Top Sales Manager Blog

A sales manager has to be popular – in fact, he has to be so popular that he needs to be even more popular than Howard Stern.

You need to be cooler than Opie and Anthony, Rush Limbaugh (pick your radio personality here) as well as all the other ones out there together.

Why? Because being on your sales reps “pre-sets” on their own personal radio stations is absolutely essential to your crusade in getting to know your sales people so you could effectively communicate with them and expect better sales performance.

But here is the thing. Did you know there’s only one radio station your sales people tune in to all day long every day of the week…and that station is WIFM. (You might say WIIFM, but let’s not get too technical here).

It’s the “What’s-In-It-For-Me” radio frequency. WIFM. This is the only station that most interests sales people all over the country, all over the world, and if your voice isn’t being heard on it 24-7, your sales reps are going to go out on you faster than you could say Barack Obama.

I know it sounds harsh, but it’s the truth. People tend to put themselves first. People in general don’t care about anything that doesn’t concern them. That’s why it’s called “What’s-In-It-For-Me” radio station.

Here’s an example. Your boss walks up to you and says to you he’s “$10 million in the hole”. The Sales VP sends you an email asking, “Why’s your team’s closed accounts in their pipeline last month so weak?” Your wife leaves you a note on the refrigerator saying she needs a new dishwasher before Kelly’s birthday party next week.

You’ve got your own set of problems. Problem is, your sales reps don’t care about any of that.

According to AT&T, the number one word used in telephone conversations all over the US is the word “I”, which beat number two on the list by a ten to one margin. Don’t ask me how they got that information. But ask me if I think people are selfish by design, and I’ll say, “Hell YES!”

People care about themselves FIRST!

Now the only way to solve your dilemma is to NOT be like everyone else.

Worry about your sales people first, and your own problems will solve themselves eventually. Do this by speaking in a language that they understand and hear on their radio frequency – WIFM. If you let them solve their problems first, if you could help them purchase the dishwasher they’ve been itching to buy, you can expect them to perform better and even exceed quota every time. In this way, you solve your boss’ and Sales VP’s problems, and you solve your own problems in the process, too.

Once again, it touches the lessons I’ve discussed in my previous posts about depositing in your sales reps’ Trust Accounts and about the Law of Reciprocity.

How well you communicate with your sales reps speak volumes about how good you are as a leader and sales manager. Are you up to the challenge to broadcast on WIFM? Have you got what it takes to be bigger than Cool Hand Luke and Howard Stern combined? Pick up that mic and start talking.

To learn more about sales management, get our free video on the sidebar of this post or by clicking here.

How often do you broadcast on WIFM? Do you believe it is necessary for a successful career in sales? Tell me by leaving a comment below.

Filed under: Leading, Motivation by ralphburns