I am most involved with the acquisition and evaluation of Acquirent’s new clients. Every day, I speak with companies both large and small that have built successful organizations without any sales culture and I marvel at how these companies have gotten so far without any formal or informal sales process.
I am especially surprised at the high percentage of technology-based companies that I speak with that have very little sales DNA. I have found that many of them celebrate a culture of innovation, technology, and excellent customer service but not sales. Another important factor working against the development of their sales culture is that many of these companies are virtual, with so many employees spread throughout the country that communicate through the advancements of technology. However, if you have ever tried to consistently make 50-75 prospecting calls day after day by yourself, you will find it takes incredible discipline and is not easy to sustain.
At Acquirent, we work hard every day to create a positive sales culture that celebrates the unique characters that are attracted to sales. We work at the following;
- Hiring: we hire positive and smart people who are motivated by success and money.
- Celebrating controlled risk-takers: Salespeople have to embrace risk because they are told “no” more often than not.
- Recognizing victories: We work to congratulate our teammates regularly for their success, we start every day at 8:00am with an all company meeting to congratulate people that close deals and made progress in their sales the day before—the meeting is only ten minutes long.
- Goal-oriented: We work to create short, mid and long-term goals to keep people motivated.
- Training for success: We offer on-going sales training and opportunities for our teammates to sharpen their skills.
I have found throughout my career that building a sales culture is like building a house. The foundation must be solid and you must recognize that the house must be continuously maintained, remodeled and refurnished. Happy selling!
Make it a great day!
Joseph P. Flanagan[/fusion_text][/fullwidth]