Think about the best sales professional that you know!  This person does those vital things differently, and does some of them in different amounts.  Overall, they have determined what is important, and they execute them things better. Read this and touch the links to see a great picture of the true sales professional.

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In previous posts of Black Sales Journal, such as Black Sales Journal 12/16/2010, The Seven Success Essentials of the Black Sales Professional, we examined being the Consummate Professional.  Many of you are very professional already, and this will be a refresher.  This is a great step to being the best and most effective sales professional possible!

Let me first advise, being the consummate professional will never be easy, as it involves preparation, study, forethought, and an exhaustive effort to be “the best” at what you do.  The more difficult aspect of being the best is sustainability and consistency.  You will know that you are ‘the consummate professional’ when you sustain it as part of your personal culture.

Being the Consummate Professional is Important

The consummate professional is someone who is effective, efficient, relationship driven, and visionary.  Promises are made, commitments are kept, and there is empathy for the problems of the customers.  Solutions are adequate and on time, because the professional has ‘actively listened’ as opposed to having ‘heard’ the problems, and has prioritized the delivery of the response properly.

Here is my version of the Consummate Professional Checklist:

The Consummate Professional is:

• Punctual
• Empathetic
• Attentive
• Knowledgeable
• Organized
• Responsive
• Visionary

This checklist forms the foundation for the most solid professional performance for the sales professional, and it also benefits the customer, and the organization.

Let’s Look at Each One

Punctual – Most of you know this, but the punctual professional is seldom if ever late.  Recognize that there is a psychological advantage to being the one that is on time.  It never hurts to have your prospect or customer start out with a brief apology for their tardiness, as it indicates you mean business.  Be punctual to a fault.  Treat your prospects and customers with respect; value their time.

Empathetic – Be genuine in your empathy.  Know enough about your customer’s business to be empathetic.  Recognize why they need your product, why they are hesitant to buy, and how to rephrase and restructure your product explanations to make a consultative sale.  The customer’s business model, market, or timing could get in the way of your sales process, the more you know the better opportunity you have to show the attributes of your product.

Attentive – This means being an ‘active listener’.  When you couple this with empathy, you get someone who is aware and understands the situation.  This gives a powerful edge.  The sales professional that understands proposes the right solutions at the right time.  Practice listening actively with all of your customers and potential clients.

Knowledgeable – This area speaks volumes.  There are many areas of knowledge that you should excel in:

• Product
• Territory
• Industry
• Process
• Competition

You might think this too much to master, yet it is a continuous process of learning and retaining.  You might refer to Black Sales Journal 12/20/2010, Your Customer Needs an Expert where we discussed being an expert in Product, Industry, and Territory.  Also note that knowing the competition is an extremely effective strategy.  The competitive landscape changes constantly.  The customer may not give you 100% credibility, yet your views will be listened to.

Organized – Being organized is essential.  Plan your appointments, your workday, and your workweek to the max.  Nothing ever goes totally as planned, yet in reality being organized allows one to prioritize well and be more effective.  Prospects and customers know when you are unorganized by the condition of your briefcase, and sometimes by your delivery.

Responsive – This is a big one!  There are many components that define responsiveness.  Many of the issues have to do with communications, timeliness, and solving problems. You need to return phone calls within less than 24 Hours.  This is a must.  Nothing ‘frosts’ a potential customer like not being able to receive a response to a call or email.  Communicate early and often.  Deliver your bad news as soon as you are sure of the response.  Work to find solutions, and when you cannot produce the desired result, frankly and honestly let your customer know.

Responsiveness also involves responding to customer requests for new products, new services, as well as improvements and betterments in the current offerings.   Listening and working to solve issues exhibits responsiveness.

Visionary – The more knowledge you have of all types, and the more understanding you have regarding your customer and your own company, the better chance you have to find creative real-time solutions.  Being able to see down the road is important.  Anticipate your customer’s needs well in advance as your customer’s organization, and your organization changes over time.  As an example, anticipate the move to retail outlets by your manufacturing customer and be prepared to respond.  Forecast your customer’s need to manufacture in less labor costly areas, and give distribution and supply suggestions that will make them profitable, and you a star.

Be up to date on current events here and abroad, and by all means know what is happening with their competition.  This might sound like a lot, yet in this age of electronic media, it can be done.

In Summary

As a Black sales professional, there are few tactics that will have as much impact as being “the Consummate Professional”.  You might want to check out the following items for a little more “in depth” discussion.  These are links to past Black Sales Journal posts that cover them in detail:

• 7 Success Essentials for the Black Sales Professional (12/16/2010)
• Your Customer Needs an Expert – Make It You! (12/20/2010)
• Preference, Perceptions, and Prejudice and Your Customer (12/27/2010)

Always remember, your customer wants to work with a professional.  It can be you!

We would love your comments.

Unless you are extraordinary, you only write a fraction of the accounts you propose or quote.  So what we talk about to day is very important.  If you work on a number of prospects, you probably will not remember details to all of them as well. A solid, well done, post-mortem will help you more than you would ever believe.

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You just completed one of your most important sales calls of 2011. Your team did well, your pricing was close, but you just got a call indicating that you did not get the order. You’re aware of many of the reasons, and know that this account can be a good prospect for the future.

Which of the following is the most important activity you can take next:

a. Close the file and diary this file for next year.

b. Call for a meeting with your manager to advise him why you didn’t get the account

c. Write a quick but comprehensive postmortem detailing what went right, and what went wrong, and how you are going to go about getting the business next year.

And the answer is:

In reality the correct answer is C for at least two reasons. Nothing could be more solid in preparation for getting the business the following year than to record why you didn’t get it this year, as well as what went right and wrong, and how you will remedy these problems in the following year. It doesn’t take long to do and it will create lasting benefits.

Once complete, this is what you will use as the outline to review the account with your manager detailing all of the issues, and your plans for next year.  Additionally, once you do it a few times you will find that it is much better than committing facts to memory. As a matter of fact once it is part of your routine you will be able to free your mind following this activity because your pre-work will be done for the next encounter with this customer.

I Don’t Want to Put Anyone on the Spot!

When sales call goes wrong too many sales professionals are afraid to cite the issues with their team and support. By the same token, too many sales professionals are too lazy to give accolades to those people who did an outstanding job. The objective of a successful postmortem is to deliver a framework to do both these things in a constructive way. It allows you to point out problems with coordination, completeness, quality work, and other issues in order to begin the process of strengthening those areas. If your organization neglects to change anything, you can logically expect the negative result to occur again. These are definitely learning opportunities that your manager, and very possibly the manager’s of the other individuals on your team need to know about.

When one of your team members has exceeded what is expected, the postmortem gives credit where it is due.  Don’t forget to do it. In reality, even though everyone might be doing their job, there is no doubt that these individuals will be stimulated by a show of “job well done”.

If done correctly the postmortem is a perfunctory way to naturally include improvements and accolades in the same document. It’s also a constructive recording of what we need to do better and what we have done well in regard to a particular account. In regard to the account itself, with this information recorded well, you have the basis for the introductory discussions for the next period when you attempt to wrest the business the incumbent.

By doing a postmortem correctly you will avoid the common problem of forgetting to give a compliment and for getting to help correct the most important issues.

But I’ve Already Got Enough to Do!

In the busiest of times a successful sales professional is overloaded. No one in his or her right mind wants to do valueless work.  This is real value.

To be able to record updates on the preferences of the buyer, differences in pricing, weak points and strengths in your product line, as well as performance of your sales team is priceless. When the next encounter comes about, you are ready to utilize the information gleaned from the postmortem to set your sights on success.

Depending on the nature of what you sell, and the type of organization you work for, you could be in a situation where you give important constructive points upfront to those that are providing your numbers and product particulars.  These notes can make a difference, and can change how people perceive you.

A Practical Example

Once while running a divisional operation I asked to see the sales representative about an upcoming key account.  She came in with some back-up documents and blew me away with her grasp of the account particulars as well as what she perceived that we needed to get the business on the books.

Not only did she have a grasp because of her postmortem (which happened long before I was in the position) she spoke clearly and cogently about the problems that we had with our product line as well as our foibles during the presentation.  Needless to say, she was “on top of it”.

I was impressed with this sales professional, and it left a lasting impression on me.  A professional does not sit in a meeting with a responsibility to be the expert on the account and then speak tentatively.  The true professional expounds on the facts of the call, citing what he or she believes we can solve, and what we need to sell against.

Always be ‘The Professional’.

I welcome your comments.