Compete Against Yourself and Productivity Explodes

As discussed, one of your greatest strengths is your ability to influence sales performance. Traditionally, you or your sales manager judged performance solely on dollars sold. The logic ran that volume is the only thing that matters. Yet, other things matter because they help you to reach dollars sold. The productivity equation is important because it quantifies and improves your sales skills and productivity on an annual basis.

Sales productivity is an equation. Total dollars sold is the part that comes after the equal sign. Yet, dollars sold tells you only past results, not current or future trends. Therefore, the key to influencing performance is to look at the five variables that come before the equal sign and the selling skills they reflect. As in any equation, the variables affect each other. The equation is shown in Exhibit 9-12 and Exhibit 9-13.

Exhibit 9-12: The productivity equation.

Exhibit 9-13: Using the productivity equation as your personal benchmark.