In sales, product knowledge is important.
So is sales ability.
But what’s most important is your personality.
In fact your personality determines as much as 80% of your sales success!
You need to be “in the zone”
To perform at your very best you need to be mentally fit.
You need to feel good and be happy.
If you’re feeling under par or stressed your prospective customer will sense your discomfort, your desperation.
This will not inspire trust.
Personally speaking, I avoid making cold calls or prospecting for new business unless I’m on top of my game.
Until I have managed to get myself in the zone.
Top performing salespeople know how to get in the zone.
They have high levels of self-confidence and self-esteem.
You need to be solutions orientated
If you are to be successful in sales you need to take 100% responsibility for yourself and your results.
You cannot afford to play the blame game.
You need to be solutions orientated, focused on the solution, not the problem.
And you need to have staying power.
The ability to continue despite disappointment and setbacks.
Persistent action over a period of time is what leads to success.
You need to have self belief
You need to believe in yourself.
And you need to believe in the value of your product or service to your customer.
No-one will ever believe in what you are selling more than you!
If you do not have complete faith in what you are presenting to your prospective customer you will never be successful in a competitive market.
You need to show you care
You need to learn how to read your prospect.
Observe their body language, tune in to their tone of voice, use appropriate questioning techniques and practice good listening skills.
To build a relationship with your prospective customer you need to inquire in a caring way.
So that they are willing to share what’s most important with you.
You will then know how to present your product or service in a way that will benefit them best.
Strategies are great.
But the real secret is when you truly care you will be naturally curious.
Your questions will be automatic and sincere.
And you’ll get to learn the truth of the matter.
It’s always best to strive to understand the person you are dealing with.
To learn to connect with people in a deep and meaningful way.
Meaningful conversations have a great effect on moods and relationships.
And they are as effective in business with creating trust as they are in social circles.
Forget the fluff and hype.
Intelligent people see through the mask of inauthenticity.
Don’t be tempted to put on airs and graces.
Just be yourself.
You need to have empathy
If you’re a coach or a student of psychology you may be familiar with the concept called lines of development.
That all of us have developed our skills at different levels.
For instance, someone may be a great business person.
But not particularly good when it comes to parenting advice.
Or someone may be a whiz when it comes to finances.
But lousy at sales and marketing.
And vice versa.
There is a human tendency to pass judgement on others.
To either place someone above you where you admire them.
Below you where you look down on them.
Or equal where you presume they are the same as you.
To get to know someone you have to be a detective.
I worked as a private detective for a number of years and I tend to get to know people through a process of elimination.
If you learn to understand your client’s lines of development, his or her strengths and weaknesses, you will know how best to structure your services to meet their particular needs.
And you can work on making the relationship reciprocal.
Is there a better way to build commitment, trust and longevity with your clients?
Continual self-improvement is integral to one’s success in sales.
Do yourself a favour and become a lifelong student of personal development.
It pays!
If you found this article interesting, here’s another you might like to check out: HOW TO BECOME A SUPER SALES STAR