Adapting to a new sales environment

Feb 1, 2004 12:00 PM, by Dick Gorelick

Read all the industry literature and you'd be convinced that today's primary management challenges are selection of equipment, digital workflow, variable-data output and competitive intelligence. In the real world, however, most midsize and large graphic-arts companies face a different challenge — one that isn't easily addressed, even with unlimited cash resources.

That difficulty is in effectively managing the experienced sales representative with a stellar track record who is having trouble adjusting to the new sales environment. This rep is stuck in the paradigm that says good product and a friendly relationship spell success, or at least would in a just world. Historically, he or she has earned a generous income, but now productivity is eroding. New-account development is especially arduous.

Throw Pavlov to his dogs

Management is frustrated with this salesperson, but no more so than the sales rep is with him or herself. The operative reaction is reminiscent of Mark Twain's comment, “I'm all for progress. It's change I object to.” All parties recognize the problem. Changing mindset is the major hurdle.

It's only natural to repeat behavior that, in the past, led to financial and emotional rewards. The landscape has radically changed, however.

Those who readily adapt to the new business environment find it difficult to understand the reason (or reasons) others can't make the adjustment. My consulting experience leads me to conclude that salespeople whose performance is deteriorating need to overcome some powerful emotional and attitudinal barriers.

The successful salesperson generally felt comfortable with product-based selling. He or she knew more about the graphic-arts process than the customer. Today, sales reps need to understand a customer's business, not simply product, needs. For some salespeople, the research process to gather such information may be uncharted territory.

Moreover, it is no longer sufficient to merely ingratiate one's self to a purchasing agent. Strategic selling requires reaching a buying organization's senior management — people who are in a position to consider both costs and benefits. Many traditional salespeople would rather go to the dentist than meet with a prospect company's CFO or other senior executive.

Some sales reps lick their wounds, feeling that the marketplace and disloyal customers have betrayed them. There is recognition — but little acceptance — of the fact that, in a commoditized environment, delivering a satisfactory job on time at a competitive price does not earn the right to the next job. It simply earns the right to compete for the next job.

Sink or swim

What can management do? These reps usually produce sufficient volume to be important to their company. On the other hand, their contribution is declining. They give excuses: intense price competition, alleged buyer disloyalty, a poor economy. There is sufficient validity in these excuses to buy time for the underperforming sales reps.

Those of us who readily accept, even embrace, change have great difficulty understanding the extent to which some individuals fear and resent change, despite the personal and economic consequences of not adapting. I have a theory that if the Titanic took 20 hours, instead of 20 minutes, to sink, the loss of life would have been about the same. Those who recognize the challenge and are willing to take action will immediately do so; others just sit and hope.

Comfort and habit are powerful forces. My suspicion is that sales skills and motivation are not the core issues in most cases.

A lesson from Darwin

Control and confidence are the core challenges for the salesperson who was once king of the hill. The rep may feel that he or she cannot control the sales situation or provide an answer to every question. It's a giant leap of courage for some reps to use meetings to gather information that could help provide a unique solution for the customer. I wish I could recommend an easy remedy. Having a CFO or senior marketing person from the buying organization attend sales meetings may help provide the salesperson with insight on the customer's needs.

Selling digital-asset-management and other electronic pre-media services, as well as customized distribution services such as database management, mailing, storage and fulfillment, requires team participation. The selling must occur at a relatively high level of the buying organization. And benefits, as well as costs, need to be considered.

Re-defining the selling position is a major challenge for management, particularly when it involves salespeople who were once performance leaders. Just don't assume the problem is lack of motivation.

Dick Gorelick is president of Gorelick & Associates and the Graphic Arts Sales Foundation. Contact him at info@gorelickandassociates.com.