Be a Sales PERSON, NOT a “Salesperson” – Part 1">
Efficiency and productivity are at the order of the day, while sadly, some of the most valuable features of traditional field sales are getting lost
along the way.
These are powerful lessons that need to be preserved to protect the heart and soul of all sales - Relationships.
“Our humanity gives us the ability to build genuine relationships, one prospect at a time, and if we’re not careful, we will lose that humanity in our endless pursuit of efficiency.”
So, before it’s too late, let’s recap on the lessons of the past and how we can apply them to the future of sales.
Supreme perspective
As I mentioned before, traditionally the sales cycle would start with a knock on the door. This would typically be the vacuum cleaner salesman
going from door to door inviting himself in, throwing a bagof salt on your carpet and blowing you away with the cleaning power of his machine.
And it worked! Everyone knows someone who bought one of those vacuum cleaners. That’s because selling to someone in their own environment (home
or business) brings something very valuable to the table. It gives us vital insight into who this person is as a human being and it gives us the
tools to connect with this person on a deeper level to build a personal, close relationship.
Instant referrals
During the previous sales era, while building relationships with a prospect, the salesman would also have the opportunity to grow his audience
from the people that are close to his prospect. For example, when the salesman’s prospect had friends or family over during his pitch, he would
automatically introduce more possible clients to his product. Additionally, he would always cash in while he is busy by walking up to the next
door and saying: “Hi, I just set your neighbour up with a great deal. Do you have a few minutes to have a look?”
In our current affairs, salespeople that go the extra mile in developing a personal relationship with their prospect set their enterprises up
for valuable word of mouth referrals.
Undivided attention
In the past, a home sales visit meant that both the salesperson and the prospect were 100% engaged in the product or service pitch. Today we find
that even if you do all the right things to hold a prospect’s attention on a sales call, both parties could potentially have loads of other distractions
keeping them from paying attention. When you talk to someone in person or at least on a more personal level, you’ve got their full attention and
they’ve got yours.
As we step into the future of sales, it’s important we don’t forget the lessons that brought us here.
Focus on the “person” half of “salesperson.”
In part 2 of this series I will talk more about infusing some personality into your sales process to start conserving the essence of field sales going forward.
Predictable Success can examine your sales processes and deliver an accurate roadmap after determining where you’re on track and where you need a course correction. Predictable Success can provide a cost/benefit analysis and expert recommendations to improve your sales performance on every level.
