How have sales at your business been lately? 

By now all CEOs, company presidents and business owners realize what is really going on in the economy.  It’s no longer a question of whether we are in an economic downturn or a recession.  We are in a recession.  It’s a deep recession.  This may be the longest recession we will witness in our lifetimes. 

The economic recovery will take time.  Not a matter of months but rather possibly years. According to the Congressional Budget Office, most of the economic stimulus package will not do much to stimulate the economy – which means it may not do much for your business either.  By the time the majority of benefits and effects of the stimulus package take place the economy may be on the road to recovery by itself. 

As business people we can’t wait for the stimulus package to work or not work.  Waiting, watching and hoping for a turnaround can only put you out of business.  Instead you got to find your own answers and solutions that will work for your business.

Business people are going to have to do what business people have always done.  When times are tough, the strong business people cut expenses, examine their business from top to bottom, train and motivate employees to do a better job and… not accept excuses from the sales force. 

If we have employee in manufacturing we expect them to do a days work.  If an employee works in shipping there is no excuse for the shipping department not to get the packages shipped.  But yet the sales force can think of a thousand different reasons why it’s not their fault sales have fallen.  It’s true it is the economy.  But their job title is sales.  Not order taker. 

Everyone in sales needs to step up their sales game.  More cold calls.  More paying attention to the needs of current customers.  More targeted prospects.  More determination.  More positive attitude. 

Sales people need more direction from you, the CEO, company president or business owner, that will help them to be successful.  Expect daily and weekly reports from your sales team.  Don’t let them sell you as to why they can’t sell.  Their job is to sell the customer, not to make excuses as to why they are not meeting their sales goals.  Sales people need to be out in the field and out in front of your customers more now than when business times were good. 

Your business will not survive without your sales force being productive.  If someone in the sales force isn’t doing the job then talk to them, coach them, ride along with them, go over sales plans but if they can’t do the job, get them out of your business.  Replace them with someone who will do the job. 

Sales people sell.  No excuses.