4 Reasons Why Your Sales Team May Be Underperforming

The sales team can make or break your business. If you’re reliant on customers and the sales process to build your profits (and most businesses are), then you need to get on top of any problems that are causing your team to underperform.

The following are four reasons that may be at the root of the problem. Consider them carefully, and if you identify any truths in this article, do your best to fix the problem before things get worse.

#1: There is an issue with your leadership

If your team is underperforming, you may be the reason. Your team may be lazy, and not following through on referrals. If so, you need to give them the proverbial kick up the backside. Your team may not have the skills to do their job. If so, you need to sort out training for your team. You may be a fearful leader, not confronting any issues that are causing your team to underperform, be that because you are reluctant to raise your voice at bad attitudes, or because you are scared of spending money on anything that will help them. You need to make good decisions, identify the problem at hand, and taking steps to deal with the situation. The buck stops with you, so prove your leadership credentials by taking action.

#2: There are no quality leads

Cold calling and sending out spam emails are not effective sales processes. Rather than buy from you, the recipients of both will be frustrated and ignore your sales team’s efforts. Instead, you need to find quality leads, and these usually come from referrals. Whether from customers or business clients, follow through on those people who may be more than willing to listen to a sales pitch than somebody who isn’t. Referrals are generally people who will have an interest in your product or service, so time won’t be wasted following through on these leads. Therefore, ask for referrals from people you do business with, and see your profits rise as a result.

#3: The sales team spend little time selling

Crazy, but it’s true. In some cases, laziness is the problem, but there may also be distractions around the office. In other cases, your team may be prioritizing time caring for their current accounts, offering good customer service to those they have already won over, rather than following through on new leads. As the leader, you may have given them other responsibilities too, those tasks that take your sales teams away from their raison d’être. Time and product management are key, ensuring your team is doing what they should be. Keep on top of your staff, ensure their time is spent in the right places, and provide the relevant software to help them do their jobs effectively.

#4: The sales process is broken

This could be for any number of reasons. Your team may be looking for clients and customers in the wrong places. Individuals on your team may not have the skill to close deals. Your team may not have researched the people they are speaking too. There may not be any measurement system in place to quantify results. Again, you need to get on top of any problems, although bringing in an external sales consulting team will help you see where there are broken links within the sales processes in your business. By fixing any issues found, you will improve sales as you go forward.

Is your sales team underperforming? Then we may have given you the reasons why. Talk to your team, invest in anything that will help them, and bring in those external professionals to help you find those weak links within the sales process. Growth and profits await once the problem has been resolved.

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