeople on the same sales team are making their numbers, blaming the economy won't earn much sympathy.)

* Is it because they don't work hard enough?

* Is it because they don't have enough product knowledge?

* Do they need to work harder on their selling skills?

* Do they need more coaching from their manager?

What if the "great manager" point of view is correct? What if everyone CANNOT become proficient in sales? What if success in sales requires a UNIQUE set of talents?


Reason 2

Herb Greenberg, Harold Weinstein and Patrick Sweeney report this very conclusion in their book, How to Hire and Develop Your Next Top Performer. After correlating hundreds of thousands of assessments that were performed over several decades with actual sales performance measurements, they reached these startling conclusions:

* "55% of the people earning their living in sales should be doing something else"; and

* "Another 20% to 25% have what it takes to sell, but they should be selling something else"

Wow! Those are some sobering statistics! They indicate that MORE THAN HALF of all salespeople are NEVER going to make it in sales. Another quarter have some chance of accomplishing sales success, but only if they find the right job selling the right kind of product or service.

How can you identify whether salespeople have the talents required to succeed in YOUR company�s sales job? That question will be answered in Part 2 of this article.


About the author:
Alan Rigg is the author of How to Beat the 80/20 Rule in Selling: Why Most Salespeople Don't Perform and What to Do About It. His company, 80/20 Performance Inc., supplies specialized sales assessment tests and consulting to help organizations build top-performing sales teams. For more sales and sales management tips, visit: http://www.8020performance.com

 

SellingPower.com | Solutions For Sales Management
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Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management
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Management Articles
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Manage Smarter - Performance Gateway
Manage Smarter is the online home of sales & marketing management, incentive, potential, presentations and training magazine.
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The 5 Biggest Sales Management Blunders
Learn the biggest sales management blunders and how you can avoid them. Spending the necessary time wearing your sales manager hat will help foster a ...
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DEI Sales Management
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Sales Management Training - Selling Seminars - Reinforcement & ROI ...
Offers sales and sales management training. Sign up to receive the monthly newsletter.
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Sales Management Resource International
Sales Management services, sales training, sales solutions, sales people. We provide a systematic approach to providing immediate sales results ...
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Reconnect Sales Management to Profitability - HBS Working Knowledge
"Work your pay plan" is one of the central tenets of sales management. ... In a similar way, top managers can reconnect their sales management to ...
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Amazon.com: Sales Management: Books: Robert J. Calvin
Amazon.com: Sales Management: Books: Robert J. Calvin by Robert J. Calvin.
www.amazon.com
 
Amazon.com: Seven Secrets to Successful Sales Management: The ...
Amazon.com: Seven Secrets to Successful Sales Management: The Sales Manager's Manual: Books: Jack D. Wilner by Jack D. Wilner.
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Personal Selling and Sales Management: KnowThis.com
KnowThis,com offers information, resources, reference and links for sales people, sales managers and other involved in managing a sales force including ...
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Sales Training and Sales Management: KnowThis.com
KnowThis.com offers information, resources, reference and links for anyone involved in sales training or sales management or other managing issues involving ...
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SMR Career Services
Sales Management Resources is a professional executive search company, dedicated to providing consumer products companies the recruitment of exceptional ...
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SalesVantage.com: B2B Advertising, Marketing and Sales Management ...
B2B Advertising, Marketing and Sales Management Directory, Newsfeed & Business Referral Service designed for sales, marketing & advertising executives.
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Contact Management Software, Contact Manager & Sales Software for ...
PC World Gives Prophet Contact & Sales Manager 4 Stars · eWeek praises Prophet for building a sales management solution into Outlook for a reasonable price ...
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Sales Management- 7 Secrets to Successful Sales Management, the ...
7 Secrets to Successful Sales Management, written by, Jack Wilner, one of today's leading sales management trainers, coaches and consultants, ...
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Sales Management Training
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Contact Management Software (SFA) price quotes - Free sales ...
Contact management software buying advice and free sales management software quotes from leading suppliers.
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Waterhouse Group - Sales Training Programs: Consultative, Value ...
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Content Menu
  • 10 critical questions to ask before hiring a consultant

  • 10 lessons for every shoestring entrepreneur

  • 10 profit boosting tips to increase the success of your affiliate program

  • 10 reasons why companies should start doing business online

  • 10 ways for entrepreneurs to find more time

  • 11 secrets to leadership in sales

  • 11 ways to elevate your sales

  • 3 steps to turning ok sales into unbelieveable results

  • 5 tips for savvy use of your home equity line of credit

  • 6 steps to laying out your competitive strategy

  • 7 explosive strategies to maximize your google adwords campaigns

  • 7 tips for product enhancement to increase your sales

  • 8 procedures to take control of sales and marketing

  • alarming marketing trend

  • are you still broke with 10 000 people in your downline

  • army ranger reveals how to control corporate stress

  • assumptions the hidden sales killer

  • astute pricing by sales representatives can expand profit

  • a new look for business in the future

  • a power technique for boosting sales

  • a profitable growth formula for sales managers

  • a real crm strategy or just tracking customers

  • bankers in denial

  • black belt sales meeting moves

  • book summary the e myth revisited

  • boost profits dramatically with consignment sales

  • boost your business sales with credit card payment solutions

  • building an email marketing list

  • businesses should specialise not generalise

  • business after the iraqi war

  • can a sales leaseback arrangement make investing in orlando investment more safe and reliable

  • cash flow management

  • cash flow profits and the cash conversion cycle

  • celebrating successes the power of compliments

  • characteristics of high performance teams

  • coaching for success

  • commodity sales prospecting ‹¨« how to stand out from your competitors

  • communicating value

  • conducting business through b2b e marketplaces

  • confessions of a reluctant saleswoman

  • create a positive upbeat can do workforce and dazzle the customer with your caring

  • creating your internet marketing plan

  • crm for beginners customer relationship management basics

  • crm sfa that accelerates sales the sales process integration approach

  • customer service and call center outsourcing whats the buzz

  • dialogue the four dialogic principles for successful communication

  • does your business need a toll free 800 number

  • doing business online private b2b exchanges

  • domain name and web hosting hell

  • dont shoot the sales team

  • do you feel overwhelmed running a web business try this

  • do you have a picture of your customer

  • do you need a personal assistant

  • easily slash your comms costs using web conferencing

  • education and outsourcing 2 ways to improve your business

  • einstein definition of insanity

  • entrepreneurship what does it really mean

  • financial services marketing insights a marketing compass

  • finding rest for the direct sales company mom

  • first the key to successful sales

  • five dirt cheap ways to increase sales in your cleaning business

  • five strategies to strengthen your companys financial management

  • five tips for analyzing an income statement

  • five top tips for a prosperous 2004

  • forecasting and surviving a layoff or downsizing

  • gaining business intelligence

  • get coached

  • good bye bobby knight and all the sales managers like you

  • grants loans free credit cards and credit repair the whole truth and nothing but the truth

  • hiring and retaining good employees

  • hiring the best sales athletes

  • how to beat the 80 20 rule in sales performance part 1

  • how to beat the 80 20 rule in sales performance part 2

  • how to build a repeat client base in automobile sales

  • how to create multiple revenue streams for your home business

  • how to create your own successful and profitable affiliate program

  • how to cut duty cost and increase profit as an importer

  • how to decrease profits without really trying

  • how to define your companys sales job part 1

  • how to define your companys sales job part 2

  • how to easily increase your profits

  • how to enhance quality in your business

  • how to find an investment advisor

  • how to get money back for your process and procedures investments

  • how to get rich with network marketing

  • how to identify a problem solver

  • how to improve your management procedures usability

  • how to increase sales with automation improvements

  • how to join the 5 of internet business real money making pros regardless of the products you sell

  • how to maximize account penetration and jump start sales

  • how to maximize sales by minimizing windshield time

  • how to meet quality standards with iso 9001

  • how to promote your home business with ebooks

  • how to start a business plan

  • how you can learn to be a better manager

  • hunters and gatherers are you serving both their needs

  • hurdles to cross cultural business communication

  • if it was easy everybody would do it

  • if one does not do any planning one is planning to fail

  • increase sales in your home business with these 10 simple ideas

  • increase your income through international trade

  • increase your influence increase your sales

  • increase your pipeline deploying the cost effective sales team

  • increase your sales by 30 using internet collaboration networks

  • increasing sales with customer interaction points

  • index

  • industry pro interview expanding your market reach for more sales

  • internet marketing vs forex currency trading

  • introducing a mystery shopping program employees

  • investors avoid these 5 common tax mistakes

  • iso 9001 compliant program steps to build

  • is it time to hit the reset button on your sales department

  • is your business profitable

  • is your company growing fast enough for you

  • keeping your sales team motivated

  • leadership lessons for sales managers

  • leveraging open source technology

  • like it or notyoure in sales

  • lone wolf lead wolf

  • looking for a direct sales party plan company do you know what questions to ask

  • making sales online is easy isnt it

  • making sales online is easy isn t it

  • managing your business cash flow

  • maximize your home based business website sales

  • menu driven business planning

  • money management

  • multiply your sales

  • networking 101

  • network marketing book lovers guide 10 hot reads in 2005

  • no degree no problem

  • online success

  • only the weak ones quit

  • organization tips how to set up your database

  • outsourcing not just for big business

  • overcoming barriers to sales

  • overcoming sales objections for small business networks

  • overcoming small business networks sales objections

  • part 1 of 5 how pipe dreams can become realities

  • part 1 of 5 on the home business set up guide

  • part 2 of 5 how pipe dreams can become realities

  • part 2 of 5 on the home business set up guide

  • part 3 of 5 how pipe dreams can become realities

  • part 4 of 5 how pipe dreams can become realities

  • part 5 of 5 how pipe dreams can become realities

  • paypal dedication can leave your business exposed

  • phone interviews prepare to ace them

  • phone tips to get things done professional phone skills

  • planning to make a decision

  • ppc management when to give up on a loser

  • profitable growth is everyones business a book summary

  • properties for sale in cyprus please visit www propertyincyprus com

  • pr where it matters most

  • public relations defining your organization from the inside out

  • results of poor cross cultural awareness

  • riding the sales rollercoaster

  • rotator

  • rý eoc recruitment and retention employer of choice

  • sales 201 learning tools of your trade

  • sales activity report for management

  • sales and marketing terminology

  • sales and the importance of following up

  • sales commission what return should you expect on your sales compensation investment

  • sales leads how to generate quality sales leads through public speaking

  • sales lessons from the election

  • sales partners agents distributors licensing and franchises

  • sales performance and motivation how to get your edge back

  • sales planning

  • sales process how to avoid wasting time on prospects who cant or wont pay

  • sales process the secret to closing more sales

  • sales process what can you automate

  • sales success the 5 steps

  • sales territory management how to prioritize your activities to produce maximum results

  • securing second and third round venture capital financing

  • selecting sales tracking software for your small business

  • selling is easy when youre first fast and foremost

  • selling sales to customer service agents

  • seven cs to avoid procedure writing errors

  • short messaging service sms for enterprise messaging

  • should i stop wasting my salespeople on prospecting

  • six components of a good e commerce site

  • smart choices how to hire the best

  • spam whats the real problem

  • stop being a salesperson

  • stop waste fraud and abuse

  • strategic planning for salespeople

  • strategies for creating a niche business

  • survival tips for small businesses

  • swot analysis

  • telesales success begin with the end in mind

  • the 11 secrets to sales leadership

  • the biggest mistake in sales prospecting

  • the challenges of human resource management

  • the death of the loyal customer

  • the diamond cutter

  • the game plan the difference between small business success and failure

  • the inside scoop on mutual fund rip offs

  • the ins and outs of article submissions

  • the keys to buying motivation unlock the door to sales success

  • the key to high volume web sales

  • the millionaires favorite author

  • the new ways to do the business mba or cio

  • the perfect mutual fund

  • the road to opportunity in wholesale distribution

  • the sales trail

  • the secret to beating tiger woods at golf and its correlation to success in business

  • the six most common barriers to sales success

  • the steps from product idea to product success

  • the three most common mistakes sales managers make

  • the top 10 priorities that guard your five star reputation

  • the traits of great sales leaders

  • the world has changed what is a sales professional to do

  • this old business

  • thoughtleading the art of separating yourself from the pack

  • trade show tactics revealed

  • transform yourself from a salesperson into a businessperson

  • understanding ezine publishing

  • use magnetic gift cards to skyrocket restaurant sales and profits

  • using the internet automation as tools for salespeople

  • venture leasing a smarter way to build enterprise value

  • web conferencing a boon to businesss

  • whats a professional sales manager

  • what 80 of businesses dont know tips for improving your working capital management

  • what is an investor ready business plan

  • which of these 7 mistakes are you making in mlm

  • who says i cant offer this property for rent

  • why mobile sms text messaging

  • why performance based recruiting produces top sales performers

  • why small businesses fail or fail to thrive

  • why suppliers should use b2b exchanges

  • will your home business succeed or fail

  • work at home business ideas

  • work from home 5 required steps to generate sales

  • work priorities where can you spend your time most effectively

  • yesterdays hero