When hiring personal sales people, I consider a lot of different things, some of which I've discussed earlier on this blog. When it comes to specific sales traits, there are three that are fundamental in my mind: analysis, creativity, and determination. Notice that I didn't say things like good communication, ability to close, interaction, kindness, ability to listen, etc. All of these are important, but they are not essential for selling.
The most effective salespeople know what qualities, beyond BANT, of a potential customer make them the best (for example, they save their precious time and effort to get the best potential customers). If you master Qualify, Empathize and Engage, you'll close more sales. If I had to sell and could only choose three skills to excel at, these would be all three. However, as an added benefit, in no particular order, here are three more that will complement the three main ones.
Some call it consultative selling when you're collaborating with a potential customer. Nowadays, customer success and lifetime value are much better understood and valued much better. Sales can be overwhelming and seem imprecise, but the skills to succeed can be learned. Acquire habits of qualification, empathy and commitment, and you'll be far ahead.
According to a LinkedIn talent report, 92% of talent professionals say that soft skills matter as much or more than hard skills when hiring. This is the reason why social selling has become one of the most requested sales techniques today. Social selling is the process of developing relationships with potential customers, usually through social media platforms such as LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook. LinkedIn reports that 78% of social media marketers sell more than their peers who don't participate in any social media sales.
Objection management is a salesperson's way of responding to these customer concerns. To be successful, sales reps must know how to alleviate these concerns without coming across as pushy. When done correctly, managing objections can turn a “no” into an opportunity. The COVID-19 pandemic altered the way we work in an unprecedented way.
During this time, sales teams that adapted to remote selling through chat and phone outperformed the rest of their peers. Mastering the closing techniques that make your customer commit to buying is one of the most essential skills in sales. In HubSpot's report on the state of inbound advertising, 75% of companies said closing more deals is their top priority. According to LinkedIn, 46% of shoppers cite active listening as the main skill they expect from a sales professional.
