Where are the Sales Calls?

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Sales managers are under pressure to increase sales calls
and productivity. This leads to scrutiny of call reports, which often reveal poor results. 

To improve their reports, salespeople are counting drop-by visits with no customer contact as sales calls, which is ineffective. Several factors contribute to the lack of customer visits: poor time planning, inefficient travel, failure to make appointments, getting caught up in trivial tasks, excessive focus on customer emergencies, and complex individual situations. 

To address these issues, you need a coaching plan. Over a 6-8 week period, sales managers should review each seller's planned activities for the upcoming week, log data on their plans, and compare them with the actual results. This allows for the identification of:

• Scheduling issues.  Are they really planning ahead?

• Issues with setting appointments.  Do they need some coaching here?

• Emergencies that took them out of the field.  Are they justified or just control issues?

• The products, services, and issues discussed.  Customers don’t want their time wasted.  Are the products properly selected?  Are they bringing the right sales materials?

• Identify individual issues which need skills training, coaching, or management.

The process should be individualized and focused on long-term improvement, recognizing that it takes time to develop new habits.  They say it takes 30 days to form a habit, so be prepared to show some grace, but don’t let your team wear you down.



Need more details?  The New Sales Guy Project is in the works and should be ready for distribution in the next couple of weeks!  We will also have a “study group” to go along with it to help your newest salespeople stay on track.  Drop me a line to reserve your copy!





Frank Hurtte, Founding Partner of River Heights Consulting, shares his personal experiences with 28 years of "in the trenches" training and 18 years as a consultant.  He serves as a personal coach to industry leaders across many lines of distribution.  He has authored 5.5 books (one is almost done) and has written hundreds of articles for national trade magazines, including IMARK Now Electrical Magazine.

Frank is also a sought-after copywriter of marketing materials for technology companies.  His charismatic, yet laid-back, easy-to-follow manner makes him a favorite among public speakers.







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