If you have responsibilities in managing a sales force—whether it’s a group of six or an army of 6,000—you know there are two keys to making your salespeople highly productive and effective: Talent and Training.
It takes no more Talent to be an interactive seller than it takes to be an ordinary salesperson—but it takes no less! Any talented salesperson can learn how to use the simple practices of interactive selling, but first they must be wired for success in sales, they must possess the fundamental Talent set that distinguishes true salespeople from the rest of society.
Skills can be taught, but Talent is inherent in the individual. At The Center for Sales Strategy, we know how misleading experience can be, how unreliable a resume so often is, how worthless an applicant’s contacts sometimes prove to be, and how seductive it can be to hire a “smart talking” candidate who doesn’t actually have sales talent. We have systems and tools to help our clients not to be misled or seduced, but instead to sniff out—and then measure—the key ingredients that constitute a strong Talent set for sales. We look for these traits:
Commitment-Seeking Traits
Highly Assertive ● Very Convincing ● Take-Charge Style ● Opinion Leader ● Natural Asker & Closer ● Spurs Others to Action
Problem Solver
Finds & Solves Problems ● Likes to Learn & Know ● Optimistic ● Understands Client Needs ● Full of Ideas & Alternatives ● Strategic
Work Style Traits
- Work Intensity
Focused & Energetic ● Goal-Directed ● Mental Rehearsal/Review ● Persistent ● Loves to Work ● High Achiever
- Discipline
Organized ● Structured ● Detail-Oriented ● Abhors Unfinished Tasks ● Multi-Tasker ● Meets High Standards
Relationship Traits
- Positivity
Contagious Enthusiasm ● High Morale ● Builds Rapport Quickly ● Embraces Change ● Gives Energy to Others ● Cool in a Crisis
- Interpersonal
Knows People as Individuals ● Demonstrates Empathy ● Builds Trust Bonds ● Intuitive About People ● Warm & Outgoing ● Sincere
- Responsibility
Accountable ● Dependable ● Doesn’t Bend the Truth ● Takes Ownership of Work ● Doesn’t Make Excuses ● Develops Strong Trust
Self-Motivation Traits
- Enterpriser
Independent ● Growth Oriented ● Risk Taker ● Self-Reliant ● Seeks Big Challenges ● Appreciates Recognition
- Ambition
Desires to Win ● Strives to Be the Best ● Competes with Self & Others ● Unlikely to be Complacent ● Sets Tough Goals ● Excels Under Pressure
We’d be delighted to discuss your sales selection challenges. Please contact us for more information.
Once you have the right Talent on board, you should turn your attention to Training. By Training, we mean the entire growth and development system you have for the precious Talent you’ve selected. This includes:
Establishing a coaching and mentoring relationship between the salesperson and his/her sales manager.
Setting behavioral and performance expectations, both one-on-one and in various other training modalities, including the CSS Interactive Selling one-day workshop.
Providing specific, timely, relevant, strengths-focused feedback so the salesperson knows what he/she needs to do to grow.
Developing a compensation plan for each individual that focuses on both their strengths and the achievement of corporate strategic objectives.
CSS has a broad range of management and sales systems and practices proven over decades by our clients—many of whom have been with us for decades! We welcome the opportunity to discuss your needs and our services. Please contact us to set a mutually convenient time to talk.