Not lost...just undiscovered.

Hello Manager; I am the salesperson you just hired. I know very little of the products I’m supposed to represent, nothing of the dealership I’m representing and nothing about what your processes are. I have been sitting in back watching factory sponsored videos and taking tests on a product I haven’t even seen up close yet. I’ve heard (from the other sales people) that you’re difficult to work for…high expectations, lots of rules and very little motivation. I am the new salesperson and I am not lost…just undiscovered.

Hello Manager; I am the under performing sales person you are always referring to. I have lots of experience, plenty of hard knocks training and I’ve been to many different dealerships. I don’t get any “house” deals, and I never seem to be in the right place at the right time. I come in late, but I have plenty of excuses. I don’t like follow-up because those people don’t buy anyways. My previous customers only want a good deal and don’t care if I’m here tomorrow. I am not lost…just undiscovered.

Hello Manager; I am the sales person with “potential’ that you’re always referring to. I have plenty of product knowledge, I care for my customers and I work all the extra shifts. I fill the holes in the front lines, walk my inventory daily, and make all the phone calls I should. I try to answer your questions when I come to the sales desk but I don’t always have the answers. I do an average job selling but I don’t know how to get to that next level you are always referring to. I listen in your meetings but you always seem to be referring to the poor performers. I am the sales person in the middle of the board that doesn’t know how to reach the top. I am not lost…just undiscovered.

Do you have any undiscovered people on your team?

Discover your talent and uncover your potential:

Provide clear processes and procedures. Design a process map so anyone reading it will know exactly what to do, how to do it and when to do it.
Train the potential so that it can be realized. “If you keep doing what you are doing…you will keep getting what you are getting.” ~ Unknown
Promote the winners and remove the whiners.
Measure and coach for performance standards. Hold weekly meetings for production, performance metrics, hold a follow-up “party” and “inspect what you expect”.
Motivate and inspire.

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Comment by Joe Clementi on April 23, 2014 at 12:16pm

Shawn. Thank you for reading and for asking a great question. I wanted to think about exactly how to respond to your question. While I don’t think the answer can be as simple as these five things but I do believe they provide a starting point:

A good foundation of belief and standards. What are the expectations? Where do you want to take the team? Setting the standards and belief that your team can and will accomplish anything you set out to do! You are not limited by anything but your own expectations, beliefs and actions.
Show Up! Consistently show up to work and set that expectation for your team. Find a process that works, be consistent with all of your staff and do not waiver on your expectations. You just need to stay in the process long enough to give it a chance to win!
Start with a simple daily, weekly and monthly discipline that over time provides results. Live by the old rules of "trust but verify" and "inspect what you expect". Measure and monitor their daily, weekly and monthly performance. How many customers are they meeting “belly to belly” with a day? How many presentations? How many demonstrations? How many dealership tours, trade evaluations, write-ups and what is their closing ratio’s?
Be committed for the long-haul. A team isn't built in a day and minds aren’t changed by a single thought. Commit to a process and be consistent with "every customer, every deal, and every day...without exception!
Practice work integrity. We’re not talking about moral integrity but rather your work integrity. It’s what you and your team do when no one is looking! I always ask my staff this question; at the end of the day would your loved one be proud of the effort you provided today?

Most sales managers don’t stick with the simple daily disciplines it takes to get where they want to go, because they don’t know how to look ahead far enough along the curve to see the results they’re creating.

I wish you continued success! Keep your eyes focused on where you are headed and not where you are.

Comment by Shawn Lawson on April 23, 2014 at 1:53am: This is great. I have 4 salespeople working for me and each of them can be described here. I really want to discover them and help them to succeed but am having a very hard time doing it. I am a 10 year guy with just 2 years of management experience under my belt. I still have a "sales guy" attitude which I don't think is helping the situation. Any thoughts on where I should go from here?