--- title: I'm asking Pete Caputa and Trish Bertuzzi about Mediocrity in Sales description: Are mediocre sales reps killing your business? --- # [SELLING IN THE 21ST CENTURY](https://www.rickroberge.com/) [![header-sm-linkedin-blue](https://www.rickroberge.com/hs-fs/file-465400397-png/images/header-sm-linkedin-blue.png)](http://www.linkedin.com/in/rickroberge) [![header-sm-twitter-blue](https://www.rickroberge.com/hs-fs/file-465371692-png/images/header-sm-twitter-blue.png)](https://twitter.com/RainMakerMaker) [![header-sm-google-plus-red](https://www.rickroberge.com/hs-fs/file-462412948-png/images/header-sm-google-plus-red.png)](https://plus.google.com/+RickRoberge/posts) [![header-sm-rss](https://www.rickroberge.com/hs-fs/file-480298330-png/images/header-sm-rss.png)](https://www.rickroberge.com/rss.xml) # [Science for Sales Rock Stars](https://www.rickroberge.com/) ## [I'm asking Pete Caputa and Trish Bertuzzi about Mediocrity in Sales](https://www.rickroberge.com/im-asking-pete-caputa-and-trish-bertuzzi-about-mediocrity-in-sales) ![](https://www.rickroberge.com/hs-fs/hubfs/RR.jpg?width=35&height=35&name=RR.jpg) By [Rick Roberge](https://www.rickroberge.com/author/rick-roberge)   Jan 26, 2014, 2:09:01 PM Pete started the conversation with **[3 Theories I'd like to Prove About Selling](https://www.collaborativegrowthnetwork.com/blog/bid/104615/3-Theories-I-d-like-to-Prove-About-Selling)**. (You need to read the article AND the comments. BTW, although there are other commenters, Pete and Trish were the only ones that engaged with me. There's a lot of brain power in the comments.) Then he, Trish and I had this Twitter exchange. > [@pc4media](https://twitter.com/pc4media) [@RainMakerMaker](https://twitter.com/RainMakerMaker) There is no one bar is the problem. Some can jump high. some can only jump low - no two sales athletes are alike. > > — Trish Bertuzzi (@bridgegroupinc) [January 24, 2014](https://twitter.com/bridgegroupinc/statuses/426783753138999296) and this.... > [@bridgegroupinc](https://twitter.com/bridgegroupinc) [@RainMakerMaker](https://twitter.com/RainMakerMaker) Yep. I don't expect my whole team to step up and do this. Their # is their first priority. > > — Peter Caputa (@pc4media) [January 24, 2014](https://twitter.com/pc4media/statuses/426784203855110144) So, before I ask my questions, I need to remind you that I LOVE Pete Caputa and Trish Bertuzzi. They are thought leaders for me in sales, marketing and other areas. I learn from them regularly. So, here are my questions. If I am a **center of influence**, why would I refer anyone that I care about to a company that may not have an "A" player work my lead. If the sales rep cares more about making his number than finding a perfect match between customer's needs and company's abilities, couldn't they ruin my reputation by making a bad sale to make their quota? If I am on your **marketing team**, why would I want any of my hard earned leads going to anyone other than and "A" player? If a mediocre sales rep screws up a lead and sells where they shouldn't or reads a situation wrong, couldn't that cause social media to go negative and make my life more difficult? If I am on your **board of directors**, why would I want any sales rep that needs a discount, needs a lot of their manager's time, needs a longer sales cycle, and has a higher lead to happy customer ratio than a rock star? Don't all of those things negatively affect our bottom line and the value to our investors? If I am one of your **sales rock stars**, why do I want any leads going to someone that can't handle them as well as I can? Isn't it better for me to have a waiting line? Doesn't it make prospects want me more? If I am one of your **mediocre reps**, do you really think that you're doing me a favor by hiring me if I can't do the job if you don't have a hiring process and on-boarding process that holds me accountable to move from newbie to rock star or not be hired? Think about all the sales conversations that didn't end in a sale that would have if the mediocre rep was replaced by a rock star. How much money is that? How much bad publicity is that? How many of those leads bought from a competitor? Seriously, is there any excuse for less than excellent? - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ### Want updates as they're published? #### Enter your email: BTW, do you have an idea or question that would make a good article? Would you like to write or co-author it? Either way, **[send me an email](mailto:therainmakermaker@gmail.com?Subject=Blog%20article/author%20idea)**. **[Rick Roberge](https://plus.google.com/116082120720832878924/posts?rel=author)** ## About this blog *This blog is for, by and about Sales Rock Stars, RainMakers, Entrepreneurs (and/or those that strive to be)* ## [Read My Articles on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/today/author/rickroberge) ## [About Rick](https://www.rickroberge.com/contact-me) **[The Original](http://therainmakermaker.com/)[RainMaker Maker Blog (pre-2012)](http://therainmakermaker.com/)** [**Remote Bookkeeping**](http://www.slcbookkeeping.com/blog/bid/116710/remote-bookkeeping-made-easy)[**Made Easy**](http://www.slcbookkeeping.com/blog/bid/116710/remote-bookkeeping-made-easy) [**Awesome Website Design**](https://www.inbounddesignstudio.com/contact/) Search RainMakers & Sales Rock Stars Search ### Subscribe to Email Updates ### Posts by Month - [November 2025 (19)](https://www.rickroberge.com/archive/2025/11) - 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