Only a Fraction of Salespeople Are Productive; What Are You Doing to Optimize Your Performance?

NEW YORK, June 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Half of all salespeople currently in sales jobs shouldn't be, according to Caliper research. Of those who have sales ability, the majority are selling products that don't play to their strengths or skills, leaving 20 percent of salespeople who are inherently matched to their sales roles, and are in fact selling 80% of what is sold.

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Caliper Corp., an internationally recognized human capital management firm, and The Forum Corporation, a global leader in linking learning to strategic business objectives, today announced a new joint approach to help companies' sales teams consistently achieve top performance.

The new program bridges the gap between where a sales team currently stands, and where it needs to be through the use of scientifically validated assessment tools and the expertise of coaches, consultants and facilitators. The assessment tools include the Caliper Profile, which provides objective information on an individual's strengths, limitations, motivations and potential -- and how these might match to the competencies required in a specific job.

The firms have created a tailored approach to reset this imbalance in business and put the entire team on the road to selling success. The program places the right people in the right sales roles, with the qualities and skills required to deliver results that are aligned with business strategy to drive results.

"Sales professionals are the lifeblood of every organization, and the financial crisis has cast new light on their importance. However, research shows that some 20 percent of salespeople sell 80 percent of what is sold. Companies that want to improve their financial results need a way to help the remaining underperforming salespeople," said Patrick Sweeney, President of Caliper.

The partnership incorporates aspects of the sales professional's entire profile into a development program. Learning is enhanced within the context of their existing strengths, weaknesses, and tendencies, ultimately improving performance.

"In periods of economic volatility, sales organizations must know whether they have the capability to deliver. This new program allows companies to maximize the potential of each member of the sales team. This, in turn, can result in faster sales cycles, higher average deal size, higher sales team attainment of quotas, and higher annual revenues," said Alyson Brandt, Executive Vice President of The Forum Corporation.

The program is comprised of:

• Tailored consultations based upon the results of the Caliper Profile and effective job matching to accurately assess workplace behaviors and integrate coaching and development into each unique situation.
• Customized reports for each sales professional to aid in placement, coaching, and development.
• An aggregate profile of the sales team.
• A comparison between the aggregate profile and the desired benchmark, while identifying gaps which could derail execution of a strategy.
• A development program that addresses strategic alignment gaps, and incorporates assessment-based development opportunities for individuals. 
• Coaching based on the individuals areas of developmental opportunity.

"You can teach skills, but not attitude," says Herb Greenberg, founder and CEO of Caliper. "This program starts with determining skills and motivations and then designs customized training and development programs to help develop top sales professionals," he added.

Sales executives and managers who would like more information about  Caliper and Forum should visit www.calipercorp.com or www.forum.com.

About The Forum Corporation
Forum is a recognized global leader in linking learning to strategic business objectives. Our learning solutions help organizations effectively execute their business strategies by focusing on their most important asset: their people. We provide clients with practical and research-based advice and tailored programs that mobilize employees, accelerate business-initiative implementation, and improve agility. Forum's 40-year legacy as a pioneer and thought leader continues with the release of our latest book, Strategic Speed (Harvard Business Press).

About Caliper
Caliper is an internationally recognized human capital management firm. For over 50 years, Caliper has helped over 28,000 organizations globally improve every aspect of managing their talent. Starting with accurate, objective insights that Caliper consultants gain from the proprietary Caliper Profile, the company delivers tangible improvements in the performance of individuals and the organizations for which they work. Caliper Founder and CEO Herb Greenberg, Ph.D., developed the Caliper Profile, which has assessed the potential of more than 3.5 million applicants and employees. Dr. Greenberg and Patrick Sweeney, President of Caliper are the authors of the New York Times bestseller, "Succeed on Your Own Terms" and "How to Hire & Develop Your Next Top Performer," a second edition of which is being released this September. For more information, visit www.calipercorp.com.

Contact:

Steve Capoccia
Warner Communications
[email protected]
617 372 1539

Steve Vittorioso
InkHouse
[email protected]  
781 966 4100

SOURCE The Forum Corporation