subject: How To Maximize Sales [print this page] How to maximize sales is something that every business owner has as a top priority and there are many areas that can be worked on to be consistent and successful in accomplishing that goal. One area that time and effort can be spent is in the area of improving the people that are on the front-lines selling.
Hire Good Sales People
One area that is critical and often does not get enough attention is trying to make the best hire possible in terms of the sales resources that we add to the team. Most sales people and managers want to be selling and running the business. Recruiting and interviewing is a distraction from that and, as a result, we can sometimes be not as thorough in the vetting process.
When we do not hire the right resources, we can stand to get hit in a couple of areas in terms of costs. First, we can spend a tremendous amount in terms of staffing and training costs on someone that ends up not producing and staying for a long time. And the other and more significant cost that hits us is the opportunity cost from all of the deals that are missed and lost while we don't have the best resource in place.
The solution here is to spend more time and be more thorough when looking to add or replace sales resources and improve how to maximize sales. Add more steps to the process. Use more structure in the questions and analysis. Look at both qualitative and quantitative metrics.
Provide Solid Sales Training
Once the right resources are in place, what is the process that is in place to get their level on knowledge and skills to where they need to be for how to maximize sales? Is there any type of sales training program and process?
It is actually common for sales managers and business owners to hire sales people that have experience and to have the mindset that they have experience and know what to do. But the reality is that they may be new to the company and possibly the industry and there is some needed training in those areas. In addition, in the area of sales skills, there is always room for growth and development.
Provide Direction through Sales Coaching
Once the direction and knowledge has been established, the grooming of sales resources does not stop. We can continue to develop and guide through sales coaching.
Sales coaching is more of an ongoing activity where we work with the frontline sales resources to identify goals, challenges, opportunities, and more. By continuing to work with the resources to make sure they are progressing and staying on track, you can likely have more clarity with how to maximize sales.
Minimize Sales Staff Turnover
If you have the right resources in place, and you have invested a tremendous amount in them in terms of training and coaching, and they are now producing, you now better do everything you can to keep those resources and minimize sales turnover.
Sales staff turnover is something that will always exist, but there are some things that you can do to minimize it. Things like consistent management, well structure compensation plans, empowerment, communication, and coaching are clear things that can be implemented to decrease turnover.
