National Sales Center

Reasons Why Some Reps Sell More Than Other Reps

Sales managers struggle to find out why some sales reps sell more than other salespeople. Typically, they are looking for ways to get their underperforming reps producing like their top reps. I have some advice on why some reps sell more than other reps.

Fact is, some reps will always sell more than other reps. We are bound by the 80/20 “Rule”. Eighty percent of the business will come from twenty percent of the reps. A better question is why the business seems to always come from the sale twenty percent. Why are the same names always at the top of the rankings, month after month?

The goal is to get those underperforming reps performing at 150% of quota. Who cares about the 80/20 “Rule” when that happens? Your top producers will be well above 200% of quota and life is good. Some reps will always sell more than other reps but who cares if they are all over 150% of quota. However, this is often not the case. Some reps are struggling while others are bringing in the big commission checks.

Often, struggling reps don’t know why they are not succeeding. The same is true about successful reps. Often successful reps can’t articulate why selling is easy for them. All this makes the puzzle more interesting.

Based on my experience, some reps do not sell more than other reps because they work harder. In fact, struggling reps often work harder than successful reps. That said, there is still something of concern. People tend to be more motivated when they are succeeding and making money. Struggling reps need to find reasons to believe tomorrow will be better than today.

Struggling reps need more than a motivating word or a pat on the back. They need something tangible that they can count on to get them moving in a healthier direction. These reps would march through walls if they could get a reason to truly believe better days are ahead for them.

My advice is to give them an “unfair” advantage through sales training. Open their eyes to new ways of sales prospecting. Open their minds to new sales techniques. They need to acquire the tools required for sales success. It’s my experience that too many struggling reps need to learn more about advanced selling.

Sales skills are often the main factor as to why some sales reps sell more than other sales reps. Get those skills and change everything for the better.

To your sales success!

Nick

Tags: Sales Training