The 90-Day Action Plan (Part II)

A Proven Method that Increases Sales Commissions
By Dr. Larry Craft

The 90-day Action Plan employs the science of psychology and the art of 'finesse' to achieve a significant increase in sales activity over a ninety-day period.

The 'science' side involves the process of discovery. I recommend that you use a review of the salesperson's past and present sales activity to discover the single, most controllable and accurately measured sales activity that directly impacts sales results. If you discover that it takes 10 sales calls for your salesperson to make a sale and you can consistently control the number of sales calls made, then you've found the common denominator that can be used to increase productivity. Important Note: Most managers make a grave mistake by attempting to motivate sales personnel by setting goals that are tied solely to sales results. First, goals don't motivate; only commitments motivate sales personnel. Second, sales results are not controllable. Third, increases in sales made (or sales results) don't happen in a vacuum. They only happen when sales activity changes. If you want higher sales results, sales activity must change first.

Once you discover that unique sales activity that drives results, your next challenge is to get the buy in from your salesperson and then the commitment to change the activity level. This is the 'art' side of the equation. You must work backwards from your goal to affect significant change and increase sales commissions. To do this, you must first help your salesperson eliminate every possible excuse or reason that might keep him or her from the desired results. In the scenario described in last month's Advisory, when I discovered that 'sales calls' were the measurable, controllable activity, I shifted back to the salesperson's personality profile 'drive' scales and jointly reviewed his Goal Orientation (Go) and Social Drive (Sd). In this case, both scores were under 40% (low), so I knew we had a real challenge on our hands. Not only did he dislike the 'schmoozing' that was too often a part of prospecting for new leads, but he also lacked the 'fire in the belly' or goal-oriented intensity to consistently maintain a high activity level.

I spent the next 30 minutes relating these two most important scales to his needs and desires. He shared with me some of his frustrations relating to his low income and missed opportunities. And then, there was the pressure from home to make things happen. I asked if he wanted my help and whether he was willing to make a special effort for the next 90-days. With deep emotion, he agreed. I then asked the magic question: "If your family's survival was dependent upon the number of sales calls you made each day, what's the number of calls you could make with no excuses every day for the next 90-days? " He said, "20." I asked, "Is that a maximum or minimum number every day?" He said, "Maximum." I said, "What's the minimum?" He said, "15." I said, "Would you be willing to commit to that number every day for 90 days?" He agreed and I explained, based on the numbers/ratios, what he could expect to earn at the end of the 90 days. I then read him the statement at the bottom of the page (see last month's Advisory), and he signed his commitment. I asked the manager to also make a commitment to help hold him accountable by 'charting' his activity and meeting with him once a week during those 13 weeks. At that point, I had them both stand up, formally repeat their commitments, and 'shake on it,' remembering that, Reaching a goal is related to your motivation, but living up to a commitment defines your integrity.

Assess the Assessment! If you are a manager with 10 or more employees, business owner, or a consultant, we invite you to complete our complimentary 10-15 minute CPQ personality profile and receive its personalized reports as well as a copy of Dr. Craft's "Developing HorsePower" audio cd. All information will be kept confidential and will not be distributed without your written permission.