HTSS39 - If you are a closer you are the prize - Scott Sylvan Bell

If you are a closer you are the prize

One of the toughest conversations in sales is about commissions. Companies think that they have the leads and you are the beggar with nowhere to go. Hands down in the world of sales if you are a closer you are the prize and not the other way around.

When you look at the field of salespeople 80% of salespeople are not very good and 20% are the closers. The 80/20 rule in sales plays out in every industry and with every group of salespeople.  

At most on a team you will find that 35% of the sales team is good and the rest is poor at what they do. When you look at the math it plays out this way 80% - 15% = 35% of the world of sales is closers to getting good. 65% of salespeople are not what should be on a sales team.

The real problem the bottom performers:

Most salespeople are not very good and waste space in an office, this means they are a liability to the office. The real problem comes from the management and how they don’t know how to sell.  

Most sales managers came up in sales and were mid level or they couldn’t make it work in selling. These “sales managers” don’t know what to do or how to treat people especially the performers. In a way they are jealous of those who can close deals.

Companies sometimes don’t really want a sales manager, they want someone they can push around to get their way. Most of the sales managers are mice and not men, they toe the line for executives or owners

Some executives really want all of the control and don’t want the teams ran how the managers want them to be done

The real power is in closing deals

You have more power than you think when you are a closer. You have to look at the math it takes to work leads. If a salesperson runs 100 leads and can only close 30 of them they are a lesser salesperson than someone who can close 50 leads. A weak salesperson is a liability to a company. There is added costs for a company when they don’t have people who can close deals.

Only in sales are top salespeople not treated like the champion that they are.   

One of the worst things is when top salespeople are made to do “push ups” when the rest of the team cant close deals.

You have to be willing to have the conversation with ownership or management about the cost of being a better salesperson. You have the be prepared for them to tell you that is what you are paid for. You have to be able to counter their conversation with facts and knowledge

You need a game strong plan

There may be a time for you to look at leaving a company. You will be in a better position if you are ready to in case this happens. You should always have a back up plan, you must have people to talk to in case there is a problem.

Part of being prepared is to have a resume ready to go and updated. This is something you may need in case of a company downsizing or closing the doors. You don’t know if a company is solvent or if they will sell.  

One of the things salespeople do not think through is the requests they could have. You should have your list of 10 items that are your “wish list”  knowing these items can be negotiated.  

Be willing to walk away from a bad company or a bad deal. You may have a company come at you where they want to modify your compensation plan to save them money, you have to see what ploy this is as a realignment of a compensation plan is never to your benefit.

There are plenty of jobs out there for top salespeople. These jobs many not be in the industry you are in right now. Sales basics mastery is good for any product or any industry.

Your skills are needed somewhere and it isn’t always where you are working right now.

The 2 problems with closers

There are 2 problems when it comes to walking away:

1. You get caught up in your ego and go too far when your feelings get hurt
2. You jump from company to company too quickly. Walking from a job becomes easier with each interaction.

Scott Sylvan Bell

@scottsbell

#sales #closer #success #podcast #howtosell

This episode was recorded in Sacramento California