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How do they do it?13/03/2007
What are the top 20% of representatives doing to make them so successful? What exactly makes a successful sales representative? It has often been considered to be sales skills, key messages, call rate, coverage and frequency. But what underlies these differences?The Pareto Principle that 80% of business comes from 20% of customers is so often quoted that we have become blase about it. But its truth has repeatedly been demonstrated by research. For example, did you know that 20% of symptoms presented to a GP account for 80% of referrals to secondary care? And that 20% of patients generate 80% of a doctors work?The Pareto Principle is also known as the Law of the Vital Few, and its this term that we should keep in mind. Every Sales Director knows that within the sales force, there are a vital few representatives who really drive sales. The key questions are: How can we identify the vital few when recruiting a sales force? Is it possible to turn the vital few into a vital many? Finding the differenceExcellence in any field can be modelled and replicated. Modelling involves not only observing how individuals behave, but identifying their conscious and unconscious drivers, beliefs and working preferences. This enables us to identify the difference that makes the difference, so that it can be adopted by other staff and profiled for recruitment. In this way, we have helped one of our clients to deliver high-performing sales teams.Shaw Results has worked with this client, a Contract Sales organisation, as a strategic partner since the company was formed in 2003. The client wanted to uncover exactly what it was that enabled a minority of the representatives in one of their dedicated teams to deliver 70% of sales, so that they could help the rest of the team to adopt these strategies. We decided to model the representatives at the top and in the middle of the companys sales league table. The usual parameters of success (call rate, frequency, etc) were measured, but the differences had no obvious cause. The representatives were all promoting a brand new pain product and were the only people selling it. Modelling can be used to identify prevalent behaviours for particular customer groups with a particular drug, and therefore define the sales strategy. This modelling was specific to this company and the selling of this product. The criteria we modelled were: 1. Values and beliefs perception of the representatives role and the doctors role, career goals, work ethic, personal responsibilities and accountability, product belief and self-belief. 2. Language and Behaviour Profile (LAB) a profile of motivational and working traits based on original work by Roger Bailey. (See Words that Change Minds by Shelle Rose Charvet.) 3. Skills level of rapport; the sales process; product knowledge; business acumen (analysis, planning and awareness of call rates, sales and competitor activity). First of all, it was found that when it came to the more tangible aspects of the job, there was little to choose between the two groups. Selling processes and knowledge of product benefits were similar in both groups. Next, the drivers, motivators and beliefs were analysed for the two groups. Values and beliefsBeliefs differed markedly between the two groups in terms of what they felt they could achieve and the value of the product and their role. The top performers had an overwhelming ownership of and belief in the product. They were known to their customers as the X rep, they believed it was their duty to ensure that patients had the opportunity to receive X, and they had many anecdotes of successful treatment.They also believed their goals were achievable. They had a strong work ethic and saw their role as important for themselves, the customers and the patients. They enjoyed their partnership with the customers, and believed it was right to keep going back. They believed neither doctors nor receptionists when they heard the word No. They talked about being invited to meetings and then telling friends and family about their success. Although the average performers understood their goals, they felt these were not realisable on their patch. They thought the product was good, but they lacked the conviction and enthusiasm of the high performers. They accepted No, and didnt want to upset anyone by going back too soon. Language and behaviour profile (LAB)There were distinct differences between the LABs of the two groups. The top performers had mixed patterns that helped them to organise themselves and adapt their language to the customer. In other words, they made their customers feel comfortable in the exchange.Two key areas of motivational and working traits were identified. The first was motivational direction: whether we are driven towards a goal or away from a problem. For example, most pharma representatives are motivated towards the goal of high sales. However, most GPs are motivated to avoid disease, death and side effects. Differential diagnosis is an away from procedure. People who display such patterns are motivated and energised when they are somewhere they dont want to be. We noted that the average performers had strong toward patterns (goal-focused) whereas the top performers had mixed patterns (apart from one who had a strong away from pattern). The latter were thus both goal-focused and able to match the doctors away from language: With this drug you wont have to worry about drug interactions or patients returning Another key point was that the average performers stuck to either an options or a procedures pattern. An options pattern means you like to choose how you work and feel stifled by set procedures. A procedures pattern means you prefer to follow a tried and tested procedure. The top performers had a mix of the two, meaning that they could match the doctors procedural language and had the discipline to follow a plan, but had the flexibility to work around problems. Doctors tend to prefer procedures: they like to follow a logical argument in a product detail. An example of how to match this is to discuss the call logically: First we will discuss X and then Y and then Z, then we will discuss how this drug fits in with your current regimen. SkillsAnother significant difference was in the representatives emotional intelligence and curiosity. The top performers achieved what we call exquisite rapport within the call: a state close to camaraderie. They had a clear call purpose, a genuine curiosity about others and an empathy with the doctor. They were able to demonstrate emotional intelligence and natural conversation. They were invited back, and if the doctor had not prescribed he/she would apologise! The average performers had some skills, but lacked this curiosity and will to please.(a) Product. The top performers had belief in the product and a logical, sequential selling technique. They used presuppositions in their language to gain access and to persuade. They said things like: How will you remember to prescribe X? and When you are prescribing X, it is important to remember Notably, they didnt criticise the competition, but rather asserted the superiority of their own product. The average performers also didnt criticise the competition, but failed to assert their own products superiority. (b) Business acumen. The top performers were aware of call rates, sales data and competitor activity, and devised their strategy based on targets and sales. They would ask successful people what they did and learn by example. They would always look for the best way. The average performers relied on maps and a sensible route. They did not know the exact numbers, and felt things were different on my patch. The top performers saw planning as essential, had a written contingency plan and recorded outcomes post-call. The average performers had a plan in my head, rarely on paper. ConclusionSince this study, the Regional Business Managers have been taken through the research and their teams have been coached to use successful behaviours when selling. The client has also incorporated the full LAB process into its recruitment strategy. Recent data from the Pharmaceutical Field Company Perception, Motivation and Satisfaction Survey confirms the product belief that the managers have been working on with their teams. The results outstrip those of the industry!Significantly, the client feels its average performers are improving their results by adopting these findings. The vital few becoming the vital many?
Judy Shaw is Director of Shaw Results. She can be contacted on 01625 612937 or 07808 668565, or by e-mail at shawresults@btinternet.com. |
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