HOW TO BE A SUCCESSFUL
SALES CONSULTANT
DEFINITION OF A SALES CONSULTANT
It refers to a professional who is in charge of devising
strategies for promoting and selling products or
services. They serve as an intermediary between
companies and their customers, recommending
products and services while ensuring customer
requirements are met.
Qualities of a Good Sales Consultant
Many of the qualities needed to become a good sales
consultant take years to master. However, knowing
what skills to focus on will greatly help you channel
your energies where needed.
Now let us discuss on 10 qualities of good sales
consultant one by one
Persuasion
The selling process fundamentally revolves around the
ability of the sales consultant to persuade. Persuasion
includes explaining to and convincing prospects why your
product or service outshines the competition. To properly
persuade a customer, sales consultants need to understand
all the benefits of their products. Additionally, all sales
representatives need to listen to their customers to
understand their particular needs.
Positivism
All sales consultants need to have a positive attitude in their
tool belt. Sales can really wear down the unprepared. Sales
consultants will need to quickly familiarize themselves with
rejection. Every single sales consultant will experience
rejection at some point, regardless of experience or skill
level. The ability to remain optimistic even in dire situations
separates decent sales consultants from excellent sales
consultants.
Outgoing Personality
Sales consultants deal with strangers day in and day out.
Without the ability to approach and communicate with these
strangers, a salesperson will never make a sale. Many
prospects and customers expect salespeople to approach them
first, especially in retail settings. And once a conversation
begins, sales consultants must engage in a meaningful way that
puts customers at ease. Sales consultants can develop an
outgoing personality on and off the clock. The more
comfortable they get having meaningful conversations with
strangers, the better their sales performance.
Detail Oriented
Every small facet of each interaction provides a puzzle piece
for the sales consultant to pick up on. Beyond the customers,
the sales consultants must also focus on the small details of
the products and services. These small details help them
better understand the value of that which they sell.
Additionally, a sales consultant must recall the fine details
which a customer requests. This includes the precise
specifications of the customer’s order, including such details
as quantity. Keeping these details straight reduces buying
friction. The less buying friction, the more likely a customer
will return for additional purchases.
Diligence
When a sales consultant ties positivism with diligence, they
become unstoppable. Or at least unperturbed in the face of
uneven odds. During their sales pitch, a sales consultant needs
to stay diligent until they exhaust all ways to reach a sale.
Some prospects might offer immediate rejections or
objections despite a hidden need for the product or service.
Additionally, a salesperson should take the initiative and take
all the effort needed to secure a sale. This means following up
on dozens of phone calls and pursuing every lead to its
conclusion.
Rapport and Relationship Building
A good relationship between a sales consultant and a customer
results in greater quality and quantity of sales. To build a good
relationship, sales consultants should discuss topics unrelated to the
sale at hand. More than anything, prospects buy from sales
consultants they like. By staying friendly and sharing small personal
details, a salesperson can establish a mutually beneficial
relationship.
Rapport building also leads to a stronger degree of trust between
the sales consultant and the customer. This means that customers
will better take the advice of the salesperson. So when a
salesperson gives a recommendation, the customer will probably
take advantage of that insider knowledge.
Organizational Skills
Not only must sales consultants keep up with a plethora of
details, but they must also keep these details straight. When
handling many accounts simultaneously, sales consultants need
to make sure they keep each deal on track. That means
attending the proper meetings and going into them with the
correct information. Mixing up dates or accounts can lead those
customers to leave for more organized competition. Staying
organized helps reduce the amount of stress you will feel
because you will have everything laid out before you.
Problem-Solving Skills
Selling means matching a customer’s needs with a specific
product or service that satisfies that need. To go about solving
any problem, the sales consultant must first take the time to
understand the problem. Listening to a customer’s specific
needs leads to a solution that truly matches those needs.
Thinking critically about the problem allows for creative
problem-solving.
Technological Skills
In today’s modern sales world, sales consultants need to keep
up with modern technology. Many businesses implement
technology into their sales process, including computer
databases and tablets in the field. Sales consultants need to
adapt to using these tools just as they would anything else. By
staying up to date, sales consultants can take advantage of the
benefits technology offers.
Whenever your business implements a new technology, take
the time to learn how to fully use it. This will save you from
getting lost when trying to use it in the field.
Research Skills
From discussing a prospect’s needs in person to performing
online research, a sales consultant constantly gathers
information. Knowledge is power, so the more a sales
consultant knows about their products and clients, the better
they can perform. For example, before a meeting with a new
client, the sales consultant must research that client as
thoroughly as possible.
This especially applies to B2B sales consultants. By researching
a client’s business, they can learn what matters most to that
business. When a sales consultant knows what matters most
to their prospects they can find the right solution.
What makes a good salesperson?
A good salesperson has more to offer customers than an
exciting pitch —they’re enthusiastic individuals with
resilience and they take the time to get to know their
customers’ needs, show empathy, and deal in a product in
confidence. They also know how to handle rejection, and
learn from both their most successful deals and ones lost.
Characteristics of a good salesperson
Delightful
A positive first impression is important in establishing a
professional relationship. As a salesperson, you should have
a well-put-together appearance and an inviting demeanor.
Enthusiastic
Being a good salesperson means you’ll put in the work, even
when it gets tough. Having motivation to get the job done
shows that you are passionate.
Analytical
While friendliness is a good trait, you have to let your
customers know you’re prepared, too. Customers want to
make deals with salespeople who are dependable, factdriven, and likely to ask questions and deliver answers
they’re looking for.
Resilient
Sales numbers can vary from time-to-time, but that doesn’t
deter a good salesperson. Instead of getting discouraged,
you’ll rethink your game plan and get back to work.
Attentive
Good salespeople understand that each customer has
different needs. Actively listening to their pain points can
help you create a deal they’ll value.
Thorough
A good salesperson should be an expert in what they’re
selling. Demonstrating that you’re knowledgeable makes you
more reputable in the eyes of customers.
Empathic
Connecting to your customers’ emotions can tell you what
they really want from a sale. By appealing to their
sentiments, you can meet their needs in new ways.
Confident
This may seem obvious, but being confident in your product
or service can make your customers feel more confident in it,
too. The same can be said for how confident you are in
yourself.
Adaptable
Sales is a pretty volatile profession, and good salespeople
are adaptable to those changes. Being able to pivot your
approach, or manage time shifts are very useful skills in this
field.
Committed
Good salespeople aren’t quick to give up. It’s a tough
profession, but those who are hungry to succeed will strive
toward their goals.
“ If people like you, they’ll listen to you, but if they trust
you, they’ll do business with you.”
And that brings us to the end of my presentation, thank you
all for your time, contribution and attention.
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