Transcend the Negative Stereotypes of Sales September 01, 2008
By Rick Davis
Many common "salesman" stereotypes bring to mind visions of an unscrupulous person preying on the vulnerability of others. But it doesn't have to be that way. You can overcome the negative stereotypes of sales by analyzing your performance, and taking defined steps to master the psychology of selling.
Rick Davis, president of Building Leaders, Inc. and author of Strategic Sales in the Building Industry, offers these tips to help you rise above the social and professional pressure of the sales profession by focusing on a commitment to personal growth and accountability.
Tip No. 1: Understand the negative stereotypes you need to overcome Consider what your customers think of when they think of the typical salesperson. Are they thinking about a "hard closer" like a character in the movie Tin Men, a "friend" like Willy Loman or a "beggar" like the character Chris Farley played in Tommy Boy? Are you supporting that perception or altering it?
Tip No. 2: Ensure your values match your behaviors Our values are stated beliefs that often fail to match our actual behaviors. For example, a person will say that they value time, but then waste it reacting irrationally to customer demands. Or a salesperson states that he sells the value of his product or service, but habitually requests price concessions from the employer. Only when you are able to align your behaviors with your values can you begin to emerge as a true sales leader.
Tip No. 3: Understand how your customers market services and generate profit. Don't assume your customers are all alike. You cannot truly help your customers until you understand their business models. Instead of selling the features and benefits of your product, ask questions and listen to discover ways your customer faces their competitive challenges. You will then distinguish yourself as a resource who can help them increase profits through better salesmanship.
Tip No. 4: Think long-term profitability While you are striving to make the sale, remember the implications of your actions. The long-term relationship you forge is based upon the short-term activity of today. Build relationships that offer mutual long-term benefits.
Tip No. 5: Prospect more and write everything down Prospect more to increase your power. The more sales opportunities you have, the more you will sell and the less reliant you will be on any one situation. So, if you really want to become an effective leader, prospect continually and strive to write down information about every prospect and the value of every sales opportunity. Keep this information with you at all times and update it consistently.
Rick Davis is president of Building Leaders, Inc. and author of Strategic Sales in the Building Industry. Based in Chicago since 1998, Building Leaders, Inc. has distinguished itself as the premier sales and sales management education specialists in the building materials industry. For more information, visit www.buildingleaders.com or call 773-769-4409.
Sales & Marketing Management Magazine
This article is brought to you by Sales & Marketing Management, the leading authority for executives in the sales and marketing field.
RSS
