HTSS132 - Loyalty for sales representatives and business owners - Scott Sylvan Bell

Loyalty in business is a common conversation that pops up. There is a balance in business between the ownership, management and the sales staff.

"There is always risk in relationships – one side will always have more risk than another" – Jay Abraham

You will want to think of both sides like a pendulum, a ying or a yang to speak of. When one side is out of balance there is a capacity for problems. 

There will be both sides to consider

• If you are a salesperson you are a tool or a leverage point to close deals. 
• If you are a business owner you are a tool or a leverage point to make money for the salesperson. 

In sales and business, there is something both sides want. A Business wants you to close the most amount of profitable deals with the least amount of problems. As a salesperson, you want to close as many deals as you can and make the most amount of money.

Things will be good for a while and then business changes for the good or the bad. Your role and expectations will change for both parties. You will want more money and the company will want to reduce your commissions – this is the natural fight in business.

Scott's rules for salespeople state:

• #1 Nothing stays the same
• #9 You will be loved somewhere else

In some instances companies want you to stay and be loyal to them without exceptions. They will give you things to get you in the door until the next new shiny thing shows up – then you are old to them. In order to attract new talent deals will be made. They will make crazy deals and cut you out, give the new salespeople better commissions, better ups or leads and expect you to be ok with it. It's the prerogative of the business to do and act this way. There is always a point where salespeople walk away. 

On your side your demands may go too far, you can get too big for your britches, they may bring someone in to replace you.

What we easily forget is that loyalty is 2 way street for the business and the sales staff. 

You will look at things that are best for you, a business owner or manager will look at things that are best for them. This is the lens you will look through and that they will look through – you will justify your decisions the same way.

Unless stated you don’t owe anything to anyone, sometimes your feelings of loyalty are misplaced and so are theirs. Working with people can get emotional because of the amount of time, energy, effort and risk you have put into your role. 

If you recognize are being taken advantage of leave the company and find a new spot to work from. If you are a closer you are the prize. If someone comes to you with a better offer you do have to weigh it because a company will do the same thing.

Sometimes you make bad decisions and sometimes companies make bad decisions as well. You cant treat people poorly and expect for them to stay around whether you are a business owner or a salesperson. If you get angry you may spoil your emotions in the sales process. 

You have to set the expectations of what is going on, just like the company should. Most companies leave salespeople in the dark and expect them to not figure out what the “game” is that that are playing. Some business owners and sales managers see you as an investment until… someone or something new says otherwise. 

Most problems in sales and relationships boil down to 2 things:

1. A lack of expectations that are set 

2. Problems with communication