Aug 29, 2022
So let's talk about the underlying issue that is impacting the sales community right now.
And for you, the salespreneur, small business owner, and sales leader, this is for you. Salesforce turnover is at a near all-time high. The war for talent is so high that we have to do a better job at keeping our talent. Stay tuned for the rest of this micro episode as I break that down. This is to give you a preview of the Catapulting Commission's Sales Academy, as the program kicks off very soon. Join me for the two-day workshop, august 31 to September 1. And in that workshop, we'll give you a preview of Catapulting Commission Sales Academy.
We're going to teach you some of the skills to increase your income 5x. We're going to teach you the skills to ensure your prospects are always saying yes. The workshop is $17. If you don't get 100% value out of your time with me, we refund you your money, no questions asked. And if you can't make the live showing, you will get access to the recordings. The big benefit here is that this is the only way you can get introduced to the Catapulting Commission Sales Academy, the hidden gem for sales professionals in service-based industries.
For the sales professional
And here is one of the things we discuss in the sales Academy: salesforce retention. Let's talk about it to retain your talent in your sales team right now. And for you, the high-performing sales professional, if you aren't being treated properly in your current sales company, get the hell out of there right now. Point blank.
If you aren't being treated right at your current sales company, get the hell out of there. Because there are over 50% of sales professionals looking for a job right now. There are 2 million open jobs right now. And the war for talent is at an all-time high. The pay raises you're getting from your current company aren't matching the raises that inflation is taking place on. So you naturally get a pay raise if you go to a different company.
So f your sales company isn't treating you properly, messing with your comp plan, or doesn't have clear quotas or changes quotas, then get the hell out of there. You'll be happier and healthier guaranteed.
Three-part strategy for sales retention
Now, for you, the sales leader that wants to retain these salespeople, execute the three-part strategy. Every company that I've worked in or coached in, or consulted that implemented this three-part strategy saw an immediate reduction in salesforce turnover.
1. Development
We have to take some time to develop our sales personnel. When you develop your sales personnel, it's not just developing them for your company. These means don't develop them to run interviews, train people, manage people, and lead people. That's all a given in development 101. And if that is the extent of what you're doing in your development of your people, you're doing them an injustice. And quite honestly, you're not even competitive in this market space. Development is taking a genuine interest in developing your people for their dreams, their goals, and their aspirations. This means making an investment in your people.
Sometimes it's financial education, real estate education, or even retirement planning. There are a lot of different ways that your people want to be developed. And when you, as the sales leader/organizer/president of the company, show that you're vested in the personal development of your people, they are going to want to stay with you. It's the law of reciprocity.
You do something for me, I'll do something for you. I personally stayed with companies in my corporate life way longer than I ever should. But it was because they had done something for me. They've invested in me. Some took a chance on me.
Some gave me opportunities to develop and work on other skills. I wouldn't have had the opportunity elsewhere. So I stood probably longer than I should have. But development is part one to retain your people.
2. Vision
If you're not always selling your vision to your sales team, someone else is selling their vision to them. So you the sales leader it is your job to sell the vision of your company to your people. They must be motivated and inspired to work with you. So you have to keep selling your vision and always sell your vision.
You see, there's this crazy strategy we talk about in content creation, which is a completely different tangent, that is saying something over and over and over and over. So you're sick of talking about it, because that's when finally people are listening. That same strategy should apply to you selling your vision to your people. You should always talk about the vision and how this person will play a role in the vision of your company. Because if you're not doing it, a competitor or a recruiter is trying to steal your top talent.
3. Gratitude
As an owner of a business, as a president of a sales division, as the micro middle manager, or whatever your title is, no one owes you anything. And on the inverse, you, as the sales professional, no one owes you anything. However, as the leader, salesforce director, and small business owner, if you express gratitude to the people who are on the front lines, you retain your people. Because let's be honest, no one gets told ‘no’ more than a salesperson.
And getting told no a lot is demotivating. It can be depressing, it can put you in a spiral of depression. So the last thing you want to do is be told ‘no’ numerous times and not feel appreciated for the work you do. So express gratitude to the people in your organization. And this should be authentic, consistent, and constant.
How do you deliver gratitude that's consistent? Quick emails, quick voicemails. There is so much power in the three-minute phone call. You, the busy director of sales, pick up the phone, call your sales reps, and say, “Hey, man, I got three minutes. I'm running to another meeting. I just wanted to let you know thank you for your work last month. I know the numbers weren't where you want them to be. However, I do appreciate the hard work. I know we're going to turn around. If there's anything I can do for you, reach to my office. We can schedule more of an official time. But I just want to let you know I appreciate the work you're doing.”
Express some level of gratitude and people will want to stay with your company a little bit more.
If you're a salesperson, tell your manager, to listen to the Catapulting commissions. You will find out that what we're talking about is true, valid, and tested. This is not a theory. And nothing in the Catapulting Commission sales Academy is theory. It's all based on data, experience, and science. So do me a favor and go to catapultingcommissionsacademy.com/workshop, and sign up for the workshop.