Does a good portion of your business involve selling your products to others through your own outside sales force? If so, are you happy with the results? I thought not!

Maybe you’ve thought of turning a portion (or all) of your sales over to a firm that does nothing but sell, one of those ‘rep’ firms; but you’ve heard all the horror stories, “I've hired reps before, and I was disappointed with the results.” Or, “Their sales were so poor they didn't even cover salaries.” Or, “My sales are down, but I can't believe it is my product. When I personally get out there and sell, things work.”

What can you do? Should you out-source your sales in spite of what you’ve heard? Should you hire successful salespeople (at least they tell you they’re successful) from other firms and train them in your product? Should you take some of your own internal product people who evidence a desire to sell and train them as salespersons?

The answers to all the above may be, “Yes!” But hold on. Before you dump what you’re doing now and jump to something else, I have two suggestions. The first is to review your sales force using the criteria that follows. The second is to explore the additional suggestions found on my web site at www.tulenko.com. Remember, a solution should always begin by reviewing how you have done things in the past.

When building a sales force there are four areas where you, as the owner or sales manager, absolutely must get involved. These areas are: 1) Hiring the right person in the first place, 2) training that person adequately, 3) providing proper management, and 4) rewarding success. Let’s see how well we do.

1. HIRING THE RIGHT PERSON

A. Success Record: Hire the salesperson that can demonstrate a track record of success at his or her last job. Ask for proof of sales in the form of commission statements, W-2 totals, or other official records. You need someone who can sell, not someone who says he or she can sell.

B. Sales Ability: You are looking for a person who can sell, so if your prospective salesperson cannot sell you on his or her ability on their very first meeting with you, look for another. A successful salesperson must be able to communicate well and present themselves in the best manner at all times.

C. Necessary Skills: Test your applicant for their understanding of the fundamental skills necessary to sell in your business. For example, if selling your product requires excellent math skills, provide a simple math test using your everyday operational material.

D. Correct Skills: Don't hire a creative salesperson if you are selling packaged products to regular customers. You don't want your salesperson re-inventing the wheel on each sale. Conversely, you need creative ability if your product must be "sold" to each new client.

2. TRAINING YOUR SALESPERSON

A. Home Office Training: Provide at least two weeks of training in your place of business, letting your new salesperson work in each department for a few days. The understanding of "how things work" will provide them with the foundation to better serve your customers.

B. Product Training: Your new salesperson cannot sell what he or she doesn't understand. Provide them with a working knowledge of the products or services they are to sell using either a manufacturer's or an industry sales school . . . or set up your own.

C. Field Training: Spend two weeks with your new salesperson actually calling on customers. Keep accurate records of each sales-call and review them at the end of each day. Demonstrate the selling skills that made you a success.

3. PROVIDING EXCELLENT MANAGEMENT

A. Field Reviews: Randomly, and without explicit prior notice, accompany your salesperson on at least one call each week for the first six months, and then at least one call each month thereafter. Use the occasion to review the selling skills developed in field training sessions.

B. Limit Paperwork: Talk with your accountant and see if you can provide your salespersons with a lump sum to offset selling expenses rather than have them fill out expense paperwork that cuts into selling time. At all times keep in mind you hired them to sell your product.

C. Set Realistic Goals: Make sales goals logical and practical based on company history. Set weekly quotas of calls, presentations, and sales, then personally review with each salesperson.

4. REWARDING SUCCESS

Publish success stories in your newsletter. Sponsor a "Winner's" club with appropriate rewards such as a ring or pin with progressively larger or more diamond inserts. Pay well for success; when your salespeople succeed, so do you and your company. If old ideas are keeping you from success and you want to discuss new possibilities, contact Paul at paul@tulenko.com.