Blog Post: Salesperson or Consultant? It's all in the approach!

Over the years I have worked for several organizations in performance-oriented positions. Some of them were good and some of them not so much. The biggest difference I have noticed between the good and the bad is the way sales people are trained to handle conversations with their perspective clients. Fortunately, I am a corporate trainer in my company, which gives me the opportunity to influence the way my trainees form relationships with their potential clients. Before you read any further (or decide if sales is even for you), you must answer some of these questions to yourself.

1. Do you believe sales is a numbers game?

2. Do you think sales is like a tug of war, or a war period?

3. Do the friends and colleagues of your clients call YOU to do business?

4. When your client has a concern (objection), do you jump straight to your "rebuttal"?

5. Do you buy in to the ABC (always be closing) mentality?

Ok, so now that you have answered these to yourself, I will give you a little insight into my responses and thoughts on the above.

1. Guess what? Sales does not have to be a numbers game! In fact, sales is not a game at all. It's a business; a people business. Treat every client like a potential life-long friend and you will see how your sales calls/meetings will change. Understand that you are starting a long-term relationship so what you say to this person will come back to haunt (or benefit) you. Think of how you start a long term relationship with a potential mate and what the special ingredients to starting a successful relationship are. We all have daily, weekly and monthly goals in sales, which sometimes make us forget why we really pick up the phone, go on a sales call or perform the other activities which lead to sales. Do not get lost in the numbers, or you will lose in sales. Focus on taking great care of your potential client's needs and the numbers will follow!

2. The old way of selling tells us that you have to go into a sales call as if you were going into battle, armed with information and ready for the worst.  In this way of selling there can only be one winner, it's either you or them. Well, if you do what is in the best interest in your client, you can count on always getting the sale. It may not happen today or tomorrow, but if you are not pushy or abrasive you will earn your client's business and even the business of their colleagues and friends.

3. If you listen to numbers 2 & 3, this one should be a no-brainer. If you build a great relationship with client and always do what is in their best interest and profitable for them, you will have their friends and colleagues calling you to do business with you. Think of it as when you first start dating a great person, you want to show them off to the world don't you? If you treat your client like they have never been treated before, not only will they tell people, they will want to show you off. Get ready to meet their friends!

4. Objections are only opportunities to build value in your product or services. If you see objections as things that need to be "rebutted" with some clever line you have perfected, you may want to change your viewpoint. If a client expresses a concern, that is your cue that this is something important to them. Take the time to discuss your client's concern and show them how your product or services can meet their needs and solve the concern. Do not ever dismiss their concern as not important or valid. Instead, build value by sharing how their need can be met with the features of your product and how they will benefit from it.

5. When you take the time to get to know your client, address their concerns, solve problems and just plain LISTEN to what they have to say, the next logical step will only be to sign the contract! Make them close you! "So where do I sign up?" is what we want to hear at the end of every conversation!

There are many more things that separate the common salesperson from the top-performing consultant, but those are some of the key elements. Remember, it's all about the approach! Focus on the client and watch the sales, referrals and testimonials roll in! Happy consulting!

Alby Bocanegra, Training and Recruiting Manager