At the outset of every speech I deliver to salespeople, I request the management to assign a rating between 1 and 10 to the respective sales force. It is always delightful to witness their unfiltered responses.
To me, this has some concern because the majority are rated to be around 7 or higher with only 20 percent rating themselves at a 10. There is plenty of space for betterment. Organizations may wait a year or so to see the magic, but if the sales number aren’t exceeding to the level seven at least, the person normally gets terminated.
In the construction of my speech, there are some additional queries that I consider, including the attributes that the company aims for when hiring a representative for sales, which may include recruiters for food science jobs, food manufacturing hiring, or pharmaceutical recruiters. There are multiple perspectives on this. One gentleman told me that he puts a lot of emphasis on attitude. He looks for three things: 1. Passion 2. Passion 3. Passion. Everything else he believes can be taught.
Also, another gentleman simply stated that he looks for three things: 1. Prospect 2. Prospect 3. Prospect.
One more expert asserted that if you are equipped with drive, determination, and desire you will find success in anything you decide to do. The three Ds are not trainable.
Some skills should be obvious, such as honesty, motivation, and probably the most weighty in today’s business world, TRUST.
I listen to commitment to excellence, creativity (which is often referred to as being able to think outside the box), confidence, excitement, energy, focus, vision, likeability, persuasive abilities, persistence, professionalism, resilience, resourcefulness, and a willingness to learn more and do more than what is necessary to get the job done. A whole bunch of people mention the same skills like I just said over and over.
People have mentioned that the following skill sets are important: communication, especially listening, being a great reader and a good speaker, and a good writer, organizational skills, and negotiation skills.
Some of the skills that I do not hear as often, but I consider to be very important are:
Ask for the order. Not enough sales representatives ask for, sales begin when the order is placed, ask the most important question, and seek referrals.
Be the consultant and the aide. My perspective on this one is to assist individuals at all times. You want your clientele to prosper. It is like working as a consultant or being employed by the client but getting your paycheck from another client.
Staying on track. Have a system and a schedule in place and keep following through… like a painting with numbers.
Business spirit. This is advantageous even when you are employed. You should try to be slightly more responsible. Spend some of the profits back into the business to make these improvements.
Do not look away from the minute details. Another way for me to express this is: The sale starts after the client has granted their approval. First sales are simple. Obtaining the reorder is a bit more difficult so servicing all accounts requires constant vigilance. Things do go amiss sometimes so being available to make any required adjustments is essential.
Information and understanding. This includes, but is not limited to, your product, the company, the industry, and the other players in the field.
Phone skills. Please tell me you can speak well over the phone, because this is the number one, cheapest, yet easiest way to get better results.
When it comes to rejection. Taking rejection, or setbacks as some people like to call it, lightly and without taking it to heart is a must. Self-esteem here is important.
Relationship-builder. Enjoying one’s company is a prerequisite and you should be skilled at forging relationships. You are in the business of securing clients, after all.
That’s the right attitude. You should be willing to leave your comfort zone.
Simplicity. Avoid making things more complex than they need to be. For instance, my first job was with a company that sold men’s clothing. And that is an easy decision to make, so one did not have to struggle with it, and so I was always told to only place three ties on the payment counter.
Genuineness. Put in the effort to understand your customers.
Team player. It is not possible for one person to achieve everything. A team should be built.
Organizational Skills. You must be able to manage your time effectively. Order of importance should be clear, and tasks should be adequately prioritized. Complete your in-depth tasks after your normal nine-to-five shift. You must also outwork everyone and so be ready to put in the effort.
Volunteer. Join the community and take part in their activities. Become a mega networker.