TWO PIERCING QUESTIONS FROM STEPH, THE SALES MANAGER

As we continued our discussion with Steph, it became clear to her that today’s sales force must have a wide range of skills to compete successfully. She recognised that gone are the days when salespeople with simple presentation and closing skills could achieve aggressive sales targets because today’s buyers are far better informed.

And so Steph had two piercing questions: she wanted to know what were the characteristics of modern selling, and what were the most important success factors for professional salespeople. Let’s see what these are.

CHARACTERISTICS OF MODERN SELLING

Moncrief and Marshall (2005) speak of the following six characteristics of modern selling:

1. Customer retention and deletion

2. Database and knowledge management

3. Customer relationship management

4. Marketing the product (or service)

5. Problem-solving and system selling

6. Satisfying needs and adding value.

In addition to the above, this marketers’s own experience in the Caribbean business environment is that where there is a carefully constructed strategic marketing plan with a comprehensive sales plan flowing from this marketing plan, perceptions of the sale force are more positive. This enables the salesforce to more effectively address item #4 on the above list (marketing the product), and generally they perform at higher levels.

Steph nodded in pain, for although her company had a marketing department, none was a trained marketer and their marketing plan consisted mainly of mass communication and social media activities. Not a hint of strategy. Definitely not enough support for the modern sales force!

SUCCESS FACTORS FOR PROFESSIONAL SALESPEOPLE

For decades sales trainers have been teaching newcomers to the profession that the ABC of sales is Always Be Closing. But how important really are closing skills in modern selling?

A study by Marshall, Goebel and Moncrief (2003) asked sales managers to identify the skills and knowledge required to be successful in selling. Here’s what they found in order of importance:

1. Listening skills

2. Follow-up skills

3. Ability to adapt sales style from situation

4. Tenacity — sticking to the task

5. Organisational skills

6. Verbal communication skills

7. Proficiency at interacting with people at all levels within an organisation

8. Demonstrated ability to overcome objections

9. Closing skills

10. Personal planning and time management

Where do closing skills fall? Yes, it was number 9 on the top 10 of the sales managers surveyed. But there is hope, for as Jobber and Lancaster (2012) put it, “Sales managers can use this knowledge of widely accepted sales success factors to improve their recruitment and training practices; and educators have information upon which to ensure their curricular best reflect the skills and knowledge most valued by practitioners.” Food for much thought.

SO BACK TO STEPH, OUR SALES MANAGER

Armed with this knowledge the picture was becoming clearer to Steph. It seems that her company has been guilty of giving their salespeople a basket to carry water. For how could a sales force whose training focused mainly on handling objections and closing techniques give them a competitive advantage?

Clearly her company needed a fresh approach to sales force development. They needed something better, something anchored in research.

Having looked at her team and their success factors, Steph began to look inward. What about her role and function as manager of this sales team? Has she been guilty of setting unrealistic numeric targets and then demanding blood with little support or guidance?

Shall we discuss the role of sales management next week?

Written by Herman D Alvaranga, president of the Caribbean School of Sales Management (CSSM) the region’s first Public Training College specialising in sales, marketing and brand management education/training, consulting and research. E-mail hdalvaranga@cssm.edu.jm