"What's Up e-Doc?"

Consider what may be a familiar scenario: The sales rep you've hired brings impressive credentials and a history of success. But somehow he's not achieving goals. It's unclear how he's spending his time, and closing a sale takes too long. Of course, new reps need a learning curve before they can be expected to produce, but it seems he has had ample time. You've motivated, coaxed and threatened, with no noticeable results. You're frustrated because you don't know how to improve his performance. So the next logical step is termination, right?

Not so fast. While Donald Trump blithely bellows, "You're fired!" to underperformers week after week, termination is an option that makes for better TV than for improved sales performance. In my more than 20 years of sales, coaching and client development, I recognize that termination may provide temporary relief, but unless critical sales issues are identified, addressed and resolved, the cycle of underperformance always returns.

Even the most capable top-level leaders are baffled by low sales performance. When a prospect chooses not to buy, there's often no clear-cut explanation. So the quick fixes - more sales training or termination - appear to be the only courses of action. But in reality, strong sales performance is a result of strategic integration of purpose, process, performance and people.

The Purpose
The first step to attaining - and sustaining - maximum sales performance is to survey the landscape, examining all layers of your sales structure. Going beyond the symptoms to find the real sales problem requires a careful and close study. Align your sales goal with your business strategy to ensure that sales are increasing your profit margins. Design a sales approach that works for your company, your product, your sales force and your prospects. The result: Assurance that salespeople sell the most profitable items.

Process
Once the purpose is clearly defined, the process of designing the approach is the next phase. Develop client profiles to ensure that sellers are targeting the correct prospects and analyze how they are being approached. Scrutinize your method of closing. Examine the win/loss ratio to determine frequency of - and reasons for - success. Implement a fulfillment process so that when an order hits the door it is handled efficiently. The result: Shortened sales cycles, increased close ratios and a more proactive approach to managing accounts.

Performance
When the purpose and process are clearly in place, a structure must be created to gauge, monitor and manage for successful performance. Accurate accountability tools must be developed to measure and track performance. Sales management must be equipped to coach and monitor their sellers. And the leadership must truly manage for success, measuring the behavior and results of their sales team - and preparing the sellers to self-evaluate. The result: Increased ownership and accountability of the salespeople.

People
Notice that the final phase of dealing with sales challenges concentrates on your sales force. I suspect that when you look at lagging sales, people are the first source of your scrutiny. But remember, a seller can sustain success only when all of the other factors are in good working order. However, let's not underplay the value of the right sales personnel who are a key to your company's success and must be recruited, interviewed and ramped up skillfully. The wrong hires are a costly, time-consuming mistake. Sales candidates must be screened and evaluated, strategically interviewed and hired for their ability to produce. The result: Faster results from new sales hires.

Sales is the lifeblood of your company - the factor with the most impact on your success or failure. It deserves more than a quick fix. Take the time to get all cylinders working together and let your salespeople drive home improved sales performance.

Pam Beigh is the founder and president of SALESCORE, a company that works with small to midsized businesses to ensure profitable sales. Using the Sales Performance Pyramid™, Pam brings effective solutions to common sales challenges. www.salescore.net.

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