What’s the secret skill set needed for success in sales? If you ask anyone what kind of skills you need to succeed in sales, they’ll give you varying responses. The current skill set you possess may need some work as the industry continues to change and adapt. The sales industry keeps changing and it’s up to you to keep up with it. Here are the top 7 skills that you need to succeed in sales, as noted by Joseph Vessecchia.
1. Video Skills
Not only are content skills important, but so are video skills. These skills can help take you through the buyer’s journey. You can use your video content to answer common questions, connect with new leads, and follow-up with prospects who have disappeared. Video skills provide you with the content you need to conduct product demos and make engaging proposals. It is also great for web conferences so that the prospect can see you face. This has been proven scientifically to improve sales close rates.
Perfecting your video skills is difficult, but worth it. When creating videos, you should practice your delivery, pacing, and tone. Experiment with different videos of different products. Then go back and watch them. Which ones are the most engaging and effective?
You don’t need a team of videographers to get the best filming, lighting, and props. All of these components can easily be produced on your own. Find out the right length for each of your videos. Working on your video skills can help you stand out among your competitors—something that is essential in this competitive sales environment.
2. Having Persistence
There’s a way to be persistent without being pushy and annoying. When you’re faced with an obstacle such as unreturned phone calls or no response to an e-mail or text, you shouldn’t give up. When you hit such an obstacle, you should approach it from a new angle. Set up a one-on-one meeting with that prospect if you can. Get some light, funny dialogue going that can help you win the sale. It’s important to be creatively persistent for achieving sales success because unforeseen circumstances do arise. Perhaps the prospect is dealing with a family issue or there are extenuating circumstances. This could be the difference between closing a big deal and letting one slip through the cracks.
3. Keeping Up With Trends
You want to make sure you’re aware of the current trends in your industry and market. Determine which methods or strategies are the most popular and effective. Find out which marketing campaigns are attracting the most customers. Learn about which types of media are popular among your target audience.
Knowing the current trends can help you best engage with your audience. It’s just as important as improving your products and solutions. Since marketing can be a daunting task at first, you can make this step easier through ongoing research and attending workshops and events. You can even hire an industry coach who can help you improve your knowledge and skills so that you can differentiate yourself for the better.
4. Ability to Be Honest
As a salesperson, it’s easy to walk the fine line between being yourself and pretending to be someone else, but customers are getting smarter. Since they know when someone is playing being disingenuous and competition is so stiff, these tactics no longer work. Rather than pretending to like the same interests as your client, you should focus on authenticity instead—trying to find genuine common ground.
Your client will respect you more if you’re honest but push yourself outside your comfort zone. They will respect you even more if you admit there are things you do not share in common or mistakes you have made. Your client will then be lead to believe you are a unique individual and have an open mind, which certainly leads to sales success.
5. Having Passion
It’s important to be passionate about what you’re selling. It goes hand in hand with persistence. Successful salespeople are passionate about what they do and what they sell. This is why picking the right organization is incredibly crucial as it’s hard to pretend to be passionate about something you are indifferent with. With passion, you seek your own opportunities instead of waiting for them to happen and you become a better salesperson because you enjoy what you’re doing daily.
6. Be Data-Driven
You have to learn about your customers’ needs on an ongoing basis. Being data-driven means that you can analyze and interpret a world with ever-changing information. Take a good look at the raw data given to you from your clients. You can usually locate this information from your charts and numbers based off your written client feedback.
Does this data have a common theme? With your knowledge of your industry and current trends, you can develop a strategy that’s based on hard numbers. Instead of feeling intimidated by the large amount of data that’s out there, you can focus on problems or scenarios that need a solution.
7. Technological Skills
While the right technology can improve sales, it can also decrease productivity. Salespeople must be able to differentiate between the right tools that look fun and resources that actually help them achieve their bottom line. Your company may invest in a new app that monitors e-mail messages and knows when a prospect is more likely to make a purchase. You may find out that it’s a waste of time since it only notifies you after you already closed the sale (this is an example). That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t embrace this new technology when your organization invests in it, but it does mean you should invest your time and attention where it matters. Time is the most valuable asset we have! Good luck, and happy selling!
Joseph Vessecchia is a technology salesperson at Quick Base. His successful career has allowed him to build an online community where he helps others achieve their sales goals. In 2014, Joseph Vessecchia graduated from the University of Michigan with a BA in Economics. Shortly after graduating, he successfully launched a software sales career.