Salespeople need to be potty trained

If you’ve ever had the joy of potty training a toddler, you can appreciate how your emotions are strained to the extreme boundaries of patience. I firmly believe potty training is God’s shout-out to your parents for all of the hell you put them through. Why does one child grasp the concept of potty training while another looks at you as if English is a 3^rd language? As a father of 4, I have figured it out; some kids just get it quicker than others. I’m going to jump out on a limb and predict that just because your kid is potty trained faster than mine does not guarantee him a future star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame; the same is true for salespeople. One salesperson may hit the floor looking like the next Joe Girard, while another new hire looks like….well let’s say the jury is still out on him.

We don’t give up on our kids when they are getting acquainted with the Porcelain Throne, nor should pass judgment too quickly on whether or not we got a winner. Children need 4 things when potty training: Instruction (by example), Consistency, Encouragement, and Discipline; sound familiar?

Instruction: Regardless of tenure, salespeople need to be properly shown how to do their job effectively and efficiently; yes that means occasionally, a manager will have to demagnetize his rear from the big black chair and show your salespeople how it’s done. The greatest form of leadership is to lead by example. As a leader, uncork the vintage bottle of Vendeur de Voitures (car salesman in French), and pour a glass of your knowledge out to your students.
Consistency: Ah the kryptonite of every dealership, consistency. Consistency is the glue to your team’s success; they learn consistency by mirroring what you do or don’t do. Don’t like your team, go look in the mirror. When your team knows why they are doing something, the how is easier to manage. It’s easy to be consistent when times are good; erosion begins when instant gratification is chosen in lieu of long-term stability. Isn’t it ironic how consistency walks hand in hand with integrity?
Encouragement: As a parent, you celebrate the “almosts” as valiantly as you do a total victory. Catch your salespeople doing right, not just when they’re doing wrong. Salespeople are anemic to Attaboy’s; nothing will lift a salesperson’s spirit faster when you celebrate what they did right on a deal-even though they did not make a sale. You cannot give too many Attaboy’s out; a pass or fail mentality will demoralize your team.
Discipline: “Spare the rod, spoil the child,” says ancient script; though they will never admit it, your ~~children~~ salespeople need discipline. When they know there are consequences to their actions, it enforces accountability; accountability will invariably lead to the formation of good habits; bad habits are formed due to a lack of consistency and discipline.

Every kid will eventually learn how to make it to the porcelain playground-in the meantime there will be plenty of paper towels, carpet cleaner, and Fabulosa to clean up the mishaps; equally a leader must manage the mishaps through instruction, consistency, encouragement, and discipline in order for a salesperson to make it out on the black top…by the way put the lid down on your way out.

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Comment by Marsh Buice on August 12, 2011 at 10:42am: Fran, totally agree with you brother. Hell, after 13 years I am still a rookie :) Each day in this business is as unique as our thumbprints..that's the thrill of it. It is our responsibility to coach them To and Through the game. Thanks for taking the time out to comment sir.

Comment by Fran Taylor on August 12, 2011 at 8:16am: I think sales reps don't make it for two reasons. Not given enough time and to much generic training and not enough how to. My manager took me on a demo and out prospecting at lunch. He helped me make phone calls ans wrote notes while I was on the phone talking to customers. He only had to do this for a short time and I finally got it. Much better results when you show someone instead of telling someone what they should d It's like prospecting. There is a lot more than get your name out their as much as possible. So how do I do that is the question sales reps say. It is a never ending job as a manager to keep training. If a sales rep is responding to training keep them and give them time. They can be in the business eleven month and still be a rookie. That's why they have rookie of the year awards. Give them time and do specific training will keep them going for a long time. Great post Marsh.

Comment by Marsh Buice on August 10, 2011 at 7:37pm: Tony, great comments-some stars become tarnished and become a cancer to a dealership-I too have had the same thing, only to have a fresh, positive rookie come in and bring the morale up for the whole store. Thanks brother for your input :)

Comment by Tony Provost on August 10, 2011 at 7:18pm: mb- I will take the well mannered, soft spoken, slow starter, eager to learn, team player anyday of the week. True story, I lost one of the best salesman, I have ever met one year ago, to a competing store. Hired a fresh to the business, well dressed, great attitude salesman. This young man, is now finishing his first year. He is helpful to all of his teammates, cares about the whole picture. We as a team, have out sold and out grossed, last years numbers thru July. We have more continuity then ever. Everyone is selling within the same couple of units to one another. CSI, HIGHEST IN STORES HISTORY. GREAT ATTITUDES... MOTIVATE!!! love the post.

Comment by Marsh Buice on August 10, 2011 at 5:12pm: Great addition Pete! I agree, they must have to adhere to standards as well. Thanks brother for the comment!

Comment by Pete Grimm on August 10, 2011 at 5:02pm: Great advice for all managers and leaders. Love the pic too!

However, I don't advocate turning un-potty trained salespeople loose on live prospects.The cost in lost sales and gross is just too damned expensive. This is one of those situations when you can actually measure the cost of ignorance. I would pay a training salary to un-potty trained salespeople for a short period until I am confident they can represent the dealership well. Add setting standards and actually doing the work to your four items and you're 90% of the way to stardom.

Comment by Marsh Buice on August 10, 2011 at 3:40pm: Randolph, you rock!! I love this story!! That is totally awesome! YOu are spot on, our children are made of clay; it is up to us to mold and shape their lives-once they become adults the clay has become hardened; the pottery can only be shattered and is unmoldable. Great, great point Randolph and thank you for your comment.

Comment by Randolph S. Lofgren on August 10, 2011 at 3:36pm: Great post Marsh -

Bobby summed it up with it starts and ends with the basics.

My two daughters 10 and 13 do the dishes daily. Why? To teach responsibility and details at an age where they are mold-able! When they first started doing dishes, they would wash them by hand and then let air dry in the dish washer. (I don't like dish washers) So, one day we went to the car wash and we purchased the basic car wash with no dry. Drove through the wash and when completed parked the car right away in the parking lot and walked next door and enjoyed some ice cream. After the ice cream, we walked back to our car and it was air dried by that time. My girls and I did a walk around the car and they said, dad look at all the spots on our car. I said exactly, that's what we would be eating off, if I didn't teach you to wipe dishes off after washing them, not to wait for them to air dry. Should have seen their faces. Case in point! If we don't take the time to teach our children responsibility and details when they are young and easily trainable, our children could be someone else's story on dE later in their lives.

Comment by Marsh Buice on August 10, 2011 at 12:20pm: Thanks brother!! Always appreciate you BC

Comment by Stephanie Young on August 10, 2011 at 11:50am: Great point, Rick. Best time to start is today. Carpe Diem!!!! I think today, I am going to work on potty training myself. (smile)