Top Sales Manager Blog

The thing with underperformers is that even they have a hard time picturing themselves on top. They know they are performing below standards, their numbers show it, and this notion isn’t helping them at all. If anything, it gets them down even more.

Houston, we have a problem.

The challenge for you, as a top-performing sales manager, is to help your underperforming salespeople change the negative images they have of themselves so they can then “rise from the ashes”, cast aside their underperforming ways, and achieve a level of performance that is acceptable to both you and them.

And this is where the third rule comes in.

The third rule: Set Small Goals and Achieve Them.

At first, set your sights low and achieve those goals, one day at a time. By setting small realistic goals, the underperforming salesperson will start to feel the exhilaration of actually achieving something.

After confronting your underperforming sales person in step 2, by now you should have talked about his or her personal goals and motivations. The trick is to divide these goals into smaller servings and supervise the sales person so he, or she, focuses on only one goal at a time.

With the successful completion of EACH small task, confidence starts to grow…and this is the first step to turning them around. Baby steps at first, then bigger and bigger steps as they gain more and more confidence in thier newfound ability.

Here’s how a sample “smaller goals” strategy would look like on paper.

1. Good pre-call plan
2. Good pre-call preparation
3. Good part of a sales call
4. Good total sales call
5. Good sales day
6. Good sales week
7. Good sales month
8. Good sales quarter
9. Good sales year

If you help your sales people achieve their goals over the course of one month or two, a sales quarter, a year and so on, etc., instead of forcing them to change right away, you should notice a considerable change in their performance.

But take note: only confident and talented underperforming sales people can make this change.

The point I’m trying to say is:

“To be successful, you have to first believe that you CAN be successful.”

Like I said earlier, if a sales person isn’t willing to change, then he needs to find another job. The desire to do better should come from them, not from you.

Your role is to see them through the process. Observe them, take notes, and don’t forget to praise them accordingly along the way. This way you aren’t only witnessing the gradual transformation of an underperforming sales person right before your eyes, you are also investing a little into their Trust Account.

When the time is ripe, you’ll gladly reap what you sow.

Your sales reps will be indebted to you for bringing them to the “buffet of success.” They are now your sales superstars. On the other hand, YOU just proved yourself to be a top-performing sales manager… all thanks to three simple rules.

To learn more about sales management training, click here to get your choice of free sales management training courses.

What can you say about the three rules of turning underperformers into sales superstars? Tell me what you think by leaving a comment below.

Filed under: Coaching, Leading, Underperformers by ralphburns