So just what is this top sales productivity killer, you ask?
I know, it sounds a bit dramatic. And while there are countless factors that can disrupt even the strongest sales team's productivity, this particular productivity killer is the worst because so many sales professionals don't see it as a problem.
In fact, far too many see it as something to strive for.
Before we dive into what this top sales productivity killer is, and learn about the three strategies sales leaders can implement to overcome this challenge, let me share with you a real-world story that will help illustrate just how bad this problem really is.
Yesterday I was working in San Diego, CA, okay, not exactly working. Let me rephrase that; yesterday, I had been working in San Diego, CA, speaking at a conference early that morning. So before I caught the redeye to my next gig, I decided to reward myself with a treat. A round of golf on a beautiful sunny day.
Since I was playing by myself, the pro teamed me up with two young guys looking for a partner. What great guys, they were nice, funny and most importantly good golfers, so we got to play fast. I like to play fast.
As we walked the course, I started asking my new partners a few questions, wanting to learn about who they are, what they do, and how they got into golf. They were easy to engage with, and I learned a lot in a short amount of time.
They were both just 28, born and raised in San Diego, and they met when they both went to San Diego State. They worked for the same company, and both had great jobs and were highly successful. Working for a high-tech company that had just gone public. Their careers and their company were going straight up despite a challenging marketplace.
About the ninth hole, just as we were ready to make the turn, it occurred to me that it was a Wednesday afternoon, just two p.m., and while I worked a flexible schedule, I was not sure how two young guys were able to get away to play golf. I mean, when I was in sales, I was never on the golf course during the week unless I was smart enough to disguise it as a client call.
As my curiosity got the better of me, I decided to ask. Just ask them how two young guys, relatively new in their careers, working for a highly successful company, were able to get away mid-week to play golf.
Their answer should have surprised me, but unfortunately, working with salespeople quite a bit, I have heard it all too often.
So, when I finally asked the question, they were both quick to respond. Respond with the answer that NO sales manager ever wants to hear. They responded by saying we both hit our quota by the end of the second week of the month, so we decided to take the rest of the month off.
They said it so easily, so confidently, like it was just what salespeople do. But again, this has to be the phrase that NO sales manager ever wants to hear. But you have to wonder, is this what your salespeople are doing? And while it is great, they are hitting the goal; why do they just stop? Stop without giving it a second thought.
Well, if you want to know the answer to that, it is time to take a long look in the mirror. Because the only reason salespeople stop selling once they have hit their goals is because you allow it. You have developed a culture that not only says it is okay, but you have somehow set an expectation that is exactly what salespeople do.
Want to turn things around? Want to rid your sales culture of this top sales productivity killer?
3 Strategies Every Sales Leader Needs When Your Sales Team Hits Goal and Quits Selling
Yes, sales reps that stop selling once they hit their sales quota is the top sales productivity killer. And it is so bad because it is something your team probably strives for, something they can brag about, and even see as a benefit of being a top producer.
So if you are looking to eliminate this top sales productivity killer you don't need to invest in any of the top sales productivity tools. Just leverage these three must-have strategies that you, as a sales leader must put into practice.
Reestablish Behaviors
If your sales team quits selling once they hit quota, it is because they think that that is the end goal. They somehow have interpreted what you are saying to mean when they hit the goal, they can stop. So, the first thing you need to do is reestablish behaviors.
Reset the goal as just a destination and something to blow by. Redefine the goal as both numbers and behaviors – the number they need to hit and the daily actions they need to take.
It's time to change how your people think about their sales, and about their sales productivity. So when they do hit their number, they keep doing the actions.
Coach and Communicate
Spend time with your team and pay attention to what they are doing, who they are calling on, and what actions they are taking to hit their sales goals.
Your main job as a sales leader is to be a coach and to communicate regularly and effectively with your team.
You should be going on calls, talking to them about where they are against the goal, and supporting them in moving past it.
Engage in Accountability
As the sales leader it's up to you to hold your team accountable – accountable to both the goal and the behaviors. In fact, hold them even more accountable to the behaviors than the goal.
Hold people accountable for what you want them to do, and hitting a goal is certainly part of it, but the bigger and more important part of accountability is the actions and behaviors.
The more actions and behaviors your salespeople take, the less they will be on the golf course, and the more they will be exceeding goals.
Summing Up
So, we got in our 18 holes, and I headed off to catch another flight and go to yet another job.
My two partners?
No, they did not go back to the office or even email a client; instead, they headed out to the bar to talk about where they were going to play golf tomorrow.
