Don’t work so hard when you sell

I was asked last night at my presentation to the American Society for Quality what characteristics make a great salesperson. My answer was a surprise to the group.  I cited my column, “Why Engineers Can Make the Best Salespeople.”  They have the same characteristics of great salespeople

1.  They get process.  Sales is a process. You have to follow it to get the results you want.
2. They are GREAT listeners.  The best salespeople by FAR are the best listeners.
3. They are persistent.  You’ve got to be persistent (in a polite way!) to get great sales results.

So this week, focus on being a great listener. It’s not what you say that counts early in the sales process.  It’s what you hear that counts.  That’s the information you need to sell. You want to hear a need, respond to it with a solution that gives your customer a reason to buy.

You want to be more successful in sales?  Don’t work so hard on talking.  Focus on  your listening!