Professional Salesmen I Need Your Advice.

Grumpy

I did hire one real estate rep but he was kind of clueless in the end. He was sophmoric, a wise fool. He thought he knew more than he really did and it bit him in the end. He could have done OK if he threw his ego out the window.

mark the coach

The method of "how" they sell is not important to me so long as they do it with honesty, integrity, and no high pressure. However what they do once a job is sold is very important it's done by the book.

I'll give you an example why the system is soooo important. 65% of all the estimate requests we received this year (2008) went into the garbage. Why? There are many factors but the largest factor being lazy sales people who did not follow the system and didn't set appointments. The biggest factor in this... lack of email. Well DUH! most of our customers come through the internet, most provide us an email address, if you aren't emailing these people to set an appointment and are only calling.... I call that a break down int he system and a complete lack of common sense. Lack of common sense that cost me THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.

Name any large corporation, name any franchise, name any store you visit on a regular basis and don't see the owner running around ragged and you will see a systematized business.

Grumpy, do you have your salesmen fill out an activity report each week detailing their daily actions? And if you do do you tie its accurate and timely completion to receiving their pay?
Another approach that I have used is to have the office set the appointment for the salesmen. When this happens the salesman can't pre-judge the lead and decide if it is worth his time on the phone call, resulting in less blown leads. The office appointment setter can be trained to obtain all the required information you need for the prospect as well as ask some basic qualifying questions. Provide the appointment setter with a basic questionnaire or use your existing lead sheet. You can use an on line calendar like Go Daddy and set appointments for the leads and salesman. The process involves mandatory review of the schedule on a daily basis. The salesman would be required to block out any time they need off for a minimum of two weeks. If any time is available the lead setter will fill it in and the salesman will be required to service the lead. After the lead is set you can then send out pre-approach appointment confirmation letter from a template set up in your system. This will make the salesman's job easier because it eliminates phone tag and the letter is a professional touch that sets the stage for the rep.

Another question for you, do your salesman have a job description with scheduled performance reviews?

Lastly, I read your statement that it is not important how they sell as long as they are ethical and honest. The challenge with this is you may have salesmen selling differently and this can lead to salesmen taking the path of least resistance. You may wish to consider systematizing you sales process so every one is selling the same way. This is alot of work however when you hire new salesmen they are easily trained on the developed and accepted system. Also the system will be duplicable and known by all employees reducing miscommunication between departments.

mark the coach

MMC73

I couldnt agree with you more. I prefer to have someone else set the appointment so that I don't prejudge it. In the past I used to set my own...now I recieve a lead sheet with the qualifiers filled out etc. I find that makes a huge difference.

With regards to have a sales rep acting like a Diva/o or displaying a general air of irresponsability, it is easy to get caught up in the moment. I find that I have a "high" of sorts after I sign a contract and pick up a check. I try to avoid the folks I work with for a certain extent for a few hours afterwards because I know I can be really annoying, even if I do have a check and a contract in my hand. On the flip side the sense of entitlement that we posess is what gives us the ability to walk into someones house and ask them to make a commitment, in many cases a large financial commitment within hours or days of initially meeting.

dandee

Grumpy, I have been lurking on this site for a couple months now, and never bothered to register so I could post, until I read about your problem with salespeople and I just couldn't resist responding. I have been involved in the siding and window business for over 30 years all on the sales and marketing side of things. I think the biggest problem you have and a HUGE mistake is to let the salesman set there own leads. Salesman by there very nature are looking for the easy customer, favorite area, best product etc. Hire an expert to contact your leads and schedule the estimates maybe an ex-telemarketer, an on the ball secretary, or someone with a scheduling background. How can you live with wasting so many leads. I am sure I make a great living just working the leads you are throwing away.

Painters Choice

If you want someone to go out and get you work you had better make it worth their time or they will just hire their own crew( of workers ) and get their own work and why shouldn't they? You want to run a business you better learn how to get your own work or pay well to those who do it for you and charge your customer more to pay for it. As far as training goes.. why are you in the training business or the roofing business? There's your answer.

BamBamm5144

TWO year old thread.

lawndart

I'm aware this thread is 2 years old, but it's a great discussion. I'd like to hear how Grumpy is doing.

When I'm looking to hire a salesman, I look at my competition. I've spent the day driving around to Home Depot's and Lowes, and acting like a potential customer, to see how each individual handles the potential sale. You would be surprised how well this works. You can see the individual in action, and play right along with it.

When you find the right guy/girl hand them your card, and tell them you have a great opportunity for them, and to give you a call. In the end it's always about money. If you offer more, they will come work for you.

We offer our salesman

$250-$400 week base salary
Provide 10-20 leads a week
10% gross comission
Full ongoing training and support
60/40 split of all services upsold, that we're not included on the original lead
60/40 split on all of their own generated leads
workers comp
Looking to add employee health benefits this coming year.

We've been fortunate to keep the 3 salesman hired over the past year, and they are producing great results.