Why Do Sales People Fail

Why Do Sales People Fail

We continue to have high turnover in sales.. That’s what you hear around the world of car dealers and it spreads to other industries.  This excerpt from Automotive New’s Jamie LaReau from 10-03-2016 was “What is concerning is that we continue to have an industry that suffers from very high turnover and an inability to retain workers,” NADA Chief Economist Steven Szakaly told Automotive News. “When you look at the best-in-class dealerships — those that are highest in terms of revenue and profitability — they also happen to have the highest employee retention rate.”  

The real reason the dealership loses so many people month over month and continue to find it hard to find “good” people is they don’t nurture their team and don’t make good hiring decisions.  The Harvard Business Review breakdown the 3 categories of turnover in this excerpt “How to make Sense of Sales Force Turnover” by Andris A. Zoltners, PK Sinha, and Sally E. Lorimer JUNE 11, 2013:

1. Low performers with low potential: These people are at a point in there life that they’re trying to “find” something. You need to do a better job interviewing and hiring. These people do not need to be on your team don’t make this mistake.

2. Low performers with significant future potential: These sales people need to be given more one on one and nurtured to help bring the good out of them.

3. Turnover among high performers:  These people need to be recognized, and most managers think “they always get recognized so I”m going to try to find someone else to recognize, because I don’t want the low performers to get sad.”  On the contrary you have to help them when they need it give them space, but be there to show you care enough to help them get even better.

If you can get past breaking down all this and look at the person themselves then you have to know the real reason they fail is the following:

Top 10 Reasons Sales People Fail

1. Bad attitude
2. Don’t take training seriously
3. Don’t Train
4. Don’t role play daily
5. Don’t take action
6. Underestimate the amount of action needed
7. Rely on one stream of clients
8. Afraid to make phone calls
9. Don’t get out of obscurity
10. Blame everyone and everything for failing

If you can take this information and apply it with your team, you can help keep and grow your team.