DO YOU REALLY WANT YOUR REPS TO SUCCEED?

Dealing with reps is really no different than dealing with clients.  They’re people.  And, like former HUD Secretary Jack Kemp once said, “They don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”

People will generally act in their own self-interest.  While you’re shaking your head in agreement, recognize it’s probably true of you – and me – as well.  That’s why we have to be especially careful as we recognize it.

It’s when you put your clients’ interests ahead of your own – and they recognize and believe it – that you have a real relationship.  That’s true for your reps, too.

Clients can tell when you’re just trying to get your hands in their pockets.   That’s why they think all reps are alike.  And, reps can tell when you’re just using them to achieve your own goals.  That’s a big reason so many change jobs.  It’s more than money.

My philosophy was simple.  My reps were my clients.  I worked for them.  It was my job to get on their team!   Like former Dodger manager Tommy Lasorda said, “You have to find out what motivates THEM… and tap into THAT!”

In those days, I used a lot of outside training resources just like a manager has batting coaches.  It was my job not to teach them only my way of doing things; but, to expose them to MANY ways of doing things – because no one person has all the answers - and be their coach… helping them to find THEIR success.

It extended beyond selling.  I wanted them to be successful in life!  Every Friday morning was ‘career day’ at training.  That morning session wasn’t about selling; it was about how they could reach their career goals and hopefully retire rich!  I even had local financial planners come in and talk about starting early to plan for their retirement.   It actually worked to my advantage, because they began to realize what they thought was a `comfort zone’ level of production really wasn’t!  For the first time, they began to see just what they had to achieve to have the lifestyle they wanted.  Many said they wanted to retire by age 55, but were astounded to find out just what that would require.

The results of this approach were outstanding.  My publications had the lowest turnover of any media entity in our market, I’m sure.  I’m also sure my reps made more money than any of our competition.  I’m confident of this simply because we had a waiting list of applicants at a time when most publications were finding it tough to recruit – and more than two-thirds of my sales force were driving luxury cars which we paid for but they earned.  I was a publisher-owner of five papers for six years and had ZERO turnover the final four years – no one left.  No one was fired.  We had a major team our competitors envied.  It was like an NBA team that wins four national championships in a row and no one wants to leave and break it up.

Want to build a REAL winning team?  Get on THEIR side.  Build a culture that LEARNING and DEVELOPMENT is good on all levels… no matter where it comes from.  Focus on success, not fiefdoms or power.  You’ll be amazed.

“SIX WEEKS OF COMMITMENT”

Big announcement on this coming August 17^th in our In-Synch Selling (advertising sales) e-zine!   Many of you have been asking for this; so, we’re expecting this to be a big success.

---

Add this post to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites