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Top sales performers, whether they are business owners or sales reps, see things differently than average or mediocre performers. In other words, they have a Winning Sales Paradigm. That Winning Sales Paradigm produces fruit such as energy, confidence, tenacity and comfort with prospects and customers.

There is a pretty common belief among business owners and sales managers that these and other characteristics of successful sales people are innate. A person has them or they don’t. Find people who display that “natural” sales ability, give them product training and some sales training and they will be successful… right?

If this were true, the majority of people responsible for business development and sales would succeed. Of course, this is far from reality.

The reason is that context matters.

For example, professional athletes are known to be energetic, confident, tenacious people. However, a successful athlete can get traded to a different team and become an average performer. Conversely, an average performer can get traded to a different team and become an all-star.

Management is different. Peers are different. Organizational systems are different. Customers are different.  Expectations are different. “Fit” is different. Even the personal reasons for playing may change for that athlete.

Context matters!

For a sales person to develop and maintain a Winning Sales Paradigm, they must believe certain things in context such as:

1. The strength and integrity of their company’s leadership and management.
2. The value and quality of the product and/or service they represent.
3. The value/price ratio. In other words, they believe they are selling fair value for a fair price.
4. Their personal ability and opportunity to make a difference for their customers and their company.
5. The company sales system and supporting systems.
6. Their managers’ commitment to their success.
7. The strength of their industry (i.e. that there is enough business to go around)
8. Their own sales philosophy.
9. In the case of commissioned sales, their reasons for taking a high-risk, high-reward job.

Unfortunately, when a sales person is not achieving the desired results, management response is often to:

• First, ask a few probing questions to which they are unlikely to uncover real issues.
• Second, probing questions are followed by ineffective pep talks.
• Third, micromanage the activity of the sales person.
• Next, threaten termination if performance does not improve.

Of course, if paradigm is the issue, none of these tactics help to change that.

Coaching the Winning Sales Paradigm

The best business owners and sales managers don’t just set goals for their sales people and periodically review the sales numbers. Among other things, they are always looking to enhance the Winning Sales Paradigm of their sales people.  Specifically, they will do things such as …

• ask their sales people individually what they believe about the strength of the industry and they will share what they believe
• do the same regarding the quality of their products and services and those of their competitors
• talk to their sales people about their sales philosophy
• share independent information, books, articles and more that will strengthen each person’s Sales Paradigm

Like any good coach, the sales manager or business owner will work to create a context that supports a Winning Sales Paradigm for each individual on the team. The fruit of this will be a team of sales people that displays “natural” sales characteristics as they go on to achieve greater and greater results.

What has been your experience with the Winning or Losing Sales Paradigm of those around you?

Photo on flickr by Lisa’s visions

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