Most managers forget what it felt like to be new. When hiring a new sales representative a manager is going to invest a ton of time and emotion into training and developing the representative. If the manager doesn’t think about the emotions the rep is having they will miss out on key opportunities to impact the rep and their future. Selling is an emotional career and learning to sell is difficult. Managers who manage emotions and train reps thought processes will have greater success in helping them succeed. Here is the emotional cycle a new recruit goes through.
I. New Excitement and Nervous Anticipation
- Setting goals with no idea of what it takes to hit them
- They see high performers and want to excel like them
2. Trainee
- Overwhelmed but still optimistic
- Still believes the seemingly impossible is achievable
3. Newbie 1
- No longer believes that it is possible to be a top performer
- The hard parts of the job have become obvious and a challenge to perform
——————— QUIT SPOT ———————
4. Newbie 2 (Know the basics but not much more)
- Negative about the first few paychecks
- Starts to believe that the top performers are either lucky, cheating or lying.
——————— QUIT SPOT ———————
Quit Path Breakthrough Pat
5. After an initial breakthrough
- Feels that they got lucky
- However begins to think that there might be hope, a seed is planted
6. After a second breakthrough
- Starts to sets more realistic but really low goals
- Starts to pick out competition at their level
Average Performer Top Performer
7. After becoming a Top performer
- Can get into a rut
- Start to be overconfident in themselves and their abilities
8. After underperforming as a top performer
- Starts to doubt the validity of the opportunity
- Doesn’t have the right attitude with reps
——————— QUIT SPOT ———————
If you are aware of these emotions you can greatly improve your chances of keeping your salesperson happy and performing well. On their way to being a top performer!
