Attracting, Developing and Retaining Top Sales Talent

The greatest opportunity for industrywide pool equipment and service sales growth is better sales support and education from the manufacturers to distributors to the service professionals and retailers on the front line. 

Most manufacturer’s representatives that I have met have no training or development in consumer selling. If they can’t assist pool service companies and retailers with moving product through to the end user, then their role becomes narrowly focused on stocking — not selling. Factory reps must be well-versed in providing expert product knowledge training and fundamental sales skills. Multidimensional sales delegates at every level are needed to build momentum for industrywide improvement.

We are all looking for more sales. However, when the basics of the sales process aren’t fully developed, the sales effort is frustrating at best and impossible at worst. Product training is not sales training. It takes both.  

There are two critical aspects: the macro, or the industrywide practices of manufacturers, distributors and companies, and the micro, or the individual service technician or salesperson. The only way to change the macro is by improving the micro.

At the micro level, each individual who interacts with pool owners — whether installing a pump, maintaining a heater or explaining automation systems — is accountable for their growth. Great salespeople are made, not born, and the critical ingredient for growth is the desire and humility to learn. When faced with obstacles, we must get smarter. Thankfully, there are many successful people who have shared their wisdom — Jim Rohn, Seth Godin, Zig Ziglar, Brian Tracy and Tony Robbins, to name a few. All these people put out life-changing information to help anyone with initiative help themselves. As the micro — the singular salesperson — we have two choices regarding our approach to sales: We can lead or we can beg. We cannot simply go to the highest levels of skill development and sales success; we must grow to get there.

To beg is to expect success without putting in the work, to blame external factors (like the company, economy, product or pricing) and to act as a helpless victim waiting for sales to magically improve.

To lead is to be accountable for yourself and all aspects of learning, growth, effectiveness and outcomes.

The best and quickest method is to simply begin, wherever you are at this moment in your sales path, by raising your performance standards.

For the macro — for companies that manufacture pool products or run retail/service operations — the only sustainable competitive advantage for your company is your employees. While it would be nice to have a ready-made talent pool of self-motivated, experienced, sales-savvy techs and salespeople, that usually isn’t the case. Until that day arrives, you must set a clear path and expectations focused on continuous learning and growth, developing skilled professionals who excel at selling.

Attract the best by evaluating prospects on their attitude and commitment to learning — no sales experience necessary. (Actually, no sales experience is preferred.)

Develop skills immediately and continuously, allowing them to show their distinct personalities within the sales role. Train them on the basics and commit to the process.

Retain the best prospects by being the resource that grows the person’s value within the company and their lives. Employees do not leave companies where they are challenged and growing; it’s the opposite that drives them away.

Sales excellence in the pool industry — whether you’re selling pumps or pool remodels — requires commitment at every level. The macro becomes the path to the opportunity, and the micro becomes the accountability. It takes both. This isn’t easy; nothing worth achieving ever is. It will take time, resources and commitment to rethink and unlearn how we have been approaching sales in this industry for decades.