It is amazing to me how many sales professionals, sales executives and sales organizations focus on knowledge sets and skill sets for themselves or their sales teams, but completely ignore the most important aspect of being a great salesperson. And I think I know why.
This aspect is the necessary foundation on which all the other “sets” are built. The most important aspect of being a great sales professional is not your ability to prospect, to “close” (which is a term I dislike very much!) the sale, to handle objections, to avoid objections, product knowledge (which is important), time management, being tech savvy, being able to collaborate, being able to demo your product well, negotiate contracts, research or any other number of important skills that a successful salesperson should want to master in order to be at the top of their profession.
Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that these are not important skill sets to possess. They are very important. But I am talking about THE most important aspect of being a great salesperson. The one thing that even if you possess all of the skills, and more, listed above, won’t help you reach the pinnacle of success in the sales profession. Oh, but it so hard to quantify. This is one reason it gets ignored. It is an elusive aspect to sales and every single salesperson deals with this issue, either positively or negatively, each and every day, sometimes on each and every sales call. The aspect of selling that is the foundation for the success of all sales professionals and sales organizations that is pretty much completely ignored? Mindset!
I have seen a negative mindset derail and send great salespeople off the tracks, sometimes never to return to the rails. The wrong mindset of a salesperson has done more to kill potential sales than a lack of ability in the areas listed above.
The main reason it is ignored is because most sales managers don’t know how to coach salespeople in mindset! They know how teach, coach and train product knowledge, research skills and other important aspects of selling, but without the right mindset, salespeople are doomed to mediocrity.
Remember, belief drives behavior. What are your beliefs? What are the beliefs of the members on your sales team? What are the beliefs about sales communicated by your company? What beliefs were you taught to have by your parents about sales? Are they positive? As a sales leader, do you address beliefs on a regular basis with you team? Is this a part of your coaching?
If you would like to know more, and if I can add value to your team and help rid them of some of their limiting beliefs, let me know. The success of your team members, and your organization, might depend on it!
Rob Stenberg is the President/CEO of Stenberg & Associates – Sales & Leadership Academy. He is an international speaker, trainer, coach and author – Find out more at www.robstenbergspeaks.com
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