Most Sales Professionals Happy with Management, Despite Stress and a Lack of Leads and Training

Our recent Sales Career Satisfaction Survey reveals the people who sell products and services for a living have conflicting feelings about their chosen career.

The survey, which asked questions on various job satisfaction issues, was sent to our subscribers. Over 2,000 salespeople responded. The survey found that, while most sales professionals are reasonably satisfied with their jobs, they consider high stress to be a significant occupational hazard. In fact, nearly six out of 10 respondents said they consider their jobs stressful.

Despite the job pressure, 70 percent of respondents reported being happy with their management, while 64 percent of those taking the survey said they felt adequately recognized for their achievements. A surprising 75 percent of respondents believe their management's sales expectations or quotas are realistic.

The survey revealed a number of significant job dissatisfaction issues as well.

Only half of the respondents expressed satisfaction with their compensation, while 52 percent felt their companies could provide better training. Fifty-five percent alse believed their companies could do a better job of providing sales leads.

"The survey findings suggest that most salespeople feel good about their chosen career despite the high stress levels," says Michael Dalton Johnson, founder and publisher of SalesDog.com. "Considering that lack of recognition is a common complaint of many employees in all types of jobs, we were surprised to learn the large number of salespeople who feel adequately recognized for their work."

Overall, the survey indicates enthusiasm for a sales career is strong, as witnessed by an overwhelming 83 percent of respondents saying they would recommend sales as a career for young people entering the workforce.

Survey results are available at http://www.salesdog.com/survey_1.asp

Don't Allow "Busy Work" to Interfere with Selling

How many times do you have a full day of selling that gets put off due to "necessary" interruptions? If you're like most salespeople, this probably happens more frequently than you'd like. Customer service issues, phone calls, emails and coworkers are all a drain to your precious selling time each day.

Sales trainer Paul McCord has a solution that can help you handle the interruptions without taking up too much of your selling time. In a recent blog post, McCord wrote, "My solution has been to set aside four 1/2 hour times during the day when I will address non-selling issues. Twice in the morning and twice in the afternoon I set aside my selling and marketing activities in order to return calls, handle 'emergencies,' and the other 'busy' work of my business. Of course, if a real emergency arises, it takes precedence over all else. But real emergencies are rare."

This can be a scary idea for those who check their messages and email often - but you'll find that this system allows you to be more productive and focus better on the task at hand. After all, building your business should always be the number one priority.


Author of "Creating a Million Dollar a Year Sales Income: Sales Success through Client Referrals," Paul McCord is president of McCord & Associates, a sales training and management-consulting firm.

What Buyers Really Want from Salespeople

One of our sales experts, Chris Lytle, asked more than 40,000 customers what they want from the salespeople who work with them. Here are the top 7 things customers want you to do:

1. Learn about my business
2. Quit bad-mouthing the competition
3. Make appointments
4. Listen better
5. Follow up after the sale
6. Treat me like I'll be in business next month
7. Treat me like a client and not a category of business

Learn what you can do to make your customers happy -- read the entire article here.

Fill the pipeline with real prospects - not information seekers

Here's a helpful quick tip from Chris Lytle, CSP:

Here's the scenario: The meeting ends. The person across the desk tells you, "I'm interested. Call me next Thursday and we can discuss this further."

Many salespeople dutifully note on their calendars to follow up next Thursday. However, top producers know that a real prospect will be willing to schedule the next step. An information seeker will gladly let you take the initiative for chasing him down.

Find out early in the relationship whether you're dealing with a real prospect or an information seeker with the following words: "Since you're interested, I want to ask you to work with me on a calendar basis. That way I'm not chasing you and we're not playing phone tag. Let's get this follow-up call on both of our calendars."

The people who are willing to engage with you - to put you on their calendars - have passed the acid test. They're your real prospects.

"Let's work on a calendar basis." Make this your mantra and you're going to close more sales.

Chris Lytle, CSP, time releases immediately applicable sales advice via the MAX-ATM Automatic Training Machine website. Check it out at www.max-atm.com.

"I'm just calling to check in ..."

This is surely one of the most ineffective (translate: lame) openers you could use. But does that stop most salespeople? Unfortunately, no.

"If you're like most people, you've used this opener at some point in your sales career," says Colleen Francis of Engage Selling. "What you may not realize is that this little sentence can quickly reduce your credibility with your prospect. Are you really calling just to check in or check up? If so, either you've got a lot more time on your hands than I do, or else it's time to seriously consider a career change!"

Francis gives this advice for creating a more effective opening:

First, start by removing the word 'just' - it makes you sound unimportant, and your call seem like an afterthought.

Replace it with something like: "The last time we spoke, you ..." By taking the customer back to the last time you spoke, you remind them of your relationship, and prove that you are carrying through on what you were asked or promised to do.

Nothing builds rapport better than a promise kept. Rapport leads to trust, and trust leads to loyal customers.

Give this tip a try this week and see the impact on your calls.

Sales trainer Colleen Francis is president of Engage Selling Solutions and a contributor to Top Dog Sales Secrets.

Rate Your People Skills

Sales trainer John Boe has an uncanny ability to read people - their behavior and temperament style. He can analyze an individual based on a picture, brief phone conversation, or face-to-face meeting. SalesDog's Managing Editor, Tina LoSasso, can attest to this. After two minutes on the phone, John pegged her as an "introvert germophobe with neurotic tendencies." Considering that most people assume (incorrectly) that she's extroverted, she was impressed, and forgave him for the 'neurotic' part.

John teaches salespeople how to be more persuasive by deciphering their prospects' body language.

"Your body language reveals your deepest feelings and hidden thoughts to total strangers. As a professional salesperson you must continuously monitor your customer's body language and adjust your presentation style accordingly," says Boe. "By understanding your prospect's temperament style and body language gestures, you'll minimize perceived sales pressure and close more sales in less time!"

Think you have great people skills? Rate yourself by taking John Boe's fun People Skills Quiz.

What's Your Toughest Objection?

If you're like most salespeople, it's the price objection.

You can overcome price objections with ease if you keep this advice in mind:

"Focus on the price difference, not the price," suggests Brian Jeffrey, sales expert and contributor to Top Dog Sales Secrets. "Your price is high in comparison to what - someone else's price? Instead of arguing price, find out what the other price is, and focus on the difference. You may be 10% more expensive than your competitor, but if that 10% buys your prospect 30% greater benefit, you are adding value. The key is to avoid using the larger number in your discussions. Use phrases like, 'For an investment of only $50 more, you'll be getting...' or 'Let's see what that extra $75 gives you.' This focuses the prospect's attention on the relatively small dollar difference, not the greater dollar value of the sale," explains Brian.

Take the time to explain your value to your prospect and you'll be over the price hurdle in no time. Learn more from Brian Jeffrey and 49 other top sales experts in Top Dog Sales Secrets.

Brian Jeffrey, CSP, is president of Salesforce Assessments Ltd as well as a sales management consultant, columnist, author and former sales trainer with over 40 years' experience.