Every day I speak with CEOs and Sales Managers who are frustrated.

Most of these executives have well-developed strategies.   Many have invested big bucks in recruiters and/or employees with big credentials.   Lots have read the most popular books and articles.

To their credit, these execs have worked hard to build organizations with great knowledge, great people, and great plans.  Although a good percentage of them are outperforming their competitors, the great results they are generating fall far below their expectations.

There is a huge Execution Gap. 

Their employees KNOW better, they simply do not DO better.

Nowhere is this statement more apparent than with salespeople.  Most salespeople understand that if they knock on twice as many doors or make twice as many calls, they will generate at least twice as many sales.  Most salespeople know they can easily identify a large portion of time they spend in NON-selling activities every week.  They KNOW these activities do not contribute to higher sales.  Yet, they do little or nothing about it.  

Just ask them.   The majority of salespeople can tell you things they should do, starting TODAY, to improve their chances of exceeding their sales goals.  They can and will TELL you.  But they will likely not DO it.   This is the main reason they will fall into the majority of salespeople who will fall short of their annual quota.  Again.

They Know better, but they will not Behave differently.

There are many reasons for this, including, but not limited to:

• Lack of Incentive
• Laziness
• Self-Talk
• Fear of Leaving their Comfort Zone (aka:  Good is the Enemy of Great)
• Lack of Accountability
• Self-Limiting Records
• Fear of Rejection
• Ineffective Sales Management

Then there are the two biggest reasons– Lack of Desire and Lack of Commitment.

How do Your Salespeople measure up in these areas?

How much will the Execution Gap cost you this year?

There are proven methods to both identify these problems and to Close the Execution Gap.

If you believe you have an Execution Gap that requires repair, feel free to email me at GrowMySales@zthree.com.

Copyright ©   Joe Zente  2010.   All Rights Reserved.

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