System Fault

I don't try to be controversial. Sometimes I just can't help it.

I'll get to the point: The current sales management system in most
companies stinks.

Here's how it usually works:

You are hired for a sales job because you're a good talker. But the most
successful salespeople are good listeners.

You get a lot of training on your product but little training on sales.
(Most sales people know their product. The best are good listeners and persuasive.)

Despite everything working against you, you succeed at sales and are promoted to sales manager. But being a good salesperson doesn't mean you necessarily know how to manage or motivate people.

And my personal pet peeve...

You're so good at sales management you are promoted to VP of Sales & Marketing or a similar position. But you don't feel you know enough about advertising, public relations or promotions. You really just want to sell. So you outsource your ad, PR and promo work to a company like Sasso Marketing.

Basically, you are overwhelmed, overworked and overstressed.

Instead, what if we rewarded good salespeople with bigger bonuses and let them keep selling; hired good managers to manage sales; and hired marketers to manage marketing?

Takeaway: Sales, Marketing and Management are different disciplines. Some people are good at all three. Most of us are not.