Understanding the Sales Force

I’ve previously written about sales compensation, with the average salesperson earning $96,000, a good salespeople earning $135,000 (varies by industry and geography) and poor and entry level salespeople earning around $67,000.  Several companies have recently asked me about how to hire salespeople when you can’t afford to pay even the entry level sales compensation.

His skills have not eroded one bit.  He is the King of the Blues.

Most of your salespeople are at least fifteen years younger than BB King.  Can you say the same things about them? 

Most companies have “them”.  Most managers brag about “them”. Most of “them” toot their own horns.  Most are their company’s role models. Most companies would love to have more like “them”. They masquerade as the top salespeople in their companies, a claim supported by data, spreadsheets, commission statements, awards and accolades.  But who are they really?

Reader’s Digest ran a feature story on Will Smith, star of  the hit movie, The Persuit of Happiness.  Will’s character is not the only one in this story obsessed with winning.  It turns out that Will is also obsessed with winning, being the best and being the most successful. He believes that he can be the best at anything he chooses to undertake.  He not only shares this trait with the likes of Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, Oprah Winfrey, Donald Trump and other well known celebrities, but with some of the most successful salespeople as well.  I posted an article on this subject in October.

I received some really lousy customer service this week and it perfectly demonstrates exactly what salespeople can do and not do to lose their good accounts.