Your boss just called to tell you that you are going on an “action plan” and you’re panicked. You knew that over the last couple of months your sales numbers were in the tank, but still, you are shocked and embarrassed and perhaps even demoralized with the news. And now, your boss is all over you, wanting daily updates and more frequent ride alongs. The pressure just went up– your blood pressure and the pressure to perform ASAP!
So, what to do? As a sales manager and leader for many years, I have some great advice for you. The first thing to do is check your attitude, especially with your boss. You simply MUST remain positive and open to suggestions and some constructive criticism. I can tell you that a great attitude is one of the three most important things I look for in any rep, but that’s heightened greatly when I have someone on an action plan.
Next, you have to ramp up your efforts in a big way. This is NOT the time to look for another job– this is the time to show me everything you’ve got. I’ve put many reps on plans that have come through with great success and have even gone on to win awards. But you have to generate more activity, in an effective way, than you ever have before or that you even thought possible. This makes for early starts in your day and getting home late. You need to take a hard look at your territory and make great decisions about call frequency and geographic scope.
Thirdly, you need to shine up your skills. Perhaps you’ve gotten a little sloppy– success can do that to you, so go back to the basics and take a careful look at your selling skills. Are you pre-planning ALL of your calls? Do you have a questioning strategy in place for them? Are you executing on those? Have you established an objective, and are you reaching that goal on most calls? What about the all-important close? Are you closing for business in a non-threatening way that gets your customer or prospect excited about working with you?
I could go on about making sure you know your customers and your industry and your products and services, but I hope by now you get the picture. Great salespeople work at their profession. They overcome adversity with persistence and effort and a winning attitude. You can get through an action plan with the tips above. And, you can even look back at it someday and be grateful that it happened!
Now go work on your game!
Bill
