Essentials of Professional Selling

Aug 8, 2024

Chapter 18: Characteristics of the Professional Salesperson

Key Points

  • Salesperson's Role: The salesperson is the most critical part of the sales process.
  • Use of Logic and Emotion: Effective sales presentations combine logic and emotion. Logic makes people think, but emotion makes them act.
    • Logic: Appeals to the eye; people believe what they see.
    • Emotion: Appeals to the ear; people are moved into action by what they hear.
    • Combination: Using both leads to a sale today and happy customers in the future.

Extroverts vs. Introverts

  • Extroverts: Make good first impressions, easy to like, and establish rapport quickly. However, they often depend on personality to close sales.
  • Introverts: More likely to be thorough, precise, organized, and better listeners. They are better at uncovering the prospect's needs.
  • Ideal Salesperson: A blend of extrovert and introvert characteristics.

High Performers vs. Moderate Performers

  • High Performers: Practice fundamental sales, management skills, and good human relations. They maintain service relationships and build trust.
  • Trust Relationships: Key to high performance; ability to sell is not the sole factor.
  • Total Well-Balanced People: High performers are knowledgeable, caring, and creative in problem-solving.

Characteristics of High Performers

  • Team Players: Serve as a liaison between customers and support teams.
  • Integrity and Knowledge: Valued by customers; they offer hints and knowledgeable responses.
  • Internal Relationships: Building internal relationships is crucial for success.
  • Communication: Clear and sensitive communication builds customer confidence.
  • Value Addition: Salespeople add value with each customer visit.

Professional Salesperson Attributes

  • Character and Reputation: Crucial for long-term success.
  • Owning Mistakes: Take responsibility, compensate, and fix the root cause.
  • Service-Oriented: Aim to help prospects make informed decisions, inspire the right decisions.
  • Thick-Skinned: Not easily offended, understand prospect's reactions.
  • Versatility: Work from a plan, include verbatim phrases in presentations.
  • Humor and Continuous Learning: Take professions seriously, not themselves; always learning.
  • Selling in Life: Apply sales principles in all aspects of life.
  • Motivation and Human Behavior: Study motivation and behavior to influence decisions.
  • Optimism: Create a positive atmosphere to enhance sales chances.
  • Adaptability: Emulate successful techniques and abandon ineffective ones.
  • Career-Oriented: Focus on building a career, not just making individual sales.
  • Demonstrations: Increased believability through product demonstration.
  • Customer Involvement: Involve customers in using products/services.
  • Conviction, Concern, Confidence, Courage: Essential qualities for success.
  • Professional Appearance: Dress and act professionally.
  • Principles: Uphold integrity and honesty.
  • Hard Work and Continuous Improvement: Always learning and improving.
  • Library and Resources: Build a library of sales knowledge and techniques.
  • Setting Standards: Higher personal goals and standards.
  • Communication Skills: Master body language and voice inflection.
  • Customer Relationships: Maintain and build strong relationships using recency, frequency, potency, and recommendations.

Conclusion

  • Professionalism: The professional salesperson is dedicated to continuous improvement, integrity, and customer satisfaction. They balance character, knowledge, and empathy to build successful, long-term sales careers.