What makes a successful salesperson will no longer be a secret to interested readers.
Product of three decades of experience in professional sales and contact with successful sellers in consulting and open training activities and in companies, I have compiled the aspects that make them not only consistently achieve their goals with quality but in many cases, exceed them widely.
These secrets are valid both for those who carry out the sale in their daily work as well as for sales managers, entrepreneurs and professionals in human resources, since they will find in them the aspects that must be gathered in the profile of each member of their team to achieve a successful management as a sum of each of their individual efforts.
Having a successful professional salesperson is not only productive and very economical for the company, but it is also its best ally in the success of any business.
Peter Drucker, undisputed and recognized master of Management, has pointed out in his works and conferences something that every reader will be able to verify in his own reality, and refers to the fact that: «80% of sales are generally produced by 20% of sellers'.
This may have different readings, but what should not be done is to move the structure to stay only with 20% of its star salespeople on the team, but to focus on the task of complementing the remaining 80% of the group to achieve the performance of the leaders in their performance improvement.
There are aspects that are with the seller as an indisputable and appreciable part of his personality. In other words, you either have it or you don't; but the lack of it can be incorporated with different levels of effectiveness and, if it is impossible, it is only there to analyze the possibility of a replacement.
These personality aspects are the key elements to take into account in the selection process.
By delving into them and establishing if they exist and to what degree they are possessed, it will allow the best decision to be made in each incorporation and avoid making mistakes that affect the expected performance in sales and the company's image, also reducing a high cost generated by turnover. excessive in the sector.
The other complements refer to the area of knowledge and skills in their activity, which they determine with their personality traits, a very powerful combination for high performance in sales management.
Obtaining them depends on the type of training received, good experience in applying the knowledge and skills learned, and the improvement that they have been incorporating in their desire for perfection and in that of their managers.
Having made the pertinent clarifications of the case, it is time to share the ten aspects and features that support your success in sales:
- They love what they do. They enjoy passing on their extensive knowledge and suggestions for the benefit of those who consult them. When making each contact, this is evident in their joy, their cordiality and their sympathy, despite not being able to be going through their personal best moment. They are aware of the advisory role that they play. They know that the sale does not consist of pressuring an unresolved potential buyer, since the only way is when they formulate the order as a result of their conviction of their effective arguments to satisfy a need or solve their problems with their products or services. To do this, they care about being updated on the latest in their specialty, permanently diving into any reliable source that provides you with the latest that appeared or will appear in your field. In this and only in this way,Each day they earn more professional respect and opportunities for new consultations. They sell permanently. As a consequence of both aspects, they don't just sell in their formal interviews. They also do it in the bar, in the club and in any social event where they find the opportunities they generate. For which they always carry their briefcase in their car so that if they need them they have business cards, illustrative brochures and blank orders to complete all orders. They do not take false steps or leaps into the void. They do not talk too much or argue anything without first knowing what they need or what problems their interviewees have regarding their offer. They are masters of the art of questioning, conveying a sincere interest in listening and understanding the source of their possibilities.Each argumentation is a partial closure that leads your interviewee to an intense desire for ownership. After achieving the manifestation of their needs or problems, as if by magic they will always pronounce their argumentation in a personalized way. Their assertions "tailored" to the case presented, are providing solutions or satisfactions with empty expressions always in terms of benefits. They know how to respond to objections turning them into closing opportunities. In-depth knowledge of their own, they have the appropriate response that can turn a simple objection into a closing, or a difficult objection into a "maybe." This is the product of their constant study that prevents them from losing and closing many sales opportunities. They take advantage of all the opportunities to realize. They do not leave for tomorrow what they can close today.They hardly arrive at an interview devoid of brochures, proper information, and purchase orders. They will also not miss any positive expression from their interviewees about your company and products so as not to try to close the sale or move them closer to a decision. They manage their productive time well. By assessing the effect of constant time management, they avoid making their reports and reports at the times when opportunities are available. They will probably do them at night or during their short work lunches, since when it comes to selling: they are selling. In addition, they fulfill their commitments by confirming each of their previously agreed appointments, arriving on time to each of them, always informing that some unforeseen event may delay them.They prefer not to close a sale if there is no total conviction. They know the value of the satisfaction of a client or prospect, regarding a commission income that closes all their future opportunities. Therefore, you will always make sure of your conviction before closing each sale transaction. This trait reinforces their image as an advisor for the benefit of each interviewee, assuring them a prestige and a great opportunity to be called when they are determined to buy from them in the near future or to be referred to other links of them.Every month they know how they will be able to exceed their goals. If they fail, they will only have met them. This is because it has an effective working method that provides it with a constant and growing portfolio of opportunities (Prospecting) to develop business and make sales.An outstanding trait in shaping your work style and being able to perfect it is being humble and sincere enough to acknowledge your mistakes and correct them promptly on every occasion of failure.
As can be seen, all these aspects are foundations that constitute its values to support all its actions.
The lack of one or more of them in each representative will not prevent them from selling very well, but it will no longer be the same as those who have all of them and apply it.
The most interesting thing about the case is that they can be instilled and learned to become part of their lives, through reading, training and with the coaching that they permanently receive from their managers from the first day of joining the company.
© Copyright 2008, by Martín E. Heller
