I constantly hear from managers that they need more “activity” from their sales staff. But is activity what you really want or do you want the right kind of activity: QUALITY activity?
There is a big difference between quality activity and activity. So let’s see which two examples you would prefer from your sellers.
Seller A has a lot of activity. They see 10 people a day, every day. Their day is a mix of seeing people they know extremely well and a lot of “drop-bys”, to see the manager or owner, which of course rarely happens without an appointment.
Seller B only makes 4 or 5 calls each day. But those calls are with Decision Makers and Decision Influencers at their largest accounts and best prospects. They have appointments set, both the seller and client/prospect knows what is going to happen on the call, and every call is all about the client’s marketing challenges and solutions to those challenges. And, of course, those kinds of calls always lead to money, not visiting.
So which is better? A sales manager that insists on being out of the office between 9:30 and 4:30 so their sellers can have a lot of activity that leads to little or no money? Or, one that insists on quality over quantity, preparation over frequency, and big money over small money?
One of the most important things you can do as a sales manager is raise the bar on the overall performance you will accept. Learn more about how you can analyze poor performance and improve it!
Jim Thompson is a VP/Senior Consultant at The Center for Sales Strategy.
