How do you motivate a senior sales rep to change and improve?
1st option – Leave them alone – Senior reps are likely not going to significantly change their style and approach to selling no matter what you do. But if they’re outselling everybody else, the best and most motivating thing you can do is to just leave them alone. One client motivated their top, and most senior performer by saying… “You don’t have to attend our weekly sales meetings you’ve been complaining about as long as you keep out-selling everyone else.”
2nd option is to demand your senior under-performer follow your new standards and processes – You, as their leader, need to decide how much time you can afford to spend attempting to generate change in this underperforming elder. An effective way to address this under-performer is to show them their performance numbers compared to everybody else, and how their performance needs to improve. Ask them if this is something they’re interested in changing.
You might consider offering a soft landing for this senior rep. Could they work in customer service, handle telephone sales or become your technical and selling process coach to the team?
How long will your company allow you to carry an underperforming, though senior member of your sales team? Think it’s time to start some of these conversations?
Today’s video discusses how to motivate your most senior members of your sales team, so you can help them sell even more!