The Sales Manager's Dilemma

Salespeople report to you. Some are new. Some are seasoned. Some are struggling, some do well, and some need help. You have a training budget, but it's limited, and you want to use it wisely. You want the most bang for your buck, but you are unsure what to do or how to do it. Who needs help? Who does not?

Selling isn't easy. Determining why a salesperson or sales team is not performing at peak levels can be even more challenging. Most managers believe traveling with their salespeople can uncover areas of concern. However, other tools may be more effective for objectively reviewing a salesperson's capabilities and skills. We are a licensed distributor of TTI Success Insights™ assessment tools. Many customers use these assessments to identify needs and develop team training.

For example, the Success Insights™ Sales Skills Index evaluates salespeople's abilities in six areas.

• Prospecting
• First Impressions
• Qualifying
• Demonstration
• Influence
• Closing

Our experience has shown that most sales managers believe closing is the most common area where salespeople struggle. It's astonishing how often sales managers tell us, "Our people know how to sell. They just don't close!" We have found that weaknesses become visible at the closing, so it is natural to assume this is where the problem is. However, after collecting years of data from these assessments, a common thread we see across the board is that all salespeople, regardless of their experience, have weaknesses in areas other than closing.