Key qualities: |
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- Punctual
- Knowledgeable
- Honest
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- Confident
- Positive
- Motivated
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Punctuality has to be one of the very first areas we need to concern ourselves with, being late sets a very bad first impression. You are starting on the back foot and although prospects may not say anything, they may well think you are potentially unreliable. If you are late because of circumstances beyond your control try and forewarn the prospect, apologise, minimise any explanation and endeavour to not be late again.
Once we’ve arrived our appearance is likely to be judged and it has been said that opinions tend to be formed within the first 30 seconds or so of meeting someone. Then we look for things to confirm our first impression. Given that people struggle to change their mind, if you have given a bad first impression you then have your work cut out to change the other persons perception of you. A good appearance starts you on the right track. So why not ask yourself which area of your appearance has the greatest room for improvement and then make an investment in yourself.
In today’s market the majority of customers will expect a consultant to be knowledgeable. You should therefore know your subject and understand the functionality of the products you offer. Appreciate all the benefits of your service and learn about your industry and your competition. Find out as much as you can about your prospective customers, as we often say learn more - earn more.
Without doubt it pays to be honest and I would argue that honest people have fewer issues. Never forget that honest sales people can go back to their customers, they can sell them more products and services and they can obtain referrals.
Of course throughout all dealings with your prospective customers, confidence has to be crucial.
Recent research that examined those qualities that led a customer to make a purchase from a particular salesperson identified the following statistics: 8% of those interviewed said their decision was due to the content of the speech, 35% indicated that their decision was based on how it was said, and 57% of the customers said that their decision was due to the general confidence of the salesperson i.e. the way the salesperson walked, their general demeanour and the way they carried themselves. Whether you accept this research in its entirety or whether you simply treat it as food for thought, then either way it would seem to indicate that confidence plays a much greater part than most of us would have guessed.
Being friendly is obviously a very good thing. Likewise being miserable, ignorant, rude and generally awkward is unhelpful and won’t help endear you to anyone. Therefore it’s quite surprising how many customers who perceive some sales people as fitting all too often into the latter category. If you want to make friends be a good friend.
Try and be more empathetic, learn to identify yourself mentally with the other person and put yourself in their shoes. Do not mistake this for sympathy. If you are to sell someone a product or service then you must have the ability to sincerely understand how he or she feels. However this doesn’t mean that you necessarily agree with them.
Focus on your priorities, focus on winning the deal and collecting the order. Avoid wasting your time on unimportant tasks, digressions and anything that is generally an interruption to the main objective. Staying focused is no easy task and you will probably have to constantly pull yourself up and correct your own behaviour. Yet if you can succeed here you will undoubtedly obtain many benefits and reap many rewards. Aim to be in charge, providing the direction. This is important in your dealings with prospects. However the secret is perhaps for those that you are dealing with to be left with the impression that they are actually in control. You want others to be following your agenda without actually realising they are doing so. If you are not in control, then it’s likely that you are being controlled so make sure you set the agenda.
Most of us in sales are rarely as tenacious as we could be and tenacity or persistence is essentially about not giving up, it’s about keeping going come what may. To be tenacious is not the same as being obstinate. If you end up being obstinate you may find you end up not only losing a deal but also you end up being loathed at the same time.
Please also be reminded that humour is a very effective tool in “breaking the ice”, establishing rapport and relaxing the client. Even in business dealings there is room for an element of humour. The secrets to using it successfully are understanding your clients (empathy), timing and using discretion. A future client may enjoy their business dealings with you, but you must still be sensitive to individual needs and personalities. Otherwise humour can backfire on you, cause irritation and help you to lose your professional image.
As we’re talking about getting it right in the early stages we cannot lose sight for the need to develop a positive personality. Appreciate that negative people are not fun to be around and customers are unlikely to want to deal with them. Learn to draw a line under past events and move on. Nobody can change the past. The mature thing to do is to learn any lessons that may be relevant and then move on to deal with the present and look forward to the future.
Being motivated is of course a very desirable quality in business, in a professional salesperson and indeed in life in general. Self motivation is one of the qualities that can be mastered even when it doesn’t come naturally. The secret being that, one has to accept how we feel is within our control, a major and perhaps very deep point, but nonetheless true.
If you like to learn more about MCT Lifeskills or contact Ken, e mail him at ktrim@mctlifeskills.com
