Mar 18 2008 3:04PM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (4) |
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Some time ago I read an article in the Harvard Business Journal. From what I see in the field, I believe it’s time to get it out ... and dust it off again.

For the first time in quite a while I’m noticing that managers are “sticking” with the cards they were dealt. In other words, sticking with the people they already have. And that’s not a problem if you already have they best staff in town. But I’m sure that’s hardly the case. Which leads me to a question.

What happens if you don’t have the best sales staff in town? And what happens if you combine a lackluster staff with a tough market. You don’t have to be a genius to know that it’s a recipe for disaster. Even so, I might have an answer.

Have you ever heard of the ED formula? It’s a good way to evaluate your people and gain some insight into where they might need some work.

First of all, ED stands for a couple of different things:

E ... stands for empathy, or to understand from a customer’s point of view

D ... stands for drive, or the ability to press forward and get the job done

With this in mind, think about each of your sales people and decide where they fall. There are four possibilities ... and I’m sure you have some of each.

ed

Ed

eD

ED

Your sales strategy will dictate what’s good and what’s bad. In the eighties, for instance, “eD” was good. But is that good for today’s customer? And for that matter, an “Ed” would do equally well because the market was so good.
Today an Ed would crash and burn.

The trick is to see what you have and adjust accordingly. Good selling.