Many dealers ask me how to tell if a salesperson will work
out without investing a lot of money in them. My experience is that dealers often
let salespeople continue for too long. What causes this? Is it that we chose
the candidate and don't want to admit we were wrong? Is it that there is no one
to replace the candidate and he is
"better than nothing?"
A dealer told me his salespeople are on straight commission,
and so he isn't losing anything if they don't sell. This is a serious error. When
a salesperson doesn't sell, you are losing about $10,000 per month that they
should be bringing in through profit. You also are losing face with current
staff by allowing non-productive staff to stay. Finally, you are burning leads
that cost between $200 and $400 to generate.
For all these reasons, it is important to get sales
applicants off to a quick start. Here are a few steps you can do to help them
make it or break it in a big hurry.
Training Schedule--Week 1
I suggest two weeks of training. Remember that good
salespeople need to sell right away--bad ones don't mind waiting. In week one,
teach them a demo word for word. Start your training at 9:00 a.m. and go until
noon. Give them a section to memorize by the next day. Make sure they know
every word and action when they return. Those who short cut the demo are rarely
successful. Repeat until Friday when they should be able to do a full demo. They
have every day from noon until 9:00 or 10:00 p.m. to learn it. Anyone who
cannot or will not memorize the demo should be let go.
The Ultimate Test
On the last day of week one, tell new applicants that they
must practice their demo on five friends or relatives over the weekend and hand
in the name, address, phone number and results from each demo. People who do
not have what it takes to be a success will come in on Monday with an excuse as
to why they couldn't do it. Average salespeople will do it but not sell any.
Great salespeople will demo five and sell two. This is the ultimate test to
quickly find out who will make it and who will not. Those of you who believe in
second chances could give the applicant two more days to do this but it rarely
makes a difference.
Training Schedule--Week 2
In the second week, start them at noon and go until 9:00
p.m. The purpose this week is to show them how to prospect and obtain
appointments. Help them knock on doors, attend a real-estate sales meeting,
call on sold signs and all other ways you want them to prospect. You do it as
they watch, then they do it as you watch. They will get appointments as of
their first day if you do this right. Go out with them on their first two or
three calls to see them demo and close and help if you must. You should give
them the full commission on these sales even if someone on your staff helps
them. They should be selling by their second week. If they cannot or will not
get appointments, and you see no hope for improvement, terminate them.
Normal Procedures
After the two week training period, you are ready for normal
procedures. The following is the minimum that will create success.
* Weekly
Meeting--Have a minimum of one sales
meeting per week. At that meeting, give them an article about water, inspect
their kit for the three Cs--complete, clean and charged. Make them do a random
section of the demo for you. Do this no matter how long they work for you.
* Accountability
in a form stating how many demos they did, how many they sold and what profit
they generated. If it is above their minimum, praise them. If it is below, ask
how you can help them, discipline or terminate them.
* Rehash
believes the customer will buy at a later date. To completely wipe this from
their mind, management should call each family that does not buy and ask them
why they did not buy. You should be able to get back into about 33 percent of
the homes you call and close 50 percent of the ones you revisit. This will add
about 16 percent to your sales. It also will make your staff realize that if
they don't sell it on the first night, they are never coming back to the home.
We suggest that as cruel as it sounds, the salesperson gets no commission if
you get back into the home and close the sale.
If followed, the outline above will take the luck out of
making salespeople successful. It is not hard or time consuming. Try following
this outline with your next batch of recruits. Also remember to constantly
recruit. It is the fear of replacing what you have that makes us hang on to
salespeople we know will never be great.
Tough Training and Rigid Procedures Can Help You Weed Out Underachievers
