Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/454549
FEBRUARY 2015 20 THE JOURNAL Making selling easier Self-Marketing — The Salesperson's Other Job BY JOHN GRAHAM SALES MARKETING Even highly experienced and successful sales- people can have a blind spot. So intent on what they want to accomplish, it's easy to ignore how others view them. And it isn't always compli- mentary. "Oh, don't take Sally seriously. Just remember that she's in sales." This is one rea- son why year-after-year salespeople find them- selves on the bottom rung of the public's trust ladder. Going into sales can be like having three strikes hanging over your head everyday: instant distrust, not being taken seriously, and getting more rejections than you deserve. What's amazing is that so many stay in the field even when few gain signifi- cant success. To cope with these negatives, salespeople have another "other job" and that's market- ing themselves more ef- fectively. Here's how to go about it: 1. Define yourself. Cultivating how others perceive them should be the #1 priority for sales professionals. With everything in- stantaneous, including the way others see them, there are no sec- ond chances. No one takes time to figure them out or has time to make an effort to get an accurate picture of what they're all about. The salesperson's "other job" starts with identifying those characteristics customers value and respond to positively, as well as those that bothers them and cause them to look for some- one else. When salespeople ignore defining them- selves, others will do it for them — and chances are the results will not be what they want. 2. Share what you know. Having the right selling skills is basic, but salespeople often ig- nore the critical role knowledge plays in at- tracting customers and closing sales. Today's customers look for evidence that salespeople possesses the level of expertise they expect from those they work with. One of the most effective ways to demon- strate competence in a digital world is blogging. Whether it's making your ideas, experience and knowledge available by email, on your website, in industry publications or post- ing on LinkedIn, sharing what you know is an excellent way to connect with prospects and to let customers know why it's in their best in- terest to work with you. 3. Being on time. It may seem like a minor, relatively unimportant, or overly compulsive issue, but being on time is a performance benchmark. Having a reputation for being late sticks; it doesn't go away. "Don't give that as- signment to him," the manager said. "He never meets deadlines." Anyone in sales who wants to show cus- tomers that they are dependable, reliable, and can be counted on, being on time sends the message, a characteristic that has immense value in business. 4. Not talking about yourself. Some sales- people just can't resist trying to impress prospects and customers by interjecting them- selves (and often their customers) into the con- versation. It's easy to forget that those we speak with are interested in overcoming their prob- lems, having their needs met, and pursuing their opportunities, not listening to a salesperson "stories". It's your solutions, not your "war stories" that get your customers' attention. When you give them what they need, they'll be quick to tell others what you have done for them. 5. Develop a give-and-take style. What today's customers are looking for in a salesper- son is dialogue, not a sales pitch. They want someone who takes time to interact with them, answering questions, and, most of all, being patient. Customers want to make the best pos- sible decisions, not live with regrets. What this takes is a "give-and-take" style that focuses on what customers are thinking about and wrestling with mentally. It isn't just a matter of having the right information; it's more about having an understanding of what's involved in making a purchase, whether it's a large item like a car, an intangible such as in- surance, or something as seemingly ordinary as a pair of jeans. 6. Take ownership of communication. Here are two examples of salespeople who do it right. The first is the only auto salesperson I re- member clearly. He made sure I didn't forget him by sending along a homey email newsletter that was a fun read. The other one is a life insurance agent who knows the value of communicating with his Going into sales can be like having three strikes hanging over your head everyday: instant dis- trust, not being taken se- riously, and getting more rejections than you de- serve. What's amazing is that so many stay in the field even when few gain significant success.