Field Sales Management

Mick Say: Field Sales Consultant

Career Sales Professional
Mick’s sales career began aged 16 in 1978 as a door-to-door vacuum cleaner salesman carrying his demonstration kit on the bus. Aged 17 powered by a new Vauxhall Viva Mick was poached by one of his vacuum cleaner prospects to sell garden sheds and portable buildings.

Aged 24 Mick won his first Sales Management position building a northern sales team for a southern Ironmongery distributor. A steep people and business development learning curve.

During Mick’s 30+ years career in Sales and Marketing he has occupied the following posts. Sales Manager, Business Development Manager, Director of Sales and Director of Sales and Marketing. Today Mick is CEO of his own business services consulting company which includes field sales consulting.

British Excellence in Sales and Marketing Awards (BESMA)

Mick Say: Winner of the BESMA Sales Presenter of the Year (2006)
The Institute of Sales and Marketing Management is the leading organisation for sales professionals in the UK. A monthly magazine provides informative sales tips and sales related articles. I recommend membership of the ISMM to all sales professionals.

As the organisation that represents sales and marketing professional the Institute organises and promotes professional sales and marketing via the annual BESMA awards.

Return on Field Sales Team Cost Investment

The CEO is responsible to shareholders for company performance, yet many CEO’s are unaware of the often substantial seepage of revenue that occurs via field sales team inefficiency and complacency. My advice to CEO’s is:
If your gut instinct tells you that cost of sales is too high, it probably is, and a field sales audit may be necessary.

Field Sales Audit

A Field Sales Audit can take many forms, from a simple check on a sales persons daily field activities to a complete analysis of field sales functions and performance resulting in restructuring, retraining or even disciplinary action.

The Pareto principle states that, for many events, roughly 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes. It is a common rule of thumb in business; e.g., “80% of your sales come from 20% of your clients.” and in sales circles that “80% of your sales come from 20% of your sales effort”

If you believe in the Pareto principle then 20% of your sales team will be producing 80% of sales revenue. Mick’s job during the Field Sales Team Audit is to help the organisation to build a field sales team of 20%ers !

Complacency and Procrastination (CRAP)

Complacency and Procrastination each on their own can be business killers when left unchecked. If both exist in an organisation then the long term effect is both inevitable and unenviable. A great sales manager will keep C&P in check but if your gut instinct tells you that sales performance is not as it should be or cost-of-sales is too high then it would be wise for the Sales Director or CEO to consider the benefits of a Field Sales Audit.

Benefits of a Field Sales Audit:

• Increase: Face-to-face selling time
• Increase: Number of Sales Calls
• Increase: Sales Conversion Rates
• Increase: New Business Accounts
• Increase: Average Order Value
• Improve : Customer Retention
• Increase: Total Sales Revenue

• Decrease: Sales Persons Time in Car
• Decrease: Cost per Sales Calls
• Decrease: Sales Persons Expenses Spending
• Decrease: Lost Sales Opportunities
• Decrease: Lost Customer Accounts
• Decrease: Total Cost of Sales

Even a small number of points increase in productivity matched with a small number of points decrease in cost-of-sales will have a huge impact on the organisations fortunes. The larger the sales team the more important the needs for a Field Sales Audit.

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