Zac Kerr Let’s face it, losing top sales reps to turnover is a major headache. Just when you think you’ve got a great team assembled, someone decides to hit the road. Not all departures are bad, of course. Some reps are just not a good fit, and it’s okay for them to leave. But losing the best performers can be costly. You have to find new talent, train them, and deal with lost opportunities. There are many reasons why reps leave, but there are also many effective employee retention strategies to reduce turnover and keep your team intact.
Why is Employee Retention Important?
There are three main reasons why employee retention is important:
- Stability: Retaining employees helps to maintain a stable and experienced workforce, which can lead to increased productivity and efficiency. When sales reps stay with a product or service for an extended period of time, they develop a deep understanding of the brand, company culture, and values, and can use this knowledge to make better decisions and contribute to the team’s success.
- Cost: Employee turnover can be expensive, both in terms of time and money. When a rep leaves, it can take weeks or even months to find, hire, and train a replacement. In the meantime, there will almost certainly be a drop in productivity and revenue. This cost can add up quickly, especially for outbound teams that experience high turnover rates.
- Satisfaction: Employee retention can have a positive impact on morale and job satisfaction. When sales reps feel valued and appreciated by their manager, they are more likely to be engaged and motivated at work. This can lead to increased job satisfaction and a lower likelihood of turnover.
“Did you know, a research paper published in the ‘International Business Review’ states that salespeople are among the highest ‘risk group’ in terms of staff turnover.”
Why Do Sales Reps Leave?
Nowhere Else to Go: Lack of Growth Opportunities
Sales reps may leave their jobs because of a lack of growth opportunities. This is especially true for top performers who are hungry for challenges and eager to push themselves to achieve more. When they feel that their current role offers no room for growth or advancement — or the next rung up on the advancement ladder is too high — they become restless and bored, which can ultimately lead to them quitting.
Feeling Undervalued: Limited Rewards & Appreciation
Top performers, moderate achievers, and struggling newbies want to be appreciated and respected for their contributions, not just financially but also through promotions and other forms of recognition. When they feel undervalued or unappreciated, they start to look elsewhere for a company that recognizes their worth. Making sure rewards and appreciation are available and actively given across the whole team can make a huge difference in turnover.
Frustrating Administrative Tasks: Too Much Resistance
Sales reps want to sell, plain and simple. They hate anything that gets in the way of that process, especially purposeless meetings and administrative tasks that boil down to empty overhead. When they feel that their time is being wasted, they become frustrated and lose motivation. The right sales tools can help streamline processes and communication to lower resistance.
Discouragement: Not Enough Support or Direction
For reps who are not top performers, feeling discouraged can be a major motivation killer. If they feel like they can’t become a top performer or if they feel overwhelmed and unsupported, they may start looking for opportunities elsewhere. Most reps need a clear sense of direction and ongoing support from the team and management to succeed long-term.
How to Retain Sales Reps
Remove Resistance & Open Opportunities
To create an environment that fosters progress and encourages sales reps to stay, you need to address their needs for growth and advancement. Here are some questions to ask yourself and steps you can take; if you identify areas for improvement in any of these areas, take action to implement changes and create a work environment that supports growth and retention.
- Establish a Training System and Culture: Do you have a training system or culture that provides the resources and support necessary for reps to improve their skills and knowledge? If not, consider creating one that includes ongoing learning opportunities, mentorship, and feedback.
- Reward Employees Appropriately: Are you rewarding employees when they improve their performance? Consider offering bonuses, promotions, or other forms of recognition that motivate every single rep to continue pushing themselves.
- Develop a Strategy for Motivation: Do you have a clear strategy for motivating your reps, and do you regularly communicate your expectations and goals to them? Consider setting clear performance metrics, offering regular feedback, and providing impactful incentives for achieving targets.
- Limit Administrative Roadblocks: Are you getting in the way of your reps’ work with excessive administrative tasks or pointless meetings? Consider streamlining processes and reducing bureaucracy to allow reps to focus on selling.
- Provide Career Trajectory Narratives: Do you have a company narrative or narratives that outline potential career trajectories for your employees? Think about creating a clear path for advancement within your organization, so that reps have a sense of direction and purpose in their work.
Learn How to Properly Onboard New Reps
As a manager or business owner, it’s essential to make a great first impression on your employees, especially during the onboarding process. This is a critical time to show your buy-in to the company’s success and increase rep engagement. By implementing the following strategies, you can create an environment that fosters growth and development, encourages employee engagement, and improves performance.
Remember to continuously assess and adjust strategies to ensure they align with your team’s needs and goals.
- Develop a Bigger Company Narrative: Creating a compelling company narrative that aligns with your core values can be a powerful motivator. Make sure that you communicate this narrative during the onboarding process and reinforce it through various channels, such as your company’s website, social media, and internal communication channels.
- Provide Effective Training: Effective training is essential for sales rep development and helps them improve their performance. Consider using a smart training platform that lets you upload your own content and track your team’s progress. This way, you can ensure that they complete the modules and activities, and receive regular training to help them succeed.
- Recognize Employees: Recognition is a powerful motivator that can help reps feel valued and appreciated. Create a system for recognizing everybody who’s contributing, such as celebrating high-selling and high-improving reps. This recognition can take many forms, such as awards, bonuses, or public acknowledgment.
Personalize Interactions & Solutions with Reps
One of the keys to improving employee retention and performance is to provide each employee with a personal narrative for their time with your company. This involves meeting with your reps one-on-one, especially if they’re struggling, and finding out what their goals are so that you can provide encouragement and support.
When an employee is struggling, it’s usually because they have a negative voice in their head, such as feeling like they’re not making enough money or that they can’t keep up with their colleagues. By talking to them and understanding their frustrations and aspirations, you can help generate a positive personal narrative that motivates them to improve.
“One note about incentives for struggling reps: make the goals almost impossible to miss. Giving easy wins in the beginning is a great way to build momentum and get reps out of a rut.”
Additionally, identifying potential leaders and providing them with a clear path to leadership can be a great way to boost their morale and performance.
By having these kinds of conversations and providing personal narratives, you can completely change the trajectory of an employee’s experience with your company. This not only improves retention but also leads to better performance that surpasses your initial expectations.
If you’re a seasonal company, retaining employees during the offseason can be a challenge. However, by implementing the above strategies effectively, you can ensure that employees continue to improve and build the company during the offseason, even if they’re not actively selling door-to-door.
Let Your Outbound Sales Team Succeed
By implementing a few tried-and-true strategies like these, you can reduce sales rep turnover and create a more stable and productive team. Remember, your reps’ satisfaction and success directly impacts your business. Evaluate your current retention strategies and make changes to keep your sales team motivated, engaged, and loyal.
Recommended Reading
3 Steps to Train Sales Reps for Mental Toughness
5 Ways to Improve Customer Experience
Sales Process Automation: Definition and 4 Steps to Get Started
