Marketing Profs

What makes a successful salesperson?

I've often asked a seminar audience that question, and the answers have been all over the board.

"You've got to have the right product," some say. (It helps, but a really good salesperson can rack up more sales with a mediocre product than a mediocre salesperson can make with the greatest product in the world.)

"You've got to make plenty of sales calls," others say. "The more calls you make, the more sales you'll get." (As a general rule, that's true, but it doesn't go far enough.)

Still others say, "You've got to master the mechanics." (That helps, too. But it won't put you on top of the sales charts unless you master the right mechanics.)

Selling Savvy

In today's market, it's crucial that we learn selling savvy. The sales environment has changed radically in four distinct ways:

1. Customers are better-educated, more sophisticated, and more value-conscious

In other words, they are harder to please; they want more for their money. Think about your own demands as a consumer. You insist on quality goods and efficient service. You don't want to be tricked into buying a product or service you don't want or need.

You expect follow-up service. If something goes wrong, you want to know that the salesperson and the company are going to stand behind the sale.