In my last post I spoke about the traits that successful sales people had ….and the negative traits of sales people less successful. My observations come from actual work in the field. With clients, and observing sales people in action, along with stories told to me by people who have had great experiences with sales people. I have stories from those who have had not so great experiences. To further make my point about the less successful group (I think that opposites teach well) here is a story from my actual experience.
When I say that the less successful group has a tendency towards dishonesty here is one example; I met with a sales person who had purchased…yes purchased his territory from someone who had retired at a company that I was now sales manager at… and over the first two or three years his sales went from over $1.5 million dollars to $900,000+, a whopping 36% decline. When I inquired about his decline and his goals and plans for the upcoming year he blustered “the previous sales manager protected me from this”…..I said “what did he protect you from?” He said, “the owners….I know they sent you….they are pressuring you”…..do you see the dishonesty here? He was dishonest with himself. He had deceived himself into believing it was ok….since he “owned” it no doubt. His lie was one of his own behavior. The reason for his decline was simple he stopped working and he had told excuses to himself to justify whatever he did each day in replace of working toward his own goals, although I doubt he was motivated, ambitious or smart enough to have any goals. If watching his investment of the purchase price wither away along with his sales, was not a motivating factor, what would be?
When I inquired further about his daily behavior in an attempt to help coach him again he blustered (defensive explosions mean you are hiding something)…”do you know what I have been through?” “Do you know about my health condition?”….again I was mystified as my question was “did anyone at the company know?” He did say “the credit manager knows.”
So he had decided to hide his illness from the owners and his manager and his previous manager helped him hide his behavior and this was good in his mind?
So when I say sales people who do not perform well tell lies….it’s about the lies that they tell themselves, because everyone else knows what the truth is. Their managers, owners, co-workers….everyone….you do not have to be a rocket scientist to figure out what is going on when someone’s sales decline over a two or three year period.
Now didn’t the story help make my point?
More stories of actual sales people in the naked city to come.
Gratefully yours…
Steve
