Cover Story Jeffrey Gitomer Keeping good salespeople is harder than finding them

Hiring a great salesperson is one thing. Keeping him or her on the team is another.

Often the manager or boss is too busy scrutinizing and measuring the salesperson’s performance, and ignoring their own part of the partnership. The part necessary to support, build and keep a great team.

What are you doing to keep your salespeople?

Here’s a list of 24.5 elements to build and grow a stellar sales team:

1. Structure a fair compensation package that is commission based. The more they sell, the more they earn. People get into sales because it’s got the potential for great financial rewards. Create an attractive package. 2. Give them the tools to sell with. Invest in the best support tools money can buy. They help salespeople sell, and they’re a reflection of the quality of your business in the mind of the prospect. 3. Equip them with 21st century technology. Or they will die at the hands of the competitor who is equipped. Smartphone, tablet, laptop computer at a minimum. 4. Have the best company in the world. Someplace with a great reputation where they’re proud to work. 5. Have an inside team of people that does not fight with, or resent salespeople. Sales wars (battles between sales and production, administration and credit) end up killing the customer. 6. Be the best boss in the world. Have the same consistent positive attitude you expect of your people. 7. Have a manager who is a better salesperson than anyone on your team. Otherwise, the respect factor, and pull-the-woolover-the-eyes factor increases. 8. Reward sales with money. Nothing happens until a sale is made. Have a generous compensation package that rewards success. If they succeed, pay them well.

9. Acknowledge achievement. Have award certificates (not just for sales) to show employees they have achieved excellence or exceeded a goal. 10. Recognize in front of others. Have victory celebrations. Ring a big bell when a sale is made. Instill pride for sales. 11. Have incentives and contests to keep it competitive. Dangle the carrot, whet the appetite, get them to go for the brass ring. The bigger the prize, the bigger the effort. 12. Reward repeat business. If a customer reorders, it means they were satisfied with the way they were sold and served. Pay a larger incentive the second time. 13. Reward referrals. When one customer refers another customer, it’s the most profitable sale. Referrals are hard to get (earn). But once you do, it’s the easiest sale to make pay handsomely someone has earned it. 14. Reward business taken from others (accounts from the competition). Taking business away from the competition is a big event that should be celebrated, rewarded and dissected to see how to repeat it. 15. Reward testimonial letters received. Testimonial letters are the only proof you’ve got. Pay a big reward for the letters that overcome objections. 16. Have regular sales meetings. Air out the field or phone problems, let salespeople have a chance to discuss their challenges and successes. They will learn from the leader and each other. Have an agenda and follow it. 17. Have regular sales training. A weekly sales meeting should include 15 minutes of training. Weekly meetings, a quarterly 1-day training, and an annual 2-day retreat, are minimum standards for sales growth. 18. Have regular personal development training. Your team must grow personally in order to achieve sales growth. Train in attitude, goals, responsibility, listening, pride, communication and change growth elements fundamental for success. 19. Set realistic and achievable goals. Work on sales goals with the sales force. Get them to