Over my 39+ years in sales I have worked with many different types of sales people, selling many different types of products and or services. Here is how I classify their skills based upon my observations and actual work with them in the field.
1. Software Sales People = highly skilled to succeed and many do not. Those that succeed are prepared with questions that help them find the proper fit (or not) for what they sell. They listen carefully and when it’s time to present they instinctively address only what the prospect or client identified as most important. Those that do not succeed think they know it all, tell lies about their product or worse oversell something that could not be delivered on time. Trust must be developed especially since an enterprise wide sale could be millions of dollars.
2. Healthcare Equipment Sales People = highly skilled to succeed and many do not. In this category, especially today with all the healthcare regulations and HIPPA Laws and the terminology…and dealing with Doctors, Nurses, Surgeons who are also highly skilled, these sales people have to be on top of their game to succeed. Again, listening skills and addressing only what needs to be is critical. No one has time to waste or patience for someone who does not know what they are talking about or cannot get the answers quick enough. Again sales can be hundreds of thousands of dollars or millions and sometimes lives or the quality of life is at stake. Who would you buy from here? Those who do not succeed, tell lies about their product or worse oversell something that could not be delivered on time. Trust must be developed.
3. Services Sales People = highly skilled to succeed and many do not. In this category, relationship skills are required. Good questioning skills are required and an eye for details as often the RFP leaves out things and or the small print could mean the difference between a profitable deal or losses for their company. As a person who has sold consulting and sales training for many years, I know you also have to be mining for new contacts constantly as repeat business is not as high a %, as in say, commodity products. Those who do not succeed tell lies about their services, cut corners on the RFP and worse oversell something they have no intention of delivering. Trust must be developed.
4. Commodity Sales People = Highly skilled to succeed and many do not. In this category again relationship skills are critical. Often sales people have to resolve mistakes on deliveries or by inside staff and resolve billing disputes. Price is an issue and many competitors today only sell on price and even add to the insult by adding pre-bates and rebates that only add up to the customers money being given back to them in creative ways. In some industries, overpayments are manipulated to cover losses or poor profitability on accounts. Highly skilled communicators succeed despite the lower level tactics and out sell their competitors. The repeat aspect of this business make it most like an annuity. Those who do not succeed tell lies, bate and switch product or worse cheat customers by knowingly shorting their products. Trust must be developed.
5. Retail Sales People = Highly skilled to succeed and many do not. Again relationship skills are important and many of the customers they see will not be back for a long while. Appliance and Furniture sales require quick attention to the moment, being present to see where you might make the customer uncomfortable and make an adjustment to behavior to keep the customer from walking out the door. Those who do not succeed often stalk customers because ownership has told them “do not let them leave…if they do you have lost a sale”….I witnessed this on numerous occasions in my shopping…once in a Vermont Furniture store I asked the sales person why he did not give me a little space and I told them I was a sales trainer…he said “the owner trains us to get on a customer right away and don’t let them get away”. This particular store had a very poor reputation with local folks. Again, trust must be developed.
Have you noticed all the categories require highly skilled sales people to succeed? Training is required yes some of these people had natural ability and of course were inclined to succeed in their category. Those who do not succeed also shared many of the same adverse qualities. Perhaps I am somewhat biased as I believe that all sales people who do succeed are highly skilled and consider what follows;
Training can improve those inclined to succeed and not so for those not inclined. Invest in your best staff and or encourage them to sharpen their skills.
Success in sales, in all types of sales, requires highly skilled people. Do not settle for less. If you notice any of the negative traits in your staff, let them go. There is nothing that will motivate them to succeed. They just do not get it. Perhaps if they are fired enough, they will wake up. Until then…..do not hold out hope.
Move on and find people with the desire, the skills and the motivation to succeed.
Steve
