What makes an individual a great salesperson? There are many answers to this question and having superior selling skills surely is one of them. I have known several “natural born” salespersons over the years.
- Some of these people had outgoing or engaging personalities.
- A few had an uncanny ability to read people.
- For my part, I was never one of these sales wizards – yet, I am still a successful salesperson.
Sure, I have some natural and developed ability, but I am not a big believer in too much concern over intangible elements of sales success. Each person brings his or her individual strengths to the profession of selling.
- If there is one element I can point to that makes the biggest difference, it is the skill to prospect.
- Prospecting is process of finding new, interested qualified potential buyers for whatever it is that you sell.
- If you can create a steady stream of new potential buyers, you will give yourself the best opportunity to develop and grow your selling skills.
One of my kids recently was watching a movie called, “Michael Jordan to the Max.” In the movie Phil Jackson (one of Michael’s coaches) talks about Jordan struggling with shooting and defensive play. The remedy? Shooting and shooting and shooting.
- Prospecting strength opens the door to better skill in selling because talking to lots of interested folks gives you practice.
- You can work hard, gain experience, learn from your mistakes and grow as a salesperson – because you continually give yourself the opportunity to do so.
- Conversely, a salesperson who does not have enough prospects tends to over think what he or she is doing. Too much pressure is put on too few opportunities – not exactly the best environment for personal growth.
So, if you want better selling skills, learn how to become an effective sales prospector. Doing so, will give you the chance to be the best salesperson you can be.
