Retain Sales Reps From Generation Y

by Shannon F. It has always been tough to find and retain great salespeople, but Gen Y is notoriously hard to hold onto. That’s a loss for you, because this generation has a lot of passion and innovation to bring to your sales department. If you are considering hiring from the latest batch of college graduates entering the job market, you could find the most loyal employee of your career OR one of the most challenging. Either way, handling young talent means knowing how to turn potentially problematic traits into wins for both you and your new hire. Trait #1 – Gen Y is impatient. Raised with instant knowledge and entertainment at their fingertips, Gen Y likes to jump right in, see results at lightning speed, and progress quickly in their careers – perhaps before you think they’re ready. Your new Gen Y salesperson may be unwilling to sit through hours of training, because she grew up learning by doing. Nobody taught her how to create complex Sims cities or start her own vlog – she just jumped in and did it. It’s no surprise she wants her career to work the same way. Make it a win for you – Your Gen Y salesperson wants to prove himself, so let him. Instead of sticking him in days of seminars before he hits the selling floor, try a few call simulations where he has to think on his feet with very little time to process information. This will force your […]

Question of the Month: How Do I Avoid Being a Sales Pushover?

by Shannon F. Does it seem like your customers always have an upper hand during negotiations? Maybe you give massive discounts in order to close the deal, or you end up throwing in a lot of free concessions to keep the customer happy. If that sounds like you, your bottom line will suffer if you don’t take control of your sales conversations early on. Here’s how to stay assertive: Prepare for every sales conversation. Be well-versed in the value you can bring to the prospect. Researching their organization, doing your homework on competitors your prospect is considering, and having prepared responses for common objections is a good strategy for approaching a sales meeting with self-assurance. When you aren’t prepared, you may be apt to stumble, lose confidence, and make unplanned and ill-afforded concessions. Know what obstacles you are likely to encounter. Be upfront with the prospect about the challenges you anticipate. For example, if you are taking on a project that comes with more complications or expenses than usual, be the first to bring these issues to light. Explain, “My competitors might not be aware of these extra costs, and that’s why their estimates are lower. But you can be sure they will bill you at a later date for the extra labor and equipment.” Don’t answer too quickly. Your prospect asked for a discount or a freebie. Rather than reply hastily, tell your prospect you need to discuss the request with your manager and get back to them. This […]