The 21st Century Salesperson

Regular readers of "People Development News" will recall that recently we ran a series of articles on the 21st Century Manager. In this series we focused on the challenges faced by managers in the 21st century environment and provided suggestions and ideas as to how these challenges can be met.

Approximately 50% of our work is in the area of leadership, management and team development. The remaining 50% is in sales, negotiation and business skills. In this second 21st century series the focus is on the challenges salespeople face, and the skills they require to be effective in their role.

The first qualification to make is that the term "salesperson" describes a spectrum of different roles. This can range from managing a geographic territory, working with customers in a specific market sector, key account management, even through to global account management. So, there are different levels of complexity. Specific skills are more important is some roles than others. However, the common thread is that all salespeople have the accountability to deliver against targets by being effective in selling to new and/or existing customers.

So what are the trends in the environment that salespeople work in? What are the challenges? What are the key skills that are required for them to be effective in their role?

The environment and challenges

(1) Intense competition

Customers are more aware of their options. It is increasingly difficult to gain and retain a unique selling edge, in straightforward product offering terms.

(2) The move to "account management"

Regardless of the label - Major, Strategic or Key Account - the move to account management means that the salesperson's role changes significantly. Not only do they have to manage customer relationships, they must be able to influence, and gain share of mind in their own organisation.

Why the move to account management? Companies appreciate that;

[a] to grow their business in a customer they need to create the focus that account management provides and

[b] effective account management enables them to identify the accounts that provide the greatest opportunities for profitable business.

(3) Developments in the purchasing function

The move from purchasing to "supply side management", which has a far more strategic and significant role in the business, has changed how customers "position" suppliers, and has implications for salespeople. Everybody wants to become a strategic partner rather than a supplier but achieving this represents significant challenges.

(4) The dynamics and rate of change in many markets

Simply look at the changes and change of fortune for companies in many markets over the last few years! Customer needs and situations are often in a state of flux. The salesperson needs to keep in tune with the customer and their world, and respond to the changes in their circumstances.

What skills are required?

Talk of selling skills and what springs to mind for most people?

• The ability to gain appointments with prospective customers
• Being able to establish customer needs
• The skills in presenting solutions in customer value terms
• Being able to establish positive relationships
• Having the confidence and the ability to overcome concerns and objections
• Being able to gain commitment from the customer

We call these the foundation skills, and they are vital for effectiveness in any sale role. However, given the environment and the challenges described above, what other skills are required?

• In the account manager role the salesperson is a project and resource manager. This requires a set of planning / organisational and internal influencing skills.

• To gain credibility, and to differentiate from competitors the salesperson needs to position themselves, and be perceived by the customer as a "business person". This involves being able to see the big picture, being able to relate how what they are selling can add value to the customer's business.

• Being able to create equal relationships. Traditionally it is seen that the "pressure to sell is always greater than the pressure to buy!". Possibly so, but of course people in the buying role also need to acquire goods and services. Being able to create equal relationships is key in establishing a business relationship that is positive for both parties in the short, mid and long term.

• We have already said that the traditional selling skills are important. However, these skills will not be totally effective, unless underpinned by a positive behavioural style, that can flex to the style and personality of the customer.

Our Effective Sales Profile is a competence profile that defines what is required for effectiveness in a sales role. There are 6 competence areas and 33 competence descriptors. It can be used to assess the current levels of competence for people in your sales team, to arrive at training/development priorities.