Why would anyone go into technology sales? Most deals are lost; most cold-calling doesn't convert; according to past research, 57% of Salespeople surveyed do not believe they will make their quota. So why go into this unchosen profession? Well, I like to say sales is what we do when we can’t do anything else.
In response to the high failure rate and excessive turnover, many technology companies have increased the volume of young, inexperienced sellers they hire. Many companies then create definitions of a “Minimum Viable Seller” in order to map out onboarding and training programs. Sort of a “paint by numbers” approach to ensure this high volume of inexperienced sales reps have support to improve their odds of success.
I like the objective, supportive approach. Not that there isn’t room for subjective considerations – there are always “exceptions”. I’m an exception. There were many situations where I was considered an “out of the box” hire; many managers took a chance on me. Turned out OK.
I believe there is a “Minimum Viable” application to the prospects’ side of the equation, too. Every prospect’s “project” (aka “Sales Opportunity”) must have minimum viable characteristics. In absence of such criteria, the sales rep is just chasing rainbows. (Before they wash out.)
To avoid rainbow chasing, many reps are taught to use
B.A.N.T. a qualification technique
originating literally from last century.
Budget; Authority; Need; Timeline was developed in the 1960’s
by IBM. This century’s Modern Buyer has seen
that rodeo. Prospects will lie about their
B.A.N.T. leading sales reps down that well-worn, path known as the
“l o n g g g l o o o s e”.
Does Marketing help? They measure MQL (Marketing Qualified Leads), SQL (Sales Qualified Leads), or SAL (Sales Accepted Leads). Yet regardless of minimum viable marketing metrics, sales rep quota performance is still moving in the wrong direction. Maybe marketing could take on some hard quota, LOL!
Just when we think it can’t get any worse along come the machines. Website hits; email opens; content downloads; weighted forecasts; logged touches; and every other possible minimum viable data point is accumulated into “CRM” (Customer Relationship Management). Sales reps enter all this data and more into their machines. Problem is – customers don’t reside inside those machines.
Using minimum viable Business Intelligence; Artificial Intelligence; Predictive Analytics; and all other tools on the planet; we still can’t tell if the prospect and their project is real or imagined – without salespeople actually talking with them that is.
How much time do salespeople spend each day with their machines? How much time with prospects? Not even mentioning deal competition, too. I understand. If sellers stopped for a moment and thought about all of the known-unknowns and unknown-unknowns on meeting their sales quota they might freak out. Maybe it’s easier to stay heads-down with the machines.
Well, we do earn a doctorate degree in "people anthropology", becoming versed in what makes us human. We reach an advanced level of personal and professional acumen. We enter a lifelong career, mastering communication skills while competing for vast, financial treasures. We receive trinkets, earn bonuses, and win President’s Club trips along the way. Plus, we get to be front and center witnessing great people leading great companies to historical events.
Even with all the obstacles, high failure rate, and the machines, I still believe technology sales qualifies as a Minimum Viable Career.
GAP
When life gets tough we could get a helmet… or…
we could leverage the peace and share the power of a positive perspective.
No comments:
Post a Comment