Sales Rep Confidential: Are You a Dinosaur?

Are You In Jeopardy of Extinction?

Does your Dealer Principal have the perception that you are the weakest link between his Dealership and profitable new business?

Are you in danger of being seen as a dinosaur by your company owner? Are you in danger of being replaced by a more cost-effective sales process?? Check yourself out…

Unless you’ve been on another planet, you must know that many Dealer Principals are extremely unhappy with their current sales organizations. A company owner just told me, quote, “These guys are fat, dumb, and happy.? They simply have not adjusted to the new market realities. They are waiting for the phone to ring, expecting us to provide them leads, which, they may or may not follow up.”?

Another Dealer Executive says, “My reps have become too complacent, lethargic, and unwilling to take the steps we need to get profitable business?in today’s market. Because the sales reps are not asking the essential diagnostic questions, prospects see them as arrogant. And, because they are not adequately covering their existing accounts, customers are complaining we are taking their business for granted.”?

The dealers I talk to are seriously considering alternatives to high-cost, low-performance machinery sales organizations. The following is a list of frequent complaints I get from dealer owners about their sales reps. Their sales reps are not doing these vital sales activities.

?Quickie Self-Test.

You must be entirely honest.? Answer truthfully Yes or No to each of these questions.

1.? Do I follow up immediately on sales leads, talking to the prospect within no more than four hours after his first contact with the dealership?

2.? Am I following a disciplined A-B-C-D account contact plan with all current users of our primary lines in my sales territory?

3. Do I have an effective way to track my “deal visibility,” the percentage of deals in which I participate in my territory?

4. As part of my “deal visibility” improvement effort, do I complete factual?“lost sales reports,” asking the prospect, “Other than price, why did you choose to go with ___ on this purchase?”

5.??Do I prepare useful, timely field contact reports to management, informing them of product support opportunities, competitive activity, customer perceptions, and market opportunities?

6.??Am I making regular calls on job sites in my territory to prospect for short-term rentals as well as machinery sales?

7.??Am I sufficiently able to overcome “call reluctance” and commit at least 20-25% of my time each week prospecting for new, never-before accounts?

8.??Do I have a fairly accurate knowledge of how many cold calls, sales appointments, account visits, telephone prospecting calls, and promotional mailings I need each week to keep my sales lead pipeline filled so that I can achieve at least a 70% deal visibility rate?

9.??Am I actively pursuing short-term rentals as “paid demos” instead of providing prospects free loaners to test out our machines?

10.?Have I developed, and do I utilize a meaningful set of diagnostic questions to ask prospective accounts about their application, current problems, operating costs, and equipment payback issues?

11. Do I make certain I ask a sufficient number of diagnostic questions to identify fears and problems and ensure the prospect purchases the right equipment for the job?

12.?Do I work hard to avoid looking like an alligator to a prospect, i.e. small ears, small eyes, and a big mouth?

13.?Am I capitalizing on accessory, attachments, or tool sales to current and prospective customers, i.e., am I achieving a monthly attachment sales quota?

14.? Am I an effective “team player” in the dealership, being alert for cross-selling??? opportunities for aftermarket product support whenever possible?

15.??Do I spend a sufficient amount of time each week updating my computerized customer profiles and mailing list?

16.? Have I established a formal marketing program to promote new products and attachments through at least 35 targeted account emais each week?

17.? Am I properly identifying and prospecting industry accounts that have never before purchased equipment from our dealership?

18.? Have I been able to break through feelings of complacency or fatigue, found?new sources of energy and enthusiasm, and work hard to maintain a level of professionalism essential to long-term success in the business?

19.? Do I systematically ask each customer for one or two referrals?at the time of sale or equipment delivery/installation and do I promptly pursue these referrals, providing the original customer timely feedback on my progress or success?

20.? Am I utilizing true “walk around” product feature-benefit demonstrations as a sales tool to keep?my presentation skills sharp and persuasive?

21.? Am I investing the time to locate, operate, and study at least two competitive?units in the field every six months to remain current and accurate on my competitive comparisons?

22.? Do I fully utilize the dealership’s contact management software as well as product support resources to successfully promote the whole business?

23.? Am I actively prospecting members of key end-user trade associations in my territory??

24.? Am I utilizing my contact management software to schedule appointments, organize calls in distant counties or postal codes, follow up on units coming off lease, following up on units that are up for replacement based on the account’s replacement cycle (hours, utilization, maintenance cost, etc.)?

25.? Am I monitoring my sales absorption rate, making absolutely certain the dealership’s total cost of supporting me in the territory (wages, commissions, benefits, car, cell phone, travel, entertainment, promo expenses, etc.)?are covered at least 200% from the gross profit I generate from my overall sales activities?

Count Your Total Number of NO? Scores:??? _______

NO?Score ? Consider These Remedial Actions:

Over 20???? Immediately review your score with your boss. ? Mutually select high-priority areas for rapid improvement.? Or, find another job!

16 - 20?????? Present a personal Action Plan for Improvement?to your Dealer Principal.? Get his "buy-in” on your self-improvement efforts.

??7 - 15???????If you have been truthful in the self-assessment, you are doing OK, but improvement in selected areas would greatly increase your sales performance.? Pick one or two areas to strengthen each month.

Under 7???? Keep up the good work. Seek continuous improvement.? Offer to become a “mentor” to assist new sales reps in your company. E-mail me your success stories. Good luck!

Many sales reps already have the knowledge of what to do.? So, there may be some confusion or lack of communication between you and your Dealer Principal about priorities. What are his or her expectations of you?? Are you seriously responding to his or her concerns?? If not, this is probably a good time for an open discussion about your performance and your future with this dealership.?

?Avoid extinction. Don’t become a Dinosaur in your territory!

"Most people think "selling" is the same as "talking." But the most effective salespeople know that listening is the most important part of their job." ?Roy Bartell

NOTE: If you are a Sales Manager or Sales Rep and would like personalized assistance in structuring a self-development selling skills program, I'd be happy to work with you at no cost. We will explore your specific needs and areas of interest. We'll discuss which textbooks in our "Master's Program in Dealer Management" would be most relevant and helpful. And, I'd be happy to coach you along as you work through your or your sales rep's self-study, self-development program. Just contact me at: [email protected] to get started.