Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/117833
Editor���s Note Personality is Good, But Not Entirely Good Enough The effective dealer sales rep needs more than natural charisma ��� but product knowledge alone doesn���t cut it either. By kIM pHELAN When my oldest son was in high school I began remarking that he had what I called ���a sales personality.��� I meant it as a compliment and even hinted that he might bear this in mind as he made future education and career choices. The traits I observed in him included ��� beyond his natural ability to schmooze ��� a gregarious nature; a healthy self-confidence; an ease in starting conversations with strangers and then moving those into friendships; a genuine concern for others and desire to solve their problems ��� sometimes going to great lengths to do so; and good verbal communication skills. And last, while I seldom enjoyed the effects of this trait, I have been told he is a young man who possesses good manners and respect for others, particularly his elders. I hold the ���sales personality��� in high esteem, especially the circuit in their hardwiring that protects their psyche from rejection; I wonder if some sales people are even energized by customer rejection, as though challenged to win a battle. While mingling about at the World of Asphalt show in San Antonio last month I picked up some interesting insights about the subject of sales in our industry from a few different sources. For example, a vice president at a well-known road building equipment manufacturer was explaining some operator-friendly features about a product, which had been specifically added to the newly-designed machine for the purpose of helping operators familiar with highway paving make the transition more easily to other types of paving. The machine is aimed at capitalizing on the trend of contractors taking on more diverse types of jobs outside their usual comfort zones and shortening their learning curve to do them. It was an example of machine features designed to benefit certain people in certain types of scenarios, thus underscoring the importance of sales people really knowing their products inside and out, but equally necessary, I inferred, the importance of listening to customers very carefully before you start trying to sell them anything. While this was going on in my head, the VP with whom I was speaking came right out and asserted that this is not an uncommon problem in the dealer sales force. Every machine solution does not solve every contractor���s dilemma or fit every job���s applications. Product expertise is the dealer���s trademark, of course, but it isn���t enough. Only the ability to ask good questions and quietly listen to what the customer is saying gives the account rep the complete set of black and red jumper cables (s)he needs to put a genuinely satisfying deal together. Now granted, OEMs have a responsibility in this to offer good training to their dealers. Dealer sales managers have a responsibility to take advantage of it and get all reps continuously trained on all product developments (not to mention continuous AED training on sales skills, too). To aid in keeping up his side of the sales training bargain, my manufacturing friend described a cool method to deliver effective product and solution training to his dealers��� personnel: webcasts. Besides the brilliance of keeping sales reps onsite in their territories and eliminating travel costs, he keeps the sessions short and digestible ��� usually around 30 minutes a pop. Seems like a sensible way to use technology to communicate some very crucial information upon which sales success depends. It���s also probably very applicable for all you multibranch dealers needing to stay connected with your managers and sales people throughout your state or region. (There���s also Skype and Facetime to consider.) Speaking of technology and sales, that subject cropped up at a dinner conversation on the Riverwalk one evening. The owner of a company involved in the equipment industry shared a recent success that has catapulted his sales volume fourfold over the past two years roughly. His silver bullet? Purchasing licensing to a cloud-based customer relationship management system, Salesforce. The technology has revolutionized his firm���s ability to place useful customer data in the hands of every single person in his small, privately held organization. Some might have considered his significant investment disproportionate to the size of his family-owned business, but, he said, it absolutely saved the company from near-certain demise. Because it���s a lease agreement, he automatically gets updates, and therefore his investment will never become obsolete. Only one veteran sales guy refused to adapt and became the sole casualty of the decision. But the company got rid of its sacred cows, secret lists, and information silos ��� and this business owner couldn���t be more thrilled and proud. If you���re using technology in some innovative way, I���d love to hear about. Thanks for reading! Kim Phelan (kphelan@aednet.org) is the executive editor of Construction Equipment Distribution and director of programs for AED. April 2013 | Construction Equipment Distribution | www.cedmag.com | 7 7_editors note_KP.indd 7 3/25/13 11:54 AM