Recently our team at Aurec Melbourne held our Bi-Annual offsite focusing our culture, strategy and our goals for FY 18/19 and beyond. Key themes this year were centered around Candidate Engagement, Excellence, (in all parts of our roles/process) and moving from career to craft. (good to great!) I will write more on career to craft in an upcoming blog post.
These themes got me thinking what makes an Exceptional Sales Professional?
My list is below:
1) They see what they do as a craft not a career. Sales for them is not a job and it has moved past a career. Sales is their DNA, it forms part of their identity. They are proud if what they do and the value they add. This identity shines through in each of the points below.
2) They care about their customers. They are invested in their success and results. The best salespeople are beacons in their space but have also cultivated a network of others if the opportunity is outside of their skillset. They are happy to connect you up with others outside of their domain as they know that;
3) It's all about relationships and trust. The best salespeople know that the foundations of their success is in their relationships and their ability to build rapport and cultivate trust both in the short and long term. ”If people like you they will listen to you, but if they trust you they will do business with you” Zig Ziglar
4) They listen. Master salespeople understand that one of the biggest parts of their craft is their ability to listen. To truly hear what their customers both need and want.
5) Referrals rule! They understand the power of referrals and the impact it has on their ability to succeed and grow. Referrals are generated through trust and delivering on your word! This is the quickest way to compound your results.
6) 80% of their business comes from 20% of their customers. Exceptional salespeople generate more from less people. They target their market! This quote from Jack Daly sums it up perfectly “The better sales people call on less people. They call the right people”
7) They tailor their personality type to their client base. They understand people have different styles and have mastered the art of mirroring and influence whilst staying true to themselves. They appreciate the nuances and differences between selling to different customer types and groups.
8) They are specialists and have expert knowledge in their field. They understand the factors that impact the clients they sell to. Covering people, process, technology as well as regulatory and political factors
9) They have next level resilience. They are not afraid to hear the word no! They understand they will be knocked back from time to time but they learn from their mistakes, analyse and channel their rejection to drive them further and to improve. They don’t internalise their loss, in fact great salespeople often seek out a similar opportunity to use the lessons learned to succeed the next time.
10) They are memorable. They have found a way to stand out from the pack. Not just based on their ability to deliver or on their company brand. They have identified and know how to position their own USP. They are both vulnerable/authentic to their customers and have built a strong personal brand.
11) The have a focus on continuous improvement. This goes back to the focus on their craft. They relentlessly pursue growth and improvement and better results!
12) They have embraced social media. No modern salesperson can succeed without having gone all in on social media. This comes back to personal brand, awareness and being memorable. It is so easy to Google someone these days and without embracing social media you are not in control of the why, who and what you stand for.
13) They are humble. We have all met an exceptional salesperson with a big ego but they rarely stay there for the long term, as their ego will always get the best of them and will eventually shine through to their customers and colleagues. Equally the ‘big ego’ salesperson often has a negative impact on the team and performance around them that counteracts their personal success. The best salespeople are humble in their core, they celebrate success but have gratitude for those who have helped them become successful, the tools they have at their disposal, the client baser they have cultivated. They look to help and inspire others. They set a true example. They also stay hungry and know that things can change.
14) They are disciplined and work extremely hard. No sales superstar is an overnight success. They have honed their skills through hard work and consistent application of the basics. They understand the core elements of their role, are disciplined in their approach and know the work that is required for success.
15) They value culture and team. They can be superstar performers in their own right but they understand the value of the team. They are greater with a strong team around them. Success breeds success and a unified team will succeed at greater heights than the individual. Michael Jordan positioned this perfectly. Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships!
16) They are relentlessly driven and hungry!
What other attributes stand out for you when it comes to exceptional sales professionals? Comment below with your thoughts.
This article is originally published at www.matthewcossens.com/blog/
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