Evaluating salespeople is simple, right? You just look at how much each person is bringing in and whether they are meeting and exceeding their goals. The truth is, sales performance reviews should be far more robust, evaluating an entire set of skills.
Quality Prospecting Skills
Poor prospecting skills will have a negative impact on final sales numbers. Managers must track data on the quantity and more importantly the quality of prospects that their reps are generating. The best closers in the world will struggle if they aren’t prospecting strategically.
Account Management Success
In organizations where sales reps are also responsible for managing their accounts, they must be evaluated on how long they keep their customers on the books, how they grow the profitability of their relationships over time and how satisfied those customers are.
Industry Knowledge
Just how well do your reps know the industry in which they work? It is important for reps to know their field inside and out, so they can be confident when presenting solutions to prospects and clients. People can tell when a salesperson is “winging it.” Industry knowledge should be continually measured over time.
Research Approach and Ability
Sales reps should spend a reasonable amount of time researching their prospects before they make a presentation. If you advertise tailored solutions, your reps must be able to deliver on that promise. Strong research skills are also important in the prospecting process and the account management process.
Presentation Skills
Managers must continually observe sales reps giving presentations to determine how much effort they put into delivering a quality experience for the prospect. Reps should be engaging and captivating in front of prospects and never complacent.
Customer Experience
All the time, money and resources poured into a strong sales process mean nothing if the customer experience is less than stellar. Sales reps are a prospect’s first introduction to the organization, and as such, reps must be able to deliver a great experience that begins with their first cold call.
Tying it All Together
As you read through this list, you may wonder just how to measure some of these factors in a traditional annual sales performance review. If you’re only reviewing your sales reps once a year, it’s time to step into modern times. Managers should conduct ongoing, monthly reviews to discuss the factors above and track progress in real time. This allows management to provide actionable feedback and for reps to have the opportunity to adjust their approach before they find themselves in hot water.
If you are looking for new ways to attract and retain top salespeople who can help your organization achieve its revenue goals, the expert recruiters at CSS ProSearch can help. Contact us today to learn more about the ways in which we can help grow, build and expand your team – and your bottom line.