Everyone can (& must) be a Salesperson

As we all know, sales is the backbone of any business. Whether you're a business owner, entrepreneur, or just starting out in your career, having strong sales skills can open the door to a wide range of opportunities. But what exactly are the best salespeople in the world doing to achieve success? And more importantly, how can you develop and hone those skills for yourself?

This newsletter is just the tip of the iceberg of what makes a good salesperson and is a small part of my ethos that allowed me to generate $100M in revenue for the companies I worked for - IBM, PwC and Mastercard.

LET ME BE VERY CLEAR - it doesn't matter whether you are a student, starting off your career, or a creative professional, EVERYONE has to be a salesperson!

Whether it be "selling" your brand on social media or online, "selling" your skills to your potential boss in an interview, or even "selling / trying to convince" your boss why you deserve a promotion - EVERYONE is a salesperson, in some way shape or form!

So what makes a good Salesperson?

First and foremost, the best salespeople have a deep understanding of their customers' needs. They actively listen to their prospects and are able to communicate the value of their products or services in a way that resonates with the customer. They understand the pain points and challenges their customers are facing and can present solutions that address those needs.

How does that translate to you in your non-sales job?

Next time you are in a conversation with your boss, about goal-setting or talking about preparing your case for a promotion - use the above tactic, GET INTO THE MIND OF THE OTHER PERSON. What exactly are they looking to hear, or more importantly, put yourself in their shoe and try and try and ascertain what you would like to hear that would make you think "Ah, damn, yes he/she is the right person for this, They really get me!"

But as is the case with poor salespeople, more often than not people, in general, come into every conversation with a script. And come hell or high-water, they want to get through that script. If at times you find the conversation slipping away from you, and you are in a non-stop regurgitation mode - then this is what you're doing.

Second, the best salespeople NEVER sell the product (which could be you or your work, if you are a non-sales person). They almost always, sell the VALUE or BENEFIT that their product will bring their customers. 95% of the salespeople and account managers I have led and worked with, don't quite understand this concept well. Why? Because it is hard!

It is easier to stick to a stock script and just regurgitate what you have been told. Selling the value or benefit your work/product will bring the other person shifts the conversation entirely, because now, psychologically, you have anchored the conversation on VALUE / BENEFIT as opposed to product/price/person!

Last, but not the least, the best salespeople in the world, talk less! Why?

Because they listen more.Why?

Because hearing their prospect talk more gives them additional information. Why?

Because if they have more information then they can mentally adjust their pitch. Why?

Because, if you literally repeat back what you heard while layering in your pitch - BOOM!

You have just crossed a major mental hurdle, respect! You can win a person's respect 7/10 times, merely by listening to them and repeating it back to them - showing them that they were heard!

And this, is not just about sales, it's about LIFE!

What about us salespeople?

Well, for my fellow salespeople, you may or may not know this, but there are a slew of different types of methodologies that are at your disposal, IF YOU ARE TRAINED in it!

Unfortunately, enterprises don't spend much on sales training as much as they should!

Here are the top 5 sales methodologies I have found valuable over the years, and they of course vary based on the situation, type of product/service you are selling, the complexity of the customer's decision-making process, length of sales cycle etc.

1. Value-Based Selling is a sales methodology that focuses on identifying and communicating the value that a product or service can provide to a customer. It emphasizes understanding the customer's needs and aligning the product or service with those needs to demonstrate its value.

2. Power-Based-Prinzip is a German sales methodology that focuses on understanding the power dynamics in a sales situation and using that knowledge to create mutually beneficial outcomes. It emphasizes building trust and understanding the customer's decision-making process.

3. SPIN Selling is a sales methodology developed by Neil Rackham that focuses on identifying and addressing customer needs through a structured questioning process. The acronym SPIN stands for Situation, Problem, Implication, and Need-Payoff.

4. Solution Selling is a sales methodology that focuses on understanding the customer's needs and presenting solutions that address those needs. It emphasizes building relationships and understanding the customer's business to better align solutions with their needs.

5. Challenger Selling is a sales methodology that emphasizes teaching the customer something new about their business and market, challenging their assumptions and status quo to show them a new perspective and potential solution.

So what's next?

If your organization could benefit from leveling up their salesforce, get in touch with me at [email protected]

In the meantime, to aid you in your Growth Mindset Journey, you can now access (for free) Financial Literacy content on Youtube and Spotify 

Because money forms the bedrock of almost everything we do in live, so a key aspect of cultivating a growth mindset, is to truly and deeply understand Money! & how financial institutions and central banks have been taking the common person for a ride all these years!

Till next time!

Adi