Open Letter to all Sales Managers – Let the 1970’s Go, by Dave Ramos

by David Ramos, Strategy Development.

I focus on writing on topics that provide substance to the readers and my audience is usually sales/sales management professionals.

I hope this one lives up to my standard and I hope my passion doesn’t come across as though I’m crazy like a fellow “WINNER!” that has been in the media a lot lately.

But I just, have to get this off my chest.

I had a sales manager tell me last week that she wants me to help her people increase their ability to generate appointments.

 I said, “GREAT!”

She says “I want to work on phone scripts so that I have my people doing teleprospecting days.” I said, “you are talking to the wrong guy because I don’t believe that is the most effective use of your people’s time.”

Her response was “Huh?!”


Have you heard this one my sales brethren and sisters? “If you make five hundred dollars commission per sale and it takes five appointments to get the sale and twenty calls to get an appointment, then each cold call is worth five dollars in your pocket.”

Most reps are taught to make as many contacts (phone, in-person, electronic) as possible. We learn early that sales are a “numbers game.” Calls convert to appointments, which convert to sale cycles, and so on until you get to the close.

The problem is this approach is ineffective.

The ideal prospect that Sales Rep #1 is calling today is being inundated with calls from Sales Reps #’s 2 thru 100. Why? It’s a very simple answer because he is their ideal prospect as well.
I have an idea; Mr. /Mrs. Sales Manager, put your money where your mouth is.

If the adage of “increase your cold calling/dialing activity and increase your income” were true, companies would pay their reps five dollars per call.

They don’t and they won’t. Do you know why? Because the equation never works in the real world...for anyone.

The simple fact is that we are paid for sales, not for attempts.

Directing salespeople to make more calls and increase activity is a weak excuse for a sales manager or sales trainer to justify his or her job.

Cold calling is an expensive waste of YOUR time.

Don’t believe me?

IDC conducted a survey first quarter of last year with 213 senior technology buyers, the report, IDC 2010 Customer Experience Survey.

Quotes – Eduardo Conrado, Vice President of Technology and Enterprise Mobile Solutions at Motorola,

“I try to minimize meeting with salespeople. Cold calls are tough. I don’t know how salespeople think they can crack into a business through a cold call or through an e-mail. I only meet with salespeople if they come from a referral I trust, such as another VP of Technology, CIO, or someone in my professional network, and only if I have an interest in the product or service.”

Still don’t believe me?

In the imaging space of MPS, Document/Content Management sales, the holy grail of contacts is the CIO. Correct?

The CIO Executive Council with CIO Magazine conducted a survey late fall of last year on Smarter Approaches for Vendors.

Here were the CIOs' top three things that annoyed them the most…

1. Unsolicited phone calls
2. Reps that lack preparation and knowledge
3. Unsolicited emails (SPAM)

About the author: David Ramos is sales operations consultant for Strategy Development, an industry management consulting and advanced sales training firm providing sales, sales management, service & MPS information.  He also instructs a selling skills workshop called “Sell With Success”. You can reach him at ramos@strategydevelopment.com.

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