Compare the following 10 characteristics buyers look for in a salesperson to the characteristics Sales Managers look for when they hire, and you might come to the same conclusion I have: Are you Hiring the Wrong Salespeople?
What the Customer is looking for in a salesperson.
- Problem-Solving
- Active Listening
- Relationship Building
- Confidence
- Years of Experience
- Technology Proficient
- Critical Thinking
- Expertise
- Charisma
- Empathy
What the Sales Manager is looking for in a salesperson
- Critical Thinking
- Relationship Building
- Active Listening
- Problem-Solving
- Confidence
- Technology Proficient
- Oral Communication
- Creativity
- Persuasiveness
- Years of Experience
Like all reports of this nature, it summarises the findings across many different markets and industries and may or may not be relevant to your circumstances or hiring practices.
However, it does suggest that knowledge of the best characteristics associated with your industry would be a decided advantage when looking to hire a new salesperson.
So, the big question is how you, as a Sales Manager, can develop that list of characteristics pertinent to your industry and market.
Knowledge of what buyers are looking for from salespeople could be developed by conducting a survey of existing customers or by a Sales Manager’s first-hand observation of several different salespeople during actual sales calls.
While a first-hand understanding of relevant characteristics is important, it is also essential to assess the strengths and weaknesses of each salesperson in relation to these characteristics.
This is also an excellent opportunity to understand “WHY” sales are either won, lost, or delayed. “WHY is the glue that holds the qualification processes together. It is ultimately an accurate projection of the sales process’s outcome and an overall measure of the entire sales team’s performance.
Micro-selling skills are like gold nuggets, just waiting to be discovered.
Facts to Consider
“A 10% improvement in Micro Selling Skills will deliver a 30% increase in sales.“
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