Have you peaked, or just plateaued?

We've all been there. You're working as hard as you've ever worked. you're making as many sales as you've ever made, and your skills are as sharp as they have ever been, but your commissions aren't really changing much at all. You start to ask yourself, is this as far as I can go? Have I peaked? well, maybe. But maybe not.

I have personally experienced this frustrating set of circumstances many times myself. The reality is that every sales job is going to be different and every commission structure will of course have its limits, but if you feel there is more money waiting for you that you just haven't been able to tap into yet, it is likely that you still have some options for earning more commissions in your current position.

First, examine your presentation. Take a good hard look at your process and ask yourself if there are any areas in in which you can cut out some fat. When we get comfortable making the same presentation over and over again on the phone, I have noticed that the presentation tends to grow in length for most salesmen, not shrink. Look for anecdotes that you can trim out, discovery questions that are less productive than others and small talk that, once sufficient rapport is built, doesn't really get you anything. If you can trim five to ten minutes out of your presentation, that can add up to hours and hours of time over the course of a full week, and that is time to fit in more presentations, and of course, more presentations means more sales. 

Next, examine your average deal size. Every sales job is different and every product is different, but chances are your company offers more than one type of product, more than one level of quality and multiple add on services, all which add value to the prospect and raise the price, thereby raising your commission on the sale. Are you mentioning add-ons in your presentation? Have you practiced upselling in your pitch? If the answer is no, then you are almost certainly leaving money on the table.

Try starting with a bigger ask. The vast majority of sales jobs train you to hear the word "non" three to four times AT LEAST before moving on to the next presentation, dropping to a smaller ask each consecutive time. Are you giving up ground and dropping your offer too quickly? Are you starting in a high enough place that you have room to drop to a deal size that is still meaningful? Putting some work into mastering a higher ask in your pitch can be a great way to give yourself a raise. 

There are only so many hours in each day and only so many presentations you can make in a given day, but if you feel like you have peaked, don't give up! There is always room to refine your process, work more efficiently, ask for bigger deals and make more money. If you're ready to take things a step further and invest a little time outside of work into improving your skills, it might be time to set up your first FREE introductory coaching. 

I recognize that not every coach is the right fit for every salesman looking for coaching, and that is why I offer your introductory coaching session for FREE, so you can see if I might be the right fit for you. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain, so what are you waiting for? Book today, and watch those fat stacks grow!

~Kat Jack