The DriveSales™ | Top 10 skills a sales associate needs to succeed for success and close more deals!
If you have been wondering and looking for ways for excelling as a salesman, you have come to the right place. Sales are probably the most underrated domain of all time. A lot of people think that they can do effective sales, they don’t need any additional skills to excel in this particular field, but don’t let this simplicity mislead you.
On a superficial level, sales might seem a very easy process. Just target a client, tell him about your product’s awesome features, and voila, the sales are made. However, what if the client asks you why should I buy this product from you when I can buy it for cheaper than this from your competitor? This is a bouncer ball.
So, do not think lightly of the sales domain. It is probably one of the most talent-oriented professions. You need to have a bunch of skills before you can dive into the sales business. Sure you might be able to make 3–5 initial sales, but then what? You cannot catch the ‘big fish’ with your small net.
Hence, it is very important to learn the essential skills to have a great sales career. Now, let’s take a look at the top 10 skills a sales associate needs to succeed.
Top 10 skills a sales associate needs to succeed:
1) Know your product — This is the first and foremost skill you need to inculcate within you. Never go to a battle without having enough knowledge about your weapons. You need to know all the tit-bits about your product, probably even the ones that your mentor doesn’t know so that you can clear all your client’s queries. Do your research well and then bag the client.
2) Research your client — Another very important skill is the habit of knowing your opponent before striking. You are probably one of the best in your field, but your client will always supersede you. Hence, in order to convince him, you need to understand the mindset of your prospect and his business.
3) Problem solving — Always have this notion in your mind that you are trying to help your client. If you proceed with the thought of just selling your product and meeting the targets, you will never be able to truly convince the client. On the other hand, if you try to understand the client and help him out, you have a better chance of closing the deal.
4) Network and relationship building — It is very important to understand that you will be associating with the client probably for their entire business cycle. Thus, always go ahead with the thought of long-term relationship building. If you have a friendly relationship with your client, he is likely to provide you with more business leads.
5) Be technically sound — You need to understand that this new era is filled with technology- integrated business. Thus, with all the business transformations with technology, you need to invest to upskill yourself in this department. It will give you an edge over others and will definitely lessen your workload.
6) Multitasking- Be mindful of the fact that sales can be a very hectic profession. You might need to handle several clients at a time and you cannot miss out on any one of them Furthermore, each sales lead might involve various stages and thus, this makes it imperative for you to be excellent at multitasking.
7) Time management — Another very important and efficient skill is effective time management. You might have back-to-back meetings and probably loads of clients to attend at the same time. You need to plan your time effectively amongst all your projects and respect your as well as your client’s time.
8) Adaptability — You need to be able to adapt quickly to the need of the situation. As a salesman, you cannot be firm and rigid with your approach. You need to be humble with an adaptive attitude. Before refusing a particular demand of your client, try to consult with your team or seniors to check the possibility of that demand. This will make to a trustworthy and reliable salesperson.
9) Empathetic — Always keep in mind that your client is your prime focus and you cannot jump in without understanding your client. You need to be able to gauge your client’s emotions to figure out what they require from your service. Thus, you need to be empathetic in order to relate to your prospect’s feelings about their business problems and needs.
10) Patient — Patient is the most important virtue in the life of a salesperson. Sometimes, your sales process might take months to bear results and if you lose your patience during the process, you’ll start to lose your focus on your client.
Now, as an effective SALESPERSON! We can do three things from here.
1. Not ignoring the opportunity and blaming the situation for revenue loss.
2. Taking important notes and going back to revisit your sales strategy with the growth mindset.
3. Reaching out to The DriveSales™ if you need any specialized help for sales.
To conclude, what you choose to think also provides some idea of your development as a consultative salesperson. It is something like Siva Devaki quotes “Sales is not about selling anymore, but about building trust and educating.”
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