A Case Study – Sales Performance

The following study shows how to develop a team for sales performance with ways to enhance their ability to thrive and succeed. It was conducted several years ago and the methods are still relevant today:

As a regional sales manager for a major pharmaceutical company (wound, skin care and caregiver products) I was continually handed fresh faces straight from college to interview, all of them anxious to do well and wanting an opportunity to work for us. One in particular had great potential and not so great grades. He interviewed very well and though I was reluctant to hire him, at the encouragement of my director I did. He told me years later that after my series of three interviews with him and a day in the field, he just curled up and went to bed! I didn’t know I had been that tough; I did know what I wanted and I pressed to make sure we were both a good fit. I had a good team and I wanted to enhance it with additional high performance potentials right “out of the box”.

It’s all history as they would say; we hit top performance year in and year out. Five people were promoted to higher level positions and we made it to the President’s conference in Hawaii five times. We had an award called the National Sales Achievement Award and the young gentlemen above claimed that award twice, and others on our team three and four times. We had the first million dollar sales increase in the history of the company (a Merck & Co Inc. Subsidiary) in a single year.

How did they do it? What made the difference? The company provided great products, incredible training and compensation based on performance. I provided tools, guidance in the form of clearly defined expectations, and regular coaching. Then I constantly challenged their strengths and helped them discover and build new ones.

I listened, I observed and I asked a ton of questions. What was their primary motivation for this job? Did they want money or recognition or advancement opportunities? What was their vision for their life? How did this job fit in with that vision? What were they willing to do to be the best they could be? The clarity they received from this relentless self-examination empowered them to succeed.

I also tested different contests and promotions to determine what motivated the individuals to work as a team. I knew their individual motivations, but what would cause the team to pull together, have fun and stimulate their own success?

I initiated, supported, and participated in a get in shape program. The salespeople designed it and selected their own accountability partners to validate their efforts. The young man above wanted to increase his fitness levels and shed some fat. He did that and more, going on to enter Iron Man competitions, eventually with the sponsorship of the company. Everybody won in that contest, even though he won the money! Everyone knows when your endorphins flow you have increased stamina, creative ability and more fun! This team was no exception and the confidence they gained from their successes showed up in their sales calls.

Some performance increases resulted from practical moves designed to help those struggling with closing sales, or placing product trials in client locations. I used a mentorship program and cross-trained new hires in multiple territories. We covered three states in our region and I gave people the opportunity to teach what they knew best, and to travel to other people’s territories. This cross-fertilization increased everyone’s performance, provided exceptional value in building a great team, and helped to develop leadership skills – all of which further increased sales.

We also did things beyond the norm – we were revolutionary in that we selectively broke a few “rules” to allow the salespeople to work according to their individual rhythms. As long as they created great and trusting client relationships, delivered on their promises to do the work, and exceeded their quotas, I was flexible on how and when they worked. If they needed to play golf, go skiing or have a spa day they did. My bosses loved the solid client relationships and the sales so they gladly supported me when I stepped a little outside the box.

My people played hard and they worked hard and one thing I learned with them is that the best way to get salespeople to do what they do best is to be creative and innovative, to ask lots of questions and to make sure they have every tool for their success – especially my support. The end result was years of success for myself and the people I served.
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Today is no different with the people on your team – if you want to maximize their success—then listen to their questions.  Ask them lots of questions, ask them to offer solutions for any complaints they have.  Be proactive in creating innovative ways to encourage their growth and progress up the ladder, and facilitate the community and culture  that allows them to thrive. Discover their “inner game” – how do they think? What beliefs do they have that enable their success? How can you support the “why” of their being in the game?
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Please contact me at Kathy@mindoftheheartcoaching.com or 619.602.3670 to learn how I help you deliver the sales growth you seek, develop your high performance team and help prepare others for their leadership roles!