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Are you the winning kind of salesperson?

Are you the winning kind of salesperson?

Published: OnTarget. Vol 5, issue 2 2005

You've heard of the good, the bad and the ugly. In sales, it's the successful, the mediocre and the ne're-dowells.

Not all people fit into a pigeonhole. But I believe it's important to identify your characteristics so you can improve them, as well as to understand what works.

Take a look at the types of salespeople below. You'll see yourself. You'll also see salespeople like the ones you work with or compete with. Note: You may possess traits of several characters.

Mr. Know-It-All

Mr. Know-It-All always knows the answer, even before you've finished the question. He's someone you just love to hate. He has just enough sales skills to continue to earn just enough money to stay in the groove, while making most people he comes in contact with miserable - especially co-workers.

Mr. Mediocre's

Mr. Mediocre's belief system is reflected in his paycheck. He's not mediocre in sales skills, because mediocrity doesn't always stem from a lack of skill; rather, it stems from a lack of belief in what you do, what you sell and who you are.

Ms. Old-World Selling Skills

Ms. Old-World Selling Skills has a distinct system of selling: Probe, present, overcome objections, close and leave. Most of the time, this system is successful in getting you to leave the sale early. Unfortunately, it's with the response of "no."

Mr. Manipulative

Mr. Manipulative is the evil twin of Ms. Old-World Selling Skills. If you've ever walked into a car dealership and the salesperson used the word "today" five times, and you tried to avoid him at all costs, then you know exactly who Mr. Manipulative is. He's not just annoying, he's insulting.

Ms. Almost Sale

Ms. Almost Sale gets customers to commit but doesn't obtain a signed contract. She goes back to the office and brags that the sale is in the bag. What she's saying is, "I have nothing. No contract, no check." In sales lingo, that is an "almost sale." The sale is complete only when a contract is signed, a check is received and some form of delivery is made.

Mr. I've Been Doing This For 25 Years

Mr. I've Been Doing This For 25 Years thinks his experience equals knowledge. Now all he has to do is figure out how to turn on his laptop. Think about the changes in the past 25 years in sales technology and techniques. Veteran salespeople are the most vulnerable of anyone in the industry. They become complacent and often lose a big sale to someone who outhustles them. The sad part about these salespeople is that they didn't start out that way. They started out with that daily spark.

Mr. Relationship

Mr. Relationship understands that sometimes you have to sacrifice short-term gains in order to build for the future by building a foundation for short-term success and long-term wealth,. He doesn't focus on quota. He focuses on being the best. Every sales manager wants this salesperson on the team. With Mr. Relationship, there are always fewer complaints from customers, and more reorders.

Mr. Humble

Mr. Humble (an endangered species of salesperson) gets the job done, sticks at it till he wins, loves to serve, is loved by customers, gets the order, makes a fat commission, brags to no one and is grateful for his job. He bleeds the company's colors but always has the customer's best interest at heart.

Mr. I'm Successful

Mr. I'm Successful will tell you that he is successful himself. He'll tell you by the clothes he wears, the car he drives, the names he drops and the vacations he takes. Yes, there has to be some achievement behind the process. But you have to ask yourself, at what price? He would be a much more successful guy if he would Vulcan-mindmeld with Mr. Humble.

Ms. Consistent

Ms. Consistent realises that to become successful, build relationships and become a superstar, there has to be a foundation of consistency. Ms. Consistent can morph into any one of those traits. Customers love consistency, because they know they can rely on the salesperson to meet or exceed their needs.

Ms. Hustle

Ms. Hustle doesn't have all the skill in the world. But she loves to serve, returns phone calls in an instant and is the master of new technology. Customers love her because they can depend on her. Ms. Hustle is loyal to company and customers alike. She always sells by the rules.

Mr. Superstar

Mr. Superstar has managed to build relationships over an extended period of time and derives incredible income from having fun with customers - a round of golf, a sporting event, a nice dinner. Mr. Superstar will get a call from a customer telling him a competitor has come in the door and was promptly asked to leave. Mr. Superstar is both a consultant and a trusted adviser. He has established relationships and has gone beyond his own success to help customers build their business.

Great salespeople are not born or made. They evolve over time, based on their dedication to excellence and their willingness to succeed.

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