Are you a CEO or HR Manager? Are you concerned about issues that your employees are facing?

We know that at times it can be quite burdensome to feel partially responsible for your companies employees. And you probably feel overwhelmed and unsure about your role in dealing with their problems. These problems are effecting you, the employees job performance, as well as their co-workers.

When it comes to Employee well being you are most likely concerned with four key areas.

1) Employee Mental Health
2) Employee Physical Health
3) Employee Motivation and Happiness
4) Employee Screening

Well, we have great news! Fortunately their are excellent and affordable corporate programs that specialize in facilitating the treatment of these four key issues that greatly affect your Employees well being and productivity. And you can also use this same time saving service to get info on these other programs.

For your employees mental health ::

Employee Assistance Programs specialize in your Employees mental health. When one of your employee’s has a personnel issue that is affecting their job performance, your EAP can assist them by referring the troubled employee to a therapist in their national network.

Key Options: 3,5,7 personnel counseling session models, telephonic and internet counseling, coaching programs, etc..

For your employees physical health ::

Corporate Wellness Programs focus on improving the physical health of your employees thereby greatly increasing employee morale and reducing health care costs.

Key Options: Health fairs, Employee Education programs, Health Screening, Coaching, HRA questionnaires, Nutritional Management, Fitness Management etc…

For your employee motivation ::

Employee Incentive Programs motivate your employees by customizing an incentive plan specifically for your company. This is a great and fun way to motivate your employees to focus on their work and not their problems.

Key Options: The employees earn point that go towards Group Travel (family vacations), Online Merchandise, Gift Certificates etc. You can award employees based on sales, tenure, conduct etc.

For substance abuse testing ::

Drug Testing Programs This is unfortunately a crucial element that almost all companies should have in place. Employee who are experiencing substance abuse problems not only affect their job performance, but each employee they work with. When an employee tests positive for substance abuse you have the option to terminate their employment or send them to your EAP. Employee Drug Testing programs can fully manage your company’s drug testing policy and screening procedures.

Key Options: Random testing, Pre Employment testing, DOT and non dot, Background Checks, provides national network of testing sites etc.

The four areas of employee well being are usually very case sensitive and at times extremely complicated. It is near impossible for one person or even a department of people to effectively handle each each of these areas. The above programs are great steps toward consolidating and lightening your work load while improving your employees overall well being.

A keynote speaker was asked to speak at a real estate convention in Pittsburgh, Pa. during the time of the closing down of the steel mill industry in Pittsburgh. The outlook was bleak as almost everyone had lost their job. When this gentleman arrived at the convention he found a completely negative group of agents that were just completely devastated.

When he was getting ready to seat himself, he was worried about sitting around all those negative people. All of a sudden this very cheerful lady invited him to sit next to her. Unlike everyone else she was extremely cheerful. The keynote speaker, taken aback asked the nice lady why she was so happy and cheerful when everyone else was complaining about no sales because no one had jobs. She went on to tell him that in all the years she had been selling real estate she was having her biggest year ever. Wondering out loud the speaker asked how that could possibly be when no one had jobs.

The cheerful lady went on to tell him that in all her years of selling, it was the first time all the husbands WERE HOME! They couldn’t use the excuse that they had to work! She had turned a potential negative and turned it into a positive by seeing the entire picture, not the obvious one that everyone else was focused on. Needless to say the keynote speaker changed his planned speech and used her story to elevate the crowd into another dimension. This applies to all of you when you by into excuses for failure. When one door closes there is always another one that opens. You just have to SEE IT.

A lot of those families had lifetime savings tucked away but never had the time to purchase a home. Now because of one lady that had positive thinking, they not only had the time but also had the money, and ended up with their dream home! Analyze this and see how it applies to your business! THEN APPLY IT!

“The Specialist” has over 25 years of hard core door to door sales with no leads and no referrals and for 38 years has never had a guaranteed paycheck! “The Specialist” has interviewed over 250,000 people in the privacy of their home, has interviewed over 5,000 people for employment opportunities, group interviewed and sold literally tens of thousands of people, spoken at colleges and universities and has literally amassed millions upon millions of dollars in sales!

http://greatsales.wordpress.com

One of the challenges that face the entrepreneur who is opening a dollar store is dealing with recovery of sales. It might be a situation where the store was just purchased, or the owner has simply allowed sales to fall off. No matter what the situation, there needs to be a recovery plan that is developed to get sales back on track.

No matter what the situation, it is important that sales be brought back to previous levels when you are opening a dollar store. There are many steps to the process, but none of those steps can be initiated until the store is prepared. Preparation of the store really involves assessing the situation and then reacting.

Think of the sales recovery as requiring all of the actions that were taken when you are opening a dollar store for the first time. Think of the assessment as a way to see what needs to be done to bring the store’s appearance back to pre-grand opening condition.

When you are opening a dollar store start by looking at the lighting. Burned our bulbs need to be replaced. Next look at the walls. A little spot painting might be needed. The store’s windows should be cleaned inside and out. Anything that is in need of repair (Doors, windows, cash registers, etc.) should be fixed or replaced. Finally, the floors should be thoroughly cleaned.

Next examine the merchandise in the store. To really capture customers and to get them to come back time and time again on the future the store must be fully stocked. Store inventory must be maintained into the future, as empty shelves mean customers will stop coming into the store. Maintaining sales floor inventory is a necessary requirement for success when you are opening a dollar store.

When opening a dollar store take the time and invest the money to bring the store back to pre-grand opening condition when sales have been allowed to sag. Only then should you initiate advertising and promotions to grow the sales of the store.

To Your Dollar Store Success!

Are you interested in owning your own Dollar Store?
Visit us at http://www.openingadollarstore.com for more information.
http://www.onlineauctionsmadesimple.net

I have a question for all of you Sales Managers out there. What will it take? What will it take to turn the new or mediocre sales person in your group into someone who drives revenue and reeks confidence? It will take a decision. A decision that this is the career field that I have chosen. This career is the vehicle that will facilitate my dreams coming true. This is the field that I will motivate and dedicate my professional life to.

It’s not unlike becoming a physician and taking the Hippocratic Oath. It’s a turning point. A place where the mind joins the reality. “I am and always will be, of my own volition, a Sales Professional.” This is the point that a mediocre, uncommitted hire begins to become the top performer that every Sales Manager loves to have.

Getting them there

What will it take to get the new hire off the dime? That’s where you come in. It is your job to find out what motivates your staff. Not as a whole, but individually. We assume that Sales Professionals are in it for the money. We assume that money, perks and rewards are the prime motivators for what they do. This may or may not be the case.

If you’ve never done so, take each of your staff out to lunch. Make it a long lunch. Get to know them. Find out what makes them tick. What motivates them? Why do they get up each morning? Do they have short and long term personal and professional goals? Ask about family, hobbies, etc. These are all important questions and will give you amazing insight into how you can motivate your staff to reach their full potential. You will then be able to help them reach both their goals and the goals of your organization. This is value.

Helping them decide

Now that you know why they are in this profession, it should be easy for you to determine why they are performing at a mediocre level. Use this knowledge to help them. Help them decide. Schedule some more individual time. Meet with each person in your staff and help them determine their goals, both professionally and personally. This does two things; it gives them a road map. A direction to take their careers. It also lets them know that you care. That you are willing to help them make a positive turn in their lives. You have helped them create value in their lives. This simple act will give you a staff that will go well beyond the norm to give you what you ask for.

Value…your goal

When you can find out what motivates each individual in your staff and how to use this knowledge to drive them, you have created incredible value. Bringing value to your organization is your goal. It is your key function as a Sales Manager. Bringing value will yeild enormous rewards. Your revenues will soar, your career prospects will increase and most of all, you will have a happy, motivated sales staff.

Don’t wait. Take action today. Get your sales staff to make a definitive declaration of where they want to go. Create value. You won’t regret it.

About the Author

http://www.Salesmotivation.net was launched to fill the need for no cost, quality training and motivational material for Sales Professionals of all levels. Our goal is to train you, equip you, challenge and motivate you.

I have been a top producing Sales Professional for over 17 years. I have sold for large corporations and small start up companies. I believe that Sales is one of the most challenging yet rewarding fields an individual can choose. You have the ability to create your own destiny and determine your level of success. I take my profession very seriously, but have a great deal of fun achieving my goals. My wish is for you to do the same.

Let us partner with you in your success. We are always hear to help and I am available to speak at Sales meetings and conferences. No cheesy pictures, no pumped up resumes. My presentations are packed with tons of humor and mountains of information and practical tools your sales staff can use right away. Please email me at gary@salesmotivation.net to discuss your needs.

Make it a great day…better yet, make it a great life!

Most if not all sales processes consists of three steps. The first one is a very simple one. It is such a basic step that many tend to forget to use it. Even in a normal communication process this activity is also required, but often source of confusion when the complete step has been skipped or ignored. But whether it is the internal sales process, communicating the goals and activities to pursue or the external sales process, it starts with information.

How often do you come across a situation that you have not been informed your self by your manager? Or, as a manager have you ever forgotten to inform your team members about an important issue that will have consequences later on?

The first step in sales is about informing the other party, the other side or person on the line. Sales is not only about selling a product, but many times about gaining commitment. And the first step in doing so is informing someone.

The straightforward sales process also starts with this activity. And much of this sales process is executed by none-specialized sales agents. Instead, marketing departments take most of this responsibility. And the reason is simple, if you are able to inform more people (about a new feature) the conversion to a next step will increase automatically.

Think about the tv-campaigns, the billboards down the roads or the banners on the net. It is all about showing that you (your business) is there, waiting for the unknown prospect to approach. Telemarketing too, is often initiated after prospects have been previously informed. A normal approach is that they receive some kind of information, a leaflet or whatever so that the telesales person can elaborate on existing information – have you received our brochure yet? What did you think of it?

There are three main steps in the sales process. This first step can have a massive approach, where your organization can contact many potential clients. The distance between your (sales) organization and the potential client is still very large. In the next two steps this distance will have to be narrowed down.

© 2007 Hans Bool

Hans Bool writes articles about management, culture and change. If you are interested to read or experience more about these topics have a look at: href="http://www.astorwhite.com/" target="_new">Astor White or sign-up for our href="http://www.astorwhite.com/en/about_news_signup_page.php" target="_new">newsletter

Sales are a challenging task for any company, and running and managing and effective sales team is vital for your company’s bottom line. Sales are the lifeblood of any company or organization. You need sales to drive revenue and keep a steady cash flow into the company. By finding solutions for the following you

Can improve your sales team performance and increase your sales.

5. Not Asking For The Business

This is key point in any sales cycle. Great sales people know how and when to ask for the business. They need to show your company’s commitment to earning the business and be prepared to know what it takes to close the sale. By just being direct, straightforward and asking the prospect for the business can make the difference between winning and loosing a sale.

4. Inaccurate Sales Forecasting

Nothing is more frustrating for management than to have an inaccurate sales forecast. Most of the time sales people with over estimate what they will be able to close that month for a couple of reasons. Sometimes it is due to the sales rep wanting their sales pipeline to appear bigger than it really is, or because they want to look like they are doing a better job than they actually are. In order to get a better and more accurate forecast the sales rep really has to understand where they are in the sales cycle and just come and out ask the prospect when they can expect the sales to close. Sales Reps tend to guess instead of asking the prospect. Sometimes it helps if the prospect can have someone from management call or even another sales rep in order to effectively gage the sales forecast.

3. Poor Follow Up

Constant follow up with prospects will keep them engaged in the sales cycle. Even if the sale isn’t going exactly where the rep would like, it is key to keep in contact with prospect at all time. Sometimes Reps know that they might not be getting a great lead and they will tend to treat that lead as second class and not give the attention to it that it deserves. By maintaining a strict follow up policy a company can get more out of the sales pipeline. Even if a prospect isn’t buying right away, by maintaining close contact the business can often return at a latter time.

2. Not Enough Qualified Leads

This is truly a killer for any sales organization. Having a good qualified leads can keep the sales rep motivated and increase the chances of closing new business. Sales representatives often get discouraged when all they have to work with are poor qualified leads and too much time is wasted going after lower end accounts. By giving them more to work with, allows them to truly focus on those prospects that are qualified and are willing to spend the money to make the purchase. Every organization should evaluate how they are getting their leads. Often companies will attempt to give something free away such as an Ipod to increase leads. These leads are very poor and will take too much time and effort to shift through that is actually interested in the product or service versus who just wanted to win a free Ipod.

1. Unmotivated Sales Representatives
The bottom line is that sales people are lazy. Most organizations rely to heavily on the sales reps to go out do the hard work of prospecting to find new business. Sales reps are more interested in selling and feel that is what you hired them to do. When they have to spend 70% of their time looking for leads and knocking on doors, they can’t do the follow up and truly focus on the sales cycle to close the new business that is needed to drive revenue. If they are already on a salary they tend it get too comfortable and rely just on that salary as an income. At this point most of the time they care very little if a deal is going to close because they have a guaranteed income anyways. It is important to find out what truly motivates your sales team and keep them motivated.

James Vinall- A B2B sales professional that specializes in Contract Sales and Lead Generation
http://www.theleadshark.com

“Winning athletes need to plan their training routine; train under the conditions that will be similar to the actual event; control their diet; set targets to be achieved; monitor progress and performance; constantly refine elements of their regime; and most importantly they must motivate themselves towards achieving the ultimate goal – Winning!

So what is so different about business? A business needs…”

This was the start of an article I wrote some years ago and cliché apart this analogy is still as relevant, if not more, than it was then.

A business needs to ensure that everybody has been trained to carry out their duties, to know what impact they have on the total process internally and most importantly the customer; and be able to adapt to ever changing conditions by having readily available information about their company, their customers, the competition etc.

As with a successful athlete there is a certain percentage of talent involved. Not just anyone can be a gold medal winning sprinter, but only in the right environment and regime will that talent flourish. The same applies to the personnel that make up a business. You hire talented and dedicated sales people and with the right training regime their talents are honed and refined.

However, that is where the analogy ends, there is one caveat and it can be summed up in one word; TECHNOLOGY.

Today’s businesses see technology as a huge performance enhancement to their organisations, so much so, that the technology they use is purchased with the assumption that it will solve most if not all problems. This is like the athlete expecting that by wearing the latest scientifically engineered trainers he is guaranteed to win a race. In the athlete’s world, the calibre of a training facility is there to aid the existing talent and training regimes. The mistake that most businesses make is expecting technology to exceed this mandate and deliver results that are not there.

Technology in the business environment is the means to create an optimised environment so that the sales personnel can be ready at all times. In the same way a football teams play friendly matches to get match fit and test their tactics and game plans, business technology offers a sales team the chance to know their own match readiness. The mistake that today’s businesses make is that too often the glitz, glamour and the interactivity of a technology solution flatters to suggest that it will offer more than this. The bottom line is, that without the foundations of a well understood sales process that is in use by talented sales people, your new technology is not going to work, worse still if by implementing a technology your sales processes have to change to adapt to the system, then your business is almost always likely to suffer.

George Petri is Managing Director of Nomis Limited which created SalesVision, one of the UK’s leading IT systems providers in effective Sales Performance Management.

http://www.salesvisiononline.com

http://www.nomislimited.com

You know those dramatic commercials on late night TV for slicers and dicers and steak knives and juicers and rotisseries, don’t you?

What do all of them, the successful ones, those that stick around and actually tempt you to buy; what do they have in common?

They’re crackerjacks at creating VALUE. Literally, their offers SIZZLE.

“For a rotisserie this great that will save you gas and electric, that will cook the most delicious food you’ve ever had, that will cut your cooking and clean-up time by 80%, and that will give you healthier meals, you’d expect to pay $300 or more.

“Our price isn’t $300, or $200, or even $100! It’s an amazing $79.95, and not only do you get this phenomenal cookery but you get the tasty companion recipe book, “Delicious, Healthy Eating on A Budget,” itself a $29.95 value, for FREE!

“And on top of that, we’re including valuable supermarket coupons good at your local stores worth far more than $79.95 in savings.”

“But let’s not stop there. The proof is in the pudding, right? Use and enjoy this marvelous rotisserie for a full 30 days, and if you’re not thrilled with it, you can keep the money saving coupons we’ve enclosed with your purchase and return the rotisserie for a full refund. So, we’ll actually pay you the full value of the rotisserie simply for trying it!

“Get your order in within the next 20 minutes, and as our thank-you, we’ll send you an additional $10 rebate by mail!”

Have I whetted your appetite for a rotisserie? Sorry, but you’ll need to get in touch with heavyweight champion George Foreman for one of those.

But we can all learn from the example.

Value isn’t a dry proposal that recites the fact that we’ll cut our standard price by 10%

To really work our value propositions need to SIZZLE!

Dr. Gary S. Goodman is the
best-selling author of 12 books and more than
a thousand articles. His seminars and training
programs are sponsored internationally and he
is a top-rated faculty member at more than 40
universities. Dynamic, experienced,
and lots of fun, Gary brings more than two decades
of solid management and consulting experience
to the table, along with the best academic preparation
and credentials in the speaking and training industry.
Holder of five degrees, including a Ph.D. from the
Annenberg School For Communication at USC,
an MBA from the Peter F. Drucker School of Management,
and a law degree from Loyola, his clients include several
Fortune 1000 companies along with successful family
owned and operated firms across America. Much more
than a “talking head,” Gary is a top mind that you’ll
enjoy working with and putting to use.
He can be reached at: gary@customersatisfaction.com

Sales professionals are high-energy, fast-thinking, opportunistic people. If they are good, they often shoot from the hip and take calculated risks. They can be called mavericks and that’s a good thing. It takes a little “maverick” in the blood to be effective in the world of professional sales. Most are willing to try anything that offers the potential for a fast boost, a quick sale, increased value, or the strengthening of their relationship with their customer. Too often, however, this quick fix mentality reduces the long-term focus and discipline of the sales force. This can be especially true for a new sales person or a sales person taking over a new territory.
Ask your sales people to follow these guidelines for any new territory development or when a new sales person takes over an existing territory.

1. Meet and qualify all the key-high potential accounts in your territory before you begin to focus on a few.

2. Do your homework. Know your company first; the strong points, the weak points. Know who and what your internal resources are. What is your company’s sweet spot?

3. Do your homework. Know your customers. What do they buy? How do they buy? Who are their five largest customers? Research your customer and their industry on the web. Become an industry expert for your customer. Meet people and cultivate relationships beyond your customers purchasing department.

4. Create a call plan prior to every call. The objective can be as simple as getting an appointment with someone higher up in management to meet with your management on a subject as complex as a full-blown Power Point presentation designed to secure a contract.

5. Keep a data record on every buyer at your major accounts. Get to know him as well as his family knows him.

6. Create an itinerary for each week. Know what you are going to do. Set at least two base appointments in the morning and afternoon with major accounts. Fill in around these appointments as appropriate.

7. Know your customers’ personality. People buy from people so develop a relationship with each of your customers. PIMS (Personal Information Managers) or sales programs such as TeleMagic and Goldmine have a place for this information. Use it, or put it in your spiral binder. Nothing is more important to Jennifer than her daughter’s ballet or to Bill than his golf or his son’s little league, BUT do not waste your time or theirs. Some people will reject you as a time waster if you talk about this, others will keep you on the phone for hours with trivia. Know your customer and control the conversation. Your job is to sell and move on but do it in the most productive and effective manner and only you know what that is for your customer.

8. Create a territory plan. Establish goals, identify milestones, create a time line and engage all your resources including upper management.

9. Create an action plan for every major account. Know your customers’ “Rules of Engagement.” What keeps them up at night? Create a strategy that involves your entire team including the President of your company if appropriate.

10. Set specific goals and objectives. Write them down.

11. Maintain a positive attitude. Don’t procrastinate on anything.

12. Keep your promises. Don’t make promises you can’t keep.

13. Sell yourself first. Develop a trusted relationship, and then sell your company.

14. Know your competitive advantages and your company’s core competencies.

15. Think creatively. Think outside the box.

16. If voice mail is blocking your contact, call someone else’s extension as if by mistake and ask them to transfer you. Voice mail has become the “gate keeper.” Call early before business hours or later after business hours.

17. Listen more – speak less. Get your customer to talk about himself. If your customer spends most of the time in a sales call talking about himself, he can’t help but like you. Apply the 80/20 rule – listen 80% of the time.

18. Review in great detail all the previous information supplied by the company, internal records and sales support personnel such as inside sales and customer service.

Sales Effectiveness best practices are defined as those activities that create the result of maximizing growth, maximizing profitability and increasing market share. It is a set of techniques used by upper quartile performers that help them realize significant improvements in reaching their predetermined measurable goals. Creativity and innovation are the essence but models of excellence based on best practice must adapt to the company’s individual needs and circumstances. Most of these practices are only effective if they are process based providing focus, process and the discipline to carry them out supported by effective sales management. These guidelines are basic sales effectiveness practices for developing a new territory. However, they can become the platform for increased sales and profitability.

http://www.ceostrategist.com – Sign up to receive “The Howl” a free monthly newsletter that addresses real world industry issues. – Straight talk about today’s issues. Rick Johnson, expert speaker, wholesale distribution’s “Leadership Strategist”, founder of CEO Strategist, LLC a firm that helps clients create and maintain competitive advantage. Need a speaker for your next event, E-mail rick@ceostrategist.com. Don’t forget to check out the Lead Wolf Series that can help you put more profit into your business. E-mail rick@ceostrategist.com for your special Howl discount order form. Get the CEO Strategist Interview Guide and Conducting an Effective Sales Training Session Guide just for signing up for “The Howl”. Don’t forget to check out the Lead Wolf Series that can help you put more profit into your business. E-mail rick@ceostrategist.com for your special Howl discount order form.

Finding the right person to fill the sales management role is a common quandary in most businesses. It can be especially challenging when a decision is based strictly on sales territory performance without regard for the specific skill sets required to lead a sales force. Deciding on the right sales person to promote to sales manager can become a difficult and risky decision..

It is an indisputable fact that different skill sets are required to become a successful sales manager as compared to being a successful sales person. Selling is a profession that requires professionals. Managing a group of professionals with the type of personalities required to succeed in sales is no easy task. Yet, in my humble opinion, it is probably the most important management position you can hold in a company. Sales management holds the key to meeting company objectives. Effective sales management builds the platform for success. Sales people are not the easiest group in the company to manage. If they were they would not be sales people. Selling is not easy. It takes a special talent, self motivation, self discipline, a passion to succeed and the ability to accept rejection. The reality of the situation is simple. The majority of sales people are not managed well.

Have your internal sales manager candidates take the “Sales Manager Quiz” to help you in the decision making process

Sales Management Leadership Quiz

The candidate should answer yes, no or sometimes to the following questions. Calculate the score and then share the results for discussion with your interview team.

Yes Always = 2 points No = 0 points Sometimes = 1 point

Yes No S/T

__ __ __ I always communicate with clarity and people understand me.

__ __ __ I always get things done on time and live up to commitments.

__ __ __ Understand how my responsibilities relate to the big picture.

__ __ __ Listen expertly to others, both subordinates and management.

__ __ __ Connect developments and spot patterns in floor and phone traffic.

__ __ __ Accept risk and take on difficult assignments.

__ __ __ Inspire excellence and commitment in the Designers.

__ __ __ Deep interest in people and exhibit strong social and interpersonal skills

__ __ __ I seek out coaching and mentoring opportunities with all my subordinates.

__ __ __ Focus on results, growth & profitability.

__ __ __ Hold myself and other people accountable.

If the candidate scored 20 or higher —- sales management potential is high.

If the candidate scored 15 - 19 —– sales management potential is medium to high but can use some development.

If the candidate scored 12 – 14 —- the candidate needs personalized training, coaching and mentoring.

If the candidate scored less than twelve —– keep them focused on selling success and not on management.

If you don’t have an internal candidate that scores at least 15 or higher you need to recruit from outside the comapny.

***************************************************

Consider the following common mistakes and professional sales manager characteristics when interviewing your candidates.

Five Common Mistakes of Sales Management

1. Lack of Structure —- Policies, procedures and the culture that determines the behavior and success of the sales force. Including:

• How accounts and territories are assigned

• Systems and procedure on walk in traffic

• Compensation & SPIFF design

• Confusing communication channel

2. Lack of Strategy —- Effective documented sales growth strategy aligned with corporate initiatives.

• Lack of growth initiatives that include penetration, new account and new product development

• Acceptance of status quo without accountability

• Excessive compassion and complacency

3. Lack of Sales Effectiveness Process —- Process is the tendons and the muscles that link structure and strategy together. Process includes:

• Targeting, goal setting and action planning

• Monthly territory performance discussions

• Sales scorecards

• Coaching & Mentoring

• Effective sales meetings

4. Lack of Formalized Training & Development System

• Standards and benchmarks for performance for both outside and inside sales

• Training Matrix with required support

5. Wrong People —- According to statistics less than 25% of top performing sales personnel promoted to Sales Manager are successful. 55% of people earning a living in sales should be doing something else. 25% of people with the ability to sell are selling the wrong things. (Herb Greenberg – How To Hire & Develop Top Performers)

• Lack of formalized recruitment program

• Lack of bench strength

• Weak leadership skills

*********************************************************

Characteristics of the Professional Sales Manager

1. Highly Self Motivated

2. Optimistic

3. Excellent Leadership Skills

4. Skilled at Coaching & Mentoring

5. Calculated Risk Taker

6. Listens Well — 80% of the Time

7. Plans Well

8. Ability to Think Outside the Box Because

9. They Know What Goes on Inside the Box

10. Always Lives Up to Their Commitments

11. Always On Time With Assignments

12. Exceptional Positive Attitude

13. (Does Not Whine or Make Excuses)

14. Excellent Communicator

15. Inspires Excellence in Others

16. Strong Social and Interpersonal Skills

17. Commands a Presence

18. Honesty

19. Integrity

20. Develops Trust and Respect by Showing Trust

and Respect for Employees

21. Embraces Accountability -Self and Sales Personnel

http://www.ceostrategist.com – Sign up to receive “The Howl” a free monthly newsletter that addresses real world industry issues. – Straight talk about today’s issues. Rick Johnson, expert speaker, wholesale distribution’s “Leadership Strategist”, founder of CEO Strategist, LLC a firm that helps clients create and maintain competitive advantage. Need a speaker for your next event, E-mail rick@ceostrategist.com. Don’t forget to check out the Lead Wolf Series that can help you put more profit into your business. E-mail rick@ceostrategist.com for your special Howl discount order form. Get the CEO Strategist Interview Guide and Conducting an Effective Sales Training Session Guide just for signing up for “The Howl”. Don’t forget to check out the Lead Wolf Series that can help you put more profit into your business. E-mail rick@ceostrategist.com for your special Howl discount order form.