Qualifications that Identify an Excellent Salesman
An excellent salesman could sell sand to a camel or ice to an Eskimo, repeatedly, and still make them feel happy they paid for it. There are many salesmen out there and many of us have had enough bad experiences that we try to stay away from them. Also, we have also come across some exceptional salesmen whom we dial when we are in need of something. Have you ever thought about why you are happy dealing with some salesmen and not the others?
This article aims to highlight what makes some salesmen exceptional such that we are happy to give our money to.
Acknowledge the competition
Do not make the mistake of bad mouthing the opponent in front of a customer. Nothing turns off a customer more than that. It is one thing to say your product better and quite another to state that the competitor’s product is useless. An excellent salesman knows about his competitor’s product and is able to identify areas where his product is superior. This way, he is able to highlight his product without negating the value of his competitor’s product.
Playing fair is a good thing. Customers prefer to buy from someone who is knowledgeable about his and the competitor’s product while providing a suitable recommendation to the customer according to the needs.
Warm and Gentle
Being stiff in neatly pressed clothes and giving an ice cold plastic smile to get the items sold may seem professional but a great salesman usually opts for the next door neighbor approach. Their primary motive is not to sell someone something. Their primary focus is to sell a customer exactly what the customer wants. In order to do that, a warm and gentle approach is needed because that is what will get the customer to open up and share information.
Customers are wary of the neatly pressed salesmen and they are already in denial. An excellent salesman is able to change that denial into a “maybe” and then to a definitive “YES” with his approach.
Enthusiastic Not Aggressive
Contrary to the belief that a salesman needs to be cut throat and aggressive in his selling skills, a soft spoken and confident person would make for an excellent salesman solely based on his enthusiasm about the product he is selling. The trouble people have with salesmen is primarily that the salesmen are too aggressive in his selling method.
The age old method of trying to close the sale by saying it is a limited time offer or that the offer ends today has passed. The customer is aware that if one offer closes another opens up in no time. Hence, be enthusiastic in your approach instead of being aggressive.
Always Be There
Have you ever been on the other line of the phone trying to reach for a support? If you have, you would realize how long you may have to hold the line and how often you get transferred from department to department and still not have an answer to your query. An excellent salesman ensures that he can be contacted at anytime regarding the product and will ensure you get the best treatment possible. He may actually do this by providing his direct number so that you may cut the red tape and reach him without a hassle.
In summary an excellent salesman makes extra effort to please his customers without actually trying. It comes naturally to him or he perseveres to ensure he get it right. The important thing is that he is sincere in his approach and does not try to sell something without finding out the needs of the customer first. He is not overly aggressive in his approach and prefers to be gentle and understanding. Also, he is aware of his competitors and their offerings. However, he does not try to put down his competition in front of his customers for the quick sale. Instead he highlights the benefits of the product he is selling to grab their attention.
