Is your CPG Sales Force Ready? Really?
Today, I want to share with you one, if not the best, article that deals head on with the lack of sales skills in CPG companies. And more specifically how CPG companies and brokers must recapture the value of selling skills. Doing so, removes the fear of loss proposition from the equation and replaces it with to gain a benefit.
Essentially, what you as the leader are looking for is duplication. As the article states, CPG sales people need foundational and strategic types of skills- before you can expect duplication (consistent company message communication).
"Unfortunately, while shopper marketing has received considerable industry and media attention, relatively few organizations have even thought about branding their sales teams. In fact, in our own industry survey of sales executives, 69 percent said that their organization was the “same or not as good” as the sales teams of competitors. Fifty-four percent of survey respondents also admitted that their customers see the gaps in their selling skills."
You should understand and be mortified at those numbers. If not, you obviously are in the 30 per cent. Yet, with a gap that large, the illustration above is quite telling. What is your organization's real priority with respect to sales force branding? We've all been to the National Conventions and even Regional sessions, but I want to challenge you to use Joel Nickelsen's commentary as a blue print. I know, sounds ridiculous. Not really!
Hopefully I've "stirred the pot." Get out of your comfort zone, take control of branding your sales force, make them a better organization than your competition. The alternative virtually ensures more losses than wins. Do you agree with my perspective? Maybe not? Please leave your comments here as all are welcome. If you have a topic you would like me to cover, suggest it here. Most of all thanks for your support.
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