A skill seller is someone who can enact the exchange of value between themselves and their buyers. This means being able to understand and articulate the benefits of a product or service and then delivering that to the buyer in a way that is meaningful, effective and adds value to their business. It also means having a wide range of skills to be successful in a sales conversation, which include sales prospecting, handling inbound calls, generating opportunities, identifying needs, building relationships, overcoming objections, negotiating pricing and closing deals.
The most important selling skills that a person can have are the ones that enable them to understand their customers’ needs and desires. This means having a high emotional intelligence and being able to build trust with their clients. It also involves having a good understanding of their clients’ industries and businesses, and how those factors might affect their buying decision.
Selling skills are often grouped into categories such as: a sales model (e.g. transactional vs consultative), a set of sales tactics, a knowledge base of market trends and customer challenges, and a high level of business acumen. The best salespeople have all of these skills and are able to use them in a combination that allows them to succeed.
For example, an inbound call from a potential customer might require a more transactional style of selling whereas a meeting with a key account might require a more consultative approach. A great salesperson can take this into account and then adjust their approach accordingly.
As the world becomes more educated and informed, the tolerance for bad customer experience is dropping. As a result, it’s becoming more important than ever for sellers to master their sales skills and be able to deliver value to their buyers.
A salesperson will usually develop their skills by practicing and executing them. The more they practice these skills, the more proficient they will become until they are Unconsciously Competent. This is a state where the skill has become so ingrained that they perform it without thinking about it, just like riding a bike.
Developing the right skills is a great way to achieve a higher performance from your team. However, the biggest factor in determining a seller’s success is their drive and motivation. This is often a much bigger factor than their technical competence or even their experience.
As a sales manager, it’s up to you to ensure that your team has the opportunity to succeed and meet their goals. Whether that’s by providing them with the tools they need to sell effectively in the virtual landscape or by helping them build value for their clients. skill seller