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Most of us in sales are working for ourselves. Even if we are W-2 employees of a company, we are still very much self-employed. Our incomes are based on what we do. Our time is for the most part ours to control. We are the masters of our success or failure.
Because of the “Lone Ranger” nature of selling, many salespeople try to make it on their own. They try to self-train, self-coach, self-manage. Most simply self-destruct.
Many, if not most, companies view their sales team members in much the same way. They provide them with a great deal of product training and little or no sales training. They’re anxious to help them learn the features and benefits of the products or services they sell, but have little interest in helping them learn how to effectively prospect and sell.
Consequently, most salespeople are in essence self-trained. They’ve read some books; maybe they’ve attended some seminars and listened to some CD’s. Their training has been haphazard. There’s been no structure. There are probably huge gaps in their training. Worse, most are simply mimicking what everyone else is doing--and getting the same pathetic results. In fact, over 40% of all people who enter sales fail and are out of sales within 24 months. Another 45% never earn more than just an average or slightly above average income for their industry. Only 15% of all salespeople earn a superior income for the industry they sell in.
Coaching Can Cure What Ails You
Just as in athletics, a coach can assess your strengths and weaknesses and help you address the specific issues that are preventing you from reaching your goals. A coach can provide the needed encouragement, discipline, training, insight, and guidance that you cannot get from any other source--yourself, your spouse, or your manager.
Selecting a coach requires you to do some research. There are a ton of coaches in the marketplace. How do you choose the one right for you? Look for a coach that:
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