What is more important to a salesperson?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Warren on February 20, 2010 at 11:10am

Sales Ability - but the skill is learned - and learning product is a big part of becoming skilled at selling. Knowing your product helps you to better serve your customer....

I personally love salesmen who KNOW their stuff. Have you ever experienced a rep who is super friendly, acts like your best friend, jokes around and makes you feel comfortable - but doesn't know the first thing about the product?

I have had this experience many times! My bet is this is common in real estate sales, automotive sales, and unfortunately in dental sales!

We just went shopping for some new golf clubs for my wife who is a 'lefty'. The first store we went to the guy simply went and pulled out 3 set of left handed clubs all which were not even close to what we wanted. After explaining to him what we wanted, he showed us several sets more acting as if we were annoying and demanding customers. We almost compromised - feeling like we were a pain! We left in hopes of finding what we really wanted at the second store...the salesman took the time to ask what we were looking for and gave us several options in a matter of a few minutes. His sales ability was key, but was only enhanced by his product knowledge. We left as happy cusotmers, and now understand why this store had twice as many customers shopping even though it was a smaller store and was just a few blocks away from the big chain...

Smile!
Warren
Success in Dentistry and Life
Join my free blog at DMDrep.com

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Mark Haas on February 20, 2010 at 2:21pm

It is Saturday I'll bite ! (Give this a shot-have to pick one)

Natural Sales Ability Now I'll explain why it is the other !

Some product knowledge is assumed in the above question. The professional that learns everything they can about their company, industry ,product and competition has a leg up-right ! We have all heard it takes over 10K hours to be considered an "expert" in a field ! Now before you say, "product knowledge" or "sales skills" can be learned - I have to add a caveat !

PASSION ! If you don't have passion for your job/industry then you won't have the drive to master the skills ! When do you need passion? Your entire life ! When you are new to a category - you have to be motivated to learn. Compared to a "hobby" - passion in work is still WORK ! The person that says "I don't get paid to.... (fill in what ever you want) - is missing the picture/boat .

So let' s look at natural sales ability - sales ability can be anything from perception of buyers/peers of admiration to the assumption that a #1 seller is a great salesperson !
1) Not everyone can be a salesperson . SOME loath the idea of the approach, potential for rejection or maybe the fear of the unknown. This might just be from the idea of having to "plan" a different day EVERY day ! Being able to "think on your feet" , adjust your schedule and be a "plate spinner" is frankly -SCARY to many !
2) Salespeople know "it's not bad to be a salesperson". While the masses immediately think " plaid sports coat and used cars" - everything has to get sold ! It's funny, many of the same people that think this - just don't know that they sell everyday.

I truly think that salespeople (and repair guru's) will be in demand in the future! I learned a long time ago, "you can't sell a secret" ! Recent social trends show the difference in communication of the younger generations. While "work of mouth" marketing is the holy grail of corporate America - RETWEET'S won't move people to act.
If no one is "talking" to each other...... The "salesperson" knows that it takes the this ability to evoke emotions into actions .

One of the hottest books right now is BuyOLGY -Martin Lindstrom ! Ten years ago I would have said Gendersell- Lee E Roberts PHD. Possibly, the #1 sales person, just uses this as their "leg up" in the arena !

Mark
P.S. Laura - visited www.nonoyes.com ! Signed up for newsletter and have now downloaded 50 new TECNO songs as a result of your intro. Kept thinking HADDADAY!!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Merv Tonkin on February 20, 2010 at 10:02pm

I've always said that the easiest part of our business is the sale. Most dentists are pushovers for the products presented to them. All of us live under the cloud of the fact that dentists have always had the right to return products that do not meet their expectations. To many returns and the product line will die.
Therefore, I belive the hardest part of our role as sales people is the follow through, I.E. making sure that the products or equipment we sell are properly installed or in the case of new merchandise items, used correctly. After all, they are devices used for theraputic purposes, and technique is required. That is the traditional role of a Medical or Dental Rep.
Therefore I assume most of us have the skills and demeanor to Sell. But the most valuable Reps are the ones that can usher a Product, Technique or Tool into sucessful use in a Dentists practice.
If we were selling consumer or mass merchandise products then making the sale would be the most important event. What makes our form of sales so exciting and rewarding is the fact that if we do our job well it will show up as sucessful Dentistry and We the Dentist and the Patients will all be winners.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Ryan Holota on February 24, 2010 at 3:41pm

Since the choices were product knowledge or NATURAL sales ability, I will have to select product knowledge.

Sales ability is something that can be learned as you go. Therefore, NATURAL sales ability is not important.

However, given the choice between product knowledge and a developed sales ability, I would pick sales ability every time.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Anthony Stefanou D.M.D. on March 4, 2010 at 5:47pm

You definitely need to have very good product knowledge, but this is not, especially to dentists, how to LEAD 90% of the time! And, I would define "natural sales ability" as the ability to create trust and rapport.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Marc Daichman on March 8, 2010 at 7:09pm

Sales ability(natural or not!), product knowledge while extremely important, can always be learned I feel easier, than sales ability.

• ▶ Reply