Do not hire a Sales Person!!!

Ron Musgraves

Ron Musgraves

Exterior Restoration Specialist
Staff member
Do not hire a Sales Person!!!​



Here are some steps and common mistakes made by poster’s here and other friends I have.
I personally have trained sales people all my life, you become somewhat of a coach motivator as your staff increases in size.
I’ll use this analogy for a reference; Kirby Vacuum has a program for selling vacuums. So many small business folks here about my sales staff and they think I’ll just hire a sales guy like Ron has. I will be on my way to making millions of dollars soon. ( NOT)

Kirby has a well refined machine, as simple as it might be it sells vacuums. Car dealerships as much as we hate buying a car have a program to make higher closing numbers.
Now I’m not suggesting you build a program like these, just look at why they are working?

The main reason is accountability and numbers. Lead generation for these is crucial.
The typical Car sales usally do not generate leads; they walk through the front door. This doesn’t happen magically the dealership runs ads and promotions to generate that traffic. (So you have to ask yourself how you will generate leads to make a sales person successful) If you think a sales person will generate himself your wrong. That’s a misconception that you will need to lose when you’re building this program. Your marketing department makes leads and your sales staff closes them. If they are making leads then they will close less.

Lead generation can come many ways in the service business, Web, referral program, mailer, phones,( cold calling. ) I put Cold calling in because a great program cold calling will actually be very little. (This has more to do with Ongoing marketing and branding of your company to make sales easier) again if your sales is cold calling he is not closing.

Getting back to Kirby vacuum sales program and remember I’m not suggesting you model this after Kirby just making the point that the systems in place sell Vacuums and hold sales people accountable. It’s scripted but it’s a baseline for training anyone to sell. (NOTE: I hate Scripts) Because I hate them doesn’t mean they will not work for you.

Here’s the reality, hire a sales guy will not work if you do not have systems in place to make the sales person successful. Do not think you can hire a sales person to write this for you, someone outside your business or with a marketing background could help you create one. Normally you have a program it’s just not refined. It’s in your head instead of on paper or video. We have a six week training period with a six month mentoring before a sales person is left alone to follow the program. we decide and the direction he or she will work. Monitor daily with weekly reports of performance.

If you’re going to have a successful sales staff you must have a program that works in place prior. I have written no books on this, just my hard Knox experience of failures and success. (27 years)
Discover your program, work it yourself and make sure its solid. Make it able to be duplicated and taught to whomever you decide to hire. Salesmen are made not born, I believe that. Be patient and remember like employees they are people who work for you, if they are not working replace them and do not get discouraged. I have tips on finding the right person; will continue the talks as day go by.

If you build a good program you can plug almost anyone into it.
 
I think it would be hard to set a guy loose who does not know the product they are selling as well, but that's one more reason Ron does not let them go out on their own. Here's a parallel for y'all:

I am a 4th Generation Custom Home Painter. I have been raised in,on and around the painting field ever since I could remember. I have been conditioned to be a house painter. I remember actually being 5 years old, going to Sawgrass (TPC), Hidden Hills Country Club(Arnold Palmer Design) and other places and staining by hand a million louver medicine cabinet doors. I was trained how to paint and address every problem as well as solve it the way my Great Grandpa, Grandpa and Uncle would have it done. I was a system of sorts put into place just like my Uncle and my Grandpa. Every generation was handed skills that not only helped them, but allowed each one of us to train crews upon crews of other people that worked for us.

Bottom line: Ron said whatever system works for you and this system I mentioned has worked for 100 years in my families Paint Contracting Business.
 
You have to remember you learned these because they were handed down, sorta the same kinda way different. Sales people don't handle problems always. Sales people put people off and do not ever follow problems up. They are actually horrible at problems, Thats another thread about keeping customers. Selling can often be easy, keeping customers and building there trust is another topic.

Thats what makes me see what your saying and partially agreeing. ( please do not be offended not arguing just didn't want to get off this because what works for you doesn't always work for everyone. You need a program that will work for a monkey.

AlwaysAqua said:
I think it would be hard to set a guy loose who does not know the product they are selling as well, but that's one more reason Ron does not let them go out on their own. Here's a parallel for y'all:

I am a 4th Generation Custom Home Painter. I have been raised in,on and around the painting field ever since I could remember. I have been conditioned to be a house painter. I remember actually being 5 years old, going to Sawgrass (TPC), Hidden Hills Country Club(Arnold Palmer Design) and other places and staining by hand a million louver medicine cabinet doors. I was trained how to paint and address every problem as well as solve it the way my Great Grandpa, Grandpa and Uncle would have it done. I was a system of sorts put into place just like my Uncle and my Grandpa. Every generation was handed skills that not only helped them, but allowed each one of us to train crews upon crews of other people that worked for us.

Bottom line: Ron said whatever system works for you and this system I mentioned has worked for 100 years in my families Paint Contracting Business.
Click to expand...
 
Very nice.
I myself do not have any sales people or person. I normally take care of that myself. However, I have been letting my wife handle most every call that comes in for the past 6 months or so. You should hear her. By the time I call back to run numbers and close a deal they are already very well informed of our service. She has been listening to me on the phone for years now and she is doing fantastic. I think I will keep her around for awhile. Lol
 
The question is that your back ground is Extensive in sales, You also If I remember correctly was a trainer before you got into exterior cleaning. So Carol has a great Teacher, she also has an investment in your partnership.

Could you train someone else what you do? Does She have a playbook she goes by or is it all memory? I would think Carol is way more patient than you and would be a great sales person. She is also very Smart so her learning curve is great.

Try this Larry, have her start writing the steps she uses. You may think at first its stupid, trust me you will improve your own sales talking with Carol on these tactics and closing procedures.

Larry Millette said:
Very nice.
I myself do not have any sales people or person. I normally take care of that myself. However, I have been letting my wife handle most every call that comes in for the past 6 months or so. You should hear her. By the time I call back to run numbers and close a deal they are already very well informed of our service. She has been listening to me on the phone for years now and she is doing fantastic. I think I will keep her around for awhile. Lol
Click to expand...
 
Great thread Ron!
 
My back ground is sales. I was in corp fleet sales for years and mentored sales people. A successful, repeatable process is key to success for both the sales person and the company. Both parties should have the same goal, same process. Inexperienced sales people do not realize this thus causing failure. Sales is a science, not an art.
 
Its in experienced business people who make the mistake. I agree with everything else 110%

Fleet Chemicals said:
My back ground is sales. I was in corp fleet sales for years and mentored sales people. A successful, repeatable process is key to success for both the sales person and the company. Both parties should have the same goal, same process. Inexperienced sales people do not realize this thus causing failure. Sales is a science, not an art.
Click to expand...
 
Ron Musgraves said:
You have to remember you learned these because they were handed down, sorta the same kinda way different. Sales people don't handle problems always. Sales people put people off and do not ever follow problems up. They are actually horrible at problems, Thats another thread about keeping customers. Selling can often be easy, keeping customers and building there trust is another topic.

Thats what makes me see what your saying and partially agreeing. ( please do not be offended not arguing just didn't want to get off this because what works for you doesn't always work for everyone. You need a program that will work for a monkey.
Click to expand...

Not offended at all. I was agreeing in my own way that systems in itself do work as the actual painting end does within our family. As far as sales I guess I am too timid at times. I will listen if you give me the tools, but can you give me the other guys Grandmas number or better yet, a cute monkey from the zoo after I complete your training lol?
 
Thats cool, you just never know when someone takes things wrong. No right or wrong in a lot of this , its about what works for you.
AlwaysAqua said:
Not offended at all. I was agreeing in my own way that systems in itself do work as the actual painting end does within our family. As far as sales I guess I am too timid at times. I will listen if you give me the tools, but can you give me the other guys Grandmas number or better yet, a cute monkey from the zoo after I complete your training lol?
Click to expand...
 
Bringing this back up for Jason Reider
Ron Musgraves said:
Do not hire a Sales Person!!!​



Here are some steps and common mistakes made by poster’s here and other friends I have.
I personally have trained sales people all my life, you become somewhat of a coach motivator as your staff increases in size.
I’ll use this analogy for a reference; Kirby Vacuum has a program for selling vacuums. So many small business folks here about my sales staff and they think I’ll just hire a sales guy like Ron has. I will be on my way to making millions of dollars soon. ( NOT)

Kirby has a well refined machine, as simple as it might be it sells vacuums. Car dealerships as much as we hate buying a car have a program to make higher closing numbers.
Now I’m not suggesting you build a program like these, just look at why they are working?

The main reason is accountability and numbers. Lead generation for these is crucial.
The typical Car sales usally do not generate leads; they walk through the front door. This doesn’t happen magically the dealership runs ads and promotions to generate that traffic. (So you have to ask yourself how you will generate leads to make a sales person successful) If you think a sales person will generate himself your wrong. That’s a misconception that you will need to lose when you’re building this program. Your marketing department makes leads and your sales staff closes them. If they are making leads then they will close less.

Lead generation can come many ways in the service business, Web, referral program, mailer, phones,( cold calling. ) I put Cold calling in because a great program cold calling will actually be very little. (This has more to do with Ongoing marketing and branding of your company to make sales easier) again if your sales is cold calling he is not closing.

Getting back to Kirby vacuum sales program and remember I’m not suggesting you model this after Kirby just making the point that the systems in place sell Vacuums and hold sales people accountable. It’s scripted but it’s a baseline for training anyone to sell. (NOTE: I hate Scripts) Because I hate them doesn’t mean they will not work for you.

Here’s the reality, hire a sales guy will not work if you do not have systems in place to make the sales person successful. Do not think you can hire a sales person to write this for you, someone outside your business or with a marketing background could help you create one. Normally you have a program it’s just not refined. It’s in your head instead of on paper or video. We have a six week training period with a six month mentoring before a sales person is left alone to follow the program. we decide and the direction he or she will work. Monitor daily with weekly reports of performance.

If you’re going to have a successful sales staff you must have a program that works in place prior. I have written no books on this, just my hard Knox experience of failures and success. (27 years)
Discover your program, work it yourself and make sure its solid. Make it able to be duplicated and taught to whomever you decide to hire. Salesmen are made not born, I believe that. Be patient and remember like employees they are people who work for you, if they are not working replace them and do not get discouraged. I have tips on finding the right person; will continue the talks as day go by.

If you build a good program you can plug almost anyone into it.
Click to expand...
 
Ed Thompson said:
By way of habit, I have the same shpeel. Last year I put it on paper and it turned out to be an effective script. My first year (2012) was able to produce decent results from ordinary people with zero experience inthe pw field.
Click to expand...

Im glad it worked Ed
 
Thanks for the advice Ron.

Right now I need to strictly focus on optimizing my lead generation. After time I will revisit the sales person idea.

I like the idea of having my wife start handling some of the sales like Larry mentioned. She if very good at sales and helping people, smart and way better looking than I. Plus the success of the business would be more important to her than an outsider. Just a thought. Maybe my pretty daughter could step in and help some day.

DSCN0800 (2).jpg135738_4341922277727_1828953179_o.jpg
 
Reider said:
Thanks for the advice Ron.

Right now I need to strictly focus on optimizing my lead generation. After time I will revisit the sales person idea.

I like the idea of having my wife start handling some of the sales like Larry mentioned. She if very good at sales and helping people, smart and way better looking than I. Plus the success of the business would be more important to her than an outsider. Just a thought. Maybe my pretty daughter could step in and help some day.

View attachment 22759View attachment 22760
Click to expand...

Hey when you put something together that works, you either have the cash flo or have the money set aside to start someone. Then talk about a salesmen.

Seen to many guys hire sales person only to waste money, in the end they spent a bunch didn't get much return an then started again like this with much more success.

Your right about the wife, no one but you two will care more. Oh and the daughter will make there hearts melt.

Good luck when your ready to get going we can list more details on a good plan of attack based on what your going after. If your not in the commercial group on fb join


Text me anytime for question 480-522-5227
 
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