Let’s play the “blame game”
A sign of poor sales leadership is end of month/quarter discounting.
So often the board, C-Level, and VPs overseeing revenue teams will discount heavily at the end of the month and quarter. Here are some reasons why this is a poor decision:
- This is terrible, it means you don’t have a real product-market fit. Fire your product marketing team if they haven’t figured this out.
- You (leadership), are asking reps to “pull in deals from next quarter early”. In some cases, it works.
- In other cases, and more often than not, it doesn’t.
- Then you blame the sales team the next month or quarter for “daring to ask to extend the discount.”
- I am looking at you leaders. You simply suck.
You haven’t taught your team how to properly do discovery and present value.
You are more in love with your product, service, and your own ego than you are in love with the value you bring to your customers.
You simply want to make your bonus and become a millionaire off the hard work of others.
I could go on and on.
My point?
Leadership, stop being stupid. Or be self-aware enough to find a better way.
For IC’s, in your interviews, ask every single person this simple question, “How often do you discount at the end of the month/ quarter?” Follow it up with, “If the deal doesn’t come through, is it honored the next month or quarter?”
Make your decision accordingly. If your team could use training in this area, schedule a time to chat here.
