MANAGEMENT when you work hard on knowing and improving yourself.


• Review the basics. Even a standard “brush-up” can do wonders when approaching a new or difficult situation.


• Have a healthy ego and use it to measure how much room there is for improvement. Having a healthy ego also makes it easier to take calculated risks – to be bold in a positive way.


• Listen to assist in serving the customer – not to get information to manipulate.


Are You a Successful Salesperson?


SELLING POWER EDITORS


Managers: Use this tool to help your salespeople make incremental improvements – as well as help determine how successfully you yourself approach your prospects, customers, and general market.


Test yourself first, then copy the test with no answers and ask another rep on your team – or your manager, a cus- tomer, prospect, or anyone else capable of assessing your own sales skills – to fill out the same test answering for you. Then, compare your own assessment with how others assess your sales style and performance. Surprises await you. So do chances for self-evaluation and areas for improvement.


SUCCEEDING IN SALES Before you take the self-assessment, though, check out the list below and think about your own selling performance. A successful salesperson will... • Commit to what he or she is doing. • Persist even when things look bleak. • Learn continuously – because success in sales comes


22 | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020 SELLING POWER © 2020 SELLING POWER. CALL 1-800-752-7355 FOR REPRINT PERMISSION.


• Have a sense of humor and enthusiasm, and be able to laugh at him or herself rather than become serious and overbearing. Enthusiasm reflect a salesperson’s excite- ment for the product and what it can do for the prospect. None of these attributes is easy to acquire. Commit- ment, humor, and a strong ego come easily so long as you are constantly winning; however, when you have days of “nos,” too many bad breaks, and not enough commis- sions, then commitment, humor, and ego may desert you. As for listening, although most of us think of ourselves as good listeners, few are. These two tests – one taken by you, the other by your customer, colleague, or boss – can help you assess yourself and your success. Now start the self-assessment.


HOW I SEE MYSELF Professional Salesperson’s Quiz Be honest when taking the following quiz. We like to believe we do everything well but, unfortunately, that’s not always the case. See if this quiz can help you identify some areas in need of improvement.


Rate yourself on a five-point scale for each of the follow- ing attributes, with the scoring key of 1: Always or yes; 2: Usually; 3: Sometimes; 4: Rarely; and 5: Never or no. Then, check the scoring table at the end to see how you rate. In sales, I am always: 1 1


1. Assertive 2. Honest


4. Self-confident 1 5. Enthusiastic 1 6. Outgoing


1


2 2


3. A believer in my product 1


2 2 2 2


7. Focused on my objective 1


2 2 2 2 2


3 3


3 3 3 3


3


8. Professional in demeanor and dress 1


3 3 3 3


10. A good listener 1


4 4


4 4 4 4


4 4


9. Displaying good posture and expression 1


4 4 4


12. Thinking, “What does my prospect want?” 1


2 3 4


5 5


5 5 5 5


5 5 5 5


11. Perceptive (hearing what’s said rather than what’s not said) 1


5 5


LIA KOLTYRINA4 / SHUTTERSTOCK.COM


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