I am in the midst of a blog post discussion with colleague, Michael Goodman creator of the Solomon Sales System. In Michael’s recent blog post, “Dave and the Art of Commission Only”, Michael claims that between
- lengthy selling cycles
- lack of ownership knowledge and skill in the sales process and methodology
- ramp up and development time for the sales pro
- limited capital to fund and support effective sales outcomes
the commission only sales approach is less effective.
With a profound respect for my buddy Michael Goodman, I disagree. I am not advocating a commission only scenario for every sales position. However, there are times where there is an effective and real opportunity to leverage great sales talent to grow a new business venture. Yes, the landscape is risky, the owner may be sales incompetent, and the program rough and underdeveloped. All the more reason for a great sales professional, especially an unemployed one, to see opportunity to make a huge difference. It is called risk and opportunity.
In the blog post that triggered this conversation, I was lamenting the fact that I am struggling to find professional salespeople with the self-confidence and temerity to recognize a well-developed, commission-only opportunity and run with it. Micheal’s blog post re-affirmed my concern that there are too many sales professionals lacking the skills, the confidence, and the ability to see an opportunity and run with it. We can blame the lack of any success on the idiocy of owners who don’t know how to build, manage, or support an effective sales strategy or program. However, the failed business landscape is littered with owners who spent a ton of salaries on salespeople who simply didn’t perform.
The truth is that there is not a clear cut answer; however, I am offering programs that I, a professional sales manager, am actively involved in building, developing, and managing. These are business opportunities that I believe in and am involved in. As the management ignorance factor has been eliminated — where are the salespeople who see opportunity and want to be handsomely compensated for their efforts? They are still looking for a job. Commission or not, I have to question their confidence in their abilities and skills.