Say we have a friend that owns a business, and they might have one or two sales employees. Perhaps that business owner has been selling their own product for years, and they’ve found success in working hard.
Soon, they reach a spot where they have both a warm market and a successful network for referrals.
In this lucky example, our friend has happened upon a sales type that everyone dreams of: effortless high conversion rates. When they meet, they transform those clients into buyers. But be wary, every success story comes to a tipping point—and it’s crucial to recognize it.
Time and again, I’ve had to fix this mistake because most people just don’t see it coming. Successful business owners say, “Right, I’m going to hire another salesperson.” And they do, but then the salary for a competent sales executive is upwards of a hundred grand. Sometimes, depending on your industry, they’re even more expensive.
Now, the employee’s salary isn’t the problem. The big mistake I see is the lack of systems. When I say “system,” I mean: what is your business’ sales process that your newly hired employee is meant to use?
Often, a fresh employee will implement their own habits, or they’ll try to use skills they learned at their previous job. This can be a huge problem. So, you want to have this conversation with your new employee soon, or even apply this during your selection process.
Don’t hire the wrong person simply because you lack a system. If you have a strong one in place, then it makes it easier to choose a new team member. This goes especially for Australia. I’m always saying to people: if you’re going to pay for a full-time employee, you want to make sure that you have got the best person, right?
As a business owner, time is money. And you need a fresh hire that can be brought up to speed with product confidence quickly, so that they can exceed company goals.
There’s nothing worse for a salesperson than to not find success. It’s soul-crushing to be in a new job for months and come up empty-handed. If you can help, then you’re investing in your new employee.
The best way to assist is with a system.
Every good business needs one to help train employees and get them to the “I am exceeding sales goals” point. This would be even better if it happened during an approved time period. Frame it like this: “This is your induction program. For the first 30 days, we’re focusing on product knowledge. The next 30-day period will be client introductions.”
In worst-case scenarios, a new employee will spin their wheels and then make excuses for not selling. One thing leads to another, and a year later, you’ve invested too much time in this person for no profit.
However, I’ve seen a pattern. There is a specific transition period between “I need a new salesperson” and “I’ve hired the perfect employee.”
The key here is that you must have an ongoing motivation and management system throughout the hiring and onboarding process. Otherwise, bad habits might develop that neither you nor your new hire will benefit from. But what is the easiest way to set up this system?
To start, your best first step is a map.
Unfortunately, most people don’t even realize their process because success often comes from an innate skill set. This makes it harder to map out.
The next part is differentiating between what you as a business owner can do that your new salesperson cannot.
My number one focus is helping you navigate areas like these so that you can hire someone and have the confidence that they’ll succeed. You need reliability first and foremost.
With my help, you’ll not only confidently hire a salesperson, but you’ll also invest well in marketing. This way, your company funds will be placed in the right spots. Everyone wants two or three salespeople for every 10 leads and three to four conversions from these leads.
Having awareness will take you from “I need a salesperson” to “I’ve got a great new employee, and they’re exceeding all expectations.” Remember, a system is your best friend.
To DOUBLE your lead-to-sale CONVERSION with the leads you already have, go to http://JohnBlakeAudio.com for his exclusive, free, no-fluff, audio training and companion PDF guide.
Inside you’ll get word-for-word email followup templates, phone scripts, and more that you can put to use today.
