In honor of our veteran’s today, I’ve included a clip from “A Few Good Men.” In this scene Jack Nicholson’s character is the military leader that let a man die on his watch and then covered it up. This is reprehensible. However, take a minute and play the clip. Listen to his words. I just have to know – do you find yourself agreeing with parts of what he says? I do!
While listening to this clip, I thought about the true sales force out there. I’m defining the true sales force as the 20% that bring in 80% of the revenue, the top performers, the salespeople your company wants on that wall. Here’s what gets my goat. . .I watch these guys work 14 hour days, seven days a week, and I listen to high level staff people making comments like: “We do all the work, and the sales force makes all the money” or “Jim’s never here because he’s on the golf course or at a ball game while I’m doing the hard work.” If I were on the witness stand, and you had just asked me to defend the sales force, here’s what I’d say:
- You NEED them on the wall. You WANT them on the wall. They generate the revenue that pays your salary. Salespeople take your ideas, your products, your marketing campaigns, your training classes and make them work in the marketplace. They translate them into dollars.
- If your perception is that salespeople have an easy life, then maybe you can’t handle the truth. Most of us don’t want to wake up and start at zero every single day. Most of us don’t want our daily performance on a white board for the world to see. Most of us don’t want the responsibility of hitting huge goals in a tough economy. Are you willing to lose your job if you don’t make the company money in a way that is measured and tracked every single day?
- Let’s say a salesperson plays golf once a month. If you know the drive of a top achieving salesperson, then you know that game has everything to do with sales. Salespeople value every minute of every day. Want proof? Try going on vacation with a salesperson. They’re the ones walking down the beach texting and sitting in their beach chairs taking calls. Their customers don’t shut down their businesses because their sales rep is on vacation. Are you willing to talk to clients and solve problems while on your vacation?
- Top salespeople are anything but lazy. There is no magic bullet for making money in sales. Your best salespeople are there because they work constantly. When they’re not working, they’re thinking about working. Ever had a huge client suddenly disappear and realize you need to find ten new clients to make up for the one you lost? Try it.
That’s it. I’m just saying – if you want to make the big bucks, then go into sales and live the life. If you don’t want that life, then realize that salespeople deserve your respect. Every sale helps your staff initiatives live and breathe. Believe me – you WANT them on the wall. You NEED them on the wall. Today, thank a salesperson. They’ll appreciate it.